To change estate agent? House isn't selling

[unsellable]

My property has been on the market for 5 months. Had a total of 25 viewings. No offers just one person who was seriously interested but ended up never getting back in touch after second viewing even though they left that viewing saying they’d offer when they sold. They sold. Never offered.

I am in the midlands. I am not comfortable to say where. Or link my property. But property was initially on at price multiple agents suggested. Although viewings were coming in weekly I assumed no offers were due to price so reduced 2% by advice of agent to get back to top of rightmove.

Viewings still kept coming in at new price but still no offers. Agent then advised me to guide price so I dropped the price low to fit in to another price bracket for searches on Rightmove, stating that offers would be accepted anywhere between X (low price in new bracket) and X (which was my original asking price). At this point I'd accept the lower end of the guide price as I am getting desperate.

Same situation, viewings kept on happening at new listed guide price. No offers. Estate agent decided to do the showings for me to get feedback on the spot as a lot of people coming for a viewing don't respond to estate agent for feedback when they ring after the weekend. Estate agent said this is normal. Most don’t return their calls after viewings.

Had a viewing this weekend from a couple who called their parents to come join them and spent 45 mins viewing with the agent and they haven't responded to agent and apparently agent has called everyday since. Apparently couple loved it on weekend. So I can't understand why they're not returning the agents calls.

When I purchased the house it sold in a week after viewings and there was myself and somebody else both placing offers until one of us were accepted - which was me.

I am feeling so low about it. I got another estate agent in who keep trying to poach me. They told me that the reduction was not the right advice as it’s now listed a lot below what it is worth and suggested they would have listed at original asking price too. New estate agent said I could now go with them but can’t re list at my original asking price or anything higher than the lower end of the guide price it’s currently on at, so if I go with them I have to stick to the guide price the other agent advised me to do.

I’m getting frustrated that my agent is only getting feedback from roughly just over half of the viewings. They say they try every day following the viewings for 3 days.

All viewings that are coming in are enquiries from rightmove/zoopla. Potential new estate agent said that they would be proactive in contacting potential buyers and telling them about my property and don’t rely on zoopla and rightmove alone.

Is this an estate agent issue or do I just have a unsellable property. What can I do? What could be the problem with my house and why it is not selling? I’ve been advised by my current agent houses are not struggling to sell in our area and people have been rushing to buy before stamp duty increase. They constantly reassure me the house is lovely and sellable and they will sell it it’s just a case of right buyer, right time.

Dog bed/bowls aren't on the pictures. Dog bed/toys are put away for viewings. However his bowl is in the corner of the kitchen on the viewings. It's on a stand that matches the aesthetic of the kitchen.

Bowls are always cleaned before viewings so there's not food in them. And I know my house doesn't smell of dog on viewings because I've had a lot of compliments about how nice it smells and people have been surprised to see a dog bowl when they've been in the kitchen.

It's interesting that you say any sign of a dog would put you off buying a house. It's helpful to hear these things because honestly I just thought people looked at a listing, saw pics and a floorplan, decided there if what they saw fit their criteria enough to view it, and then decided whether view again/if it's the one or not regardless of whether it's got a dog living there.

It's difficult for anyone to advise without a link, but it's probably the price.
Get rid of the "guide price". Look around at properties which are similar and make it look competitive. If you drop the price, you'll get more offers.
I'd be put off by the dog, but if you're insistent it makes no difference, fine.

A price range does confuse me tbh, I'd rather just have a price!
I would assume most people would offer at the lower end??
Just wondering if the people viewing were proceedable, or still trying to sell their house or not even on the market.
Tbh I'd only want to do viewings if they are proceedable. Estate agents are keen to show almost anyone round as it makes them look good.
Other than the obvious price, the photos maybe a bit misleading ie garden and rooms look bigger or in better condition in photos than in real life.
Do you declutter and clean before viewings?
A small garden would put me off tbh, especially if it's a family house, but not much you can do about that.
Neighbours houses in disrepair would also put me off or in a road busier than expected.
Any pet smells or bad DIY in the house.
Needs more updating than expected.
Not being able to properly view the house, I viewed one where we weren't allowed in the garden and could just look through the windows!
Or it could simpler be a sluggish market!
Good luck.

In my part of the Midlands, houses are taking forever to sell at the moment, even when properly priced. Neighbours took nearly a year to sell theirs and finally let it go at the same price they had bought at eighteen months before.

If the people aren't there and or willing to buy the agents can't force them, they get commission when it's sold so they wouldn't hang on to a property for no reason

Personally I wouldn't buy at guide price, place would have to be decluttered and not smell and fairly neutral decor as wouldn't want ro feel we had to change things immediately, no rubbish around basics done as in no broken kitchen cupboards etc.

If this is all done then price is the only thing I can think of

Definitely get rid of the guide price.

It’s frustrating I know when you want to sell, OP. Have you looked on RM, the view similar properties? This will show the properties you are competing with to achieve a sale, how does your property stack up against price, size, condition etc.

Small gardens can be tricky particularly if it’s a family house, there is nothing you can do to the size but you can make sure it’s tidy, plant some bright primulas so it looks attractive etc. what feedback have the EA given you?

I know someone who changed EA 3 times, they did eventually achieve a sale, but the offer that they accepted was MUCH less than they originally marketed the property for.

A change of agent can help, make sure the photos are excellent, beds made nicely, clear all bathrooms of detritus for photos, no dog bed, bowl etc.

Make sure there is a floor plan, this can save unnecessary viewings.

How long have you had the property? It’s now a buyers market so properties may take longer to sell. PP gave a good tip, make sure viewers are proceedable, total waste of time otherwise.

Good luck OP, I hope you get moving soon.

Forgot to say, if you change EA and a buyer comes back that has previously been introduced by their agency, commission will become due,

So you dropped the price by £25k, and that represents 2%? So your house is worth £1.25m? Of course it's going to take time to sell, a pool of people having that sort of money is pretty small. It's also a very small drop, you would need to shave off at least £50k, if not more.

The experience of our relative has definitely put us off ever buying a house where a dog lives.

That’s quite possibly not the main explanation why the property hasn’t sold, but it might account for some people’s change of mind once they viewed.

It’s almost always price.

I agree. Anything will sell if the price is low enough. Even a murder house.

It's not that these things are non negotiable. It's probably something that prospective buyers are willing to compromise on. If you found a house you really liked, but garden was much smaller than you wanted, you would still go and view it, especially if there isn't that many to choose from that tick other boxes. Then once you view it, you might decide that no, it's not something you're willing to compromise on, and would rather have a smaller house with bigger garden, which sounds like what you are getting.

You mentioned feedback and the garden. Has the EA used a fish eye lense for the photos?

If so, I would ask for the photos to be taken with a standard lense. We had to do this, viewers were expecting a bigger garden because of the wide lense

If I don't offer on the house then it wasn't for me, I don't need to give feedback. I'm not a professional review who exists to give you advise, no response IS the answer. Same when you go in a shop, you don't have to explain to the cashier why you didn't buy the dress you tried on.

Anything I can say would be utterly useless and fake or hurtful to you, trust me you don't need people telling you your house sucks or telling you useless 'its lovely' and then dealing with pressure to buy it when they are just trying to be nice.

The number one reason its usually a no from me is that its simply too small, something unfixable. It might be the over all building is too small (its hard to judge off floor plans alone sometimes) or that a key room is too small/unpractical and immovable. Nothing you can change or need to know or can 'sweet talk' us into buying despite.

An EA harrassing me by phoning me dozens of (inappropriate) time during the day when we are at work, Dr appointment, doing school runs etc... certainly doesn't endear us to answer.

Sound like the photos must be fine but something is going wrong with viewing. Some idea, not very clean, dog or smoke smell, damp, horrible neighbour or next to some thing off putting.

How many people viewing are in a position to proceed? If only a few then there may not be much wrong - you may just have a very small pool of buyers.

Sorry I wasn't clear on this. It was dropped 2% then dropped again to fall in to another price bracket and listed as a guide price which is 25k drop from original asking. The guide price sets it 25k lower than it was valued at. But because it's a guide price it states x-x so suggests to potential buyers I'll accept anything in that region. They can offer anything between the lowest right up to the highest. Of course people will come in with an offer at the lower end of the guide price! But my issue is I haven't even been that lucky to have a low ball offer. So it's been reduced twice in total. My estate agent has advised me to drop a further 5k now and take the guide price off. So literally a fixed price which will result in 30k under original asking.

Had another estate agent come today from another company to value it and they suggested it's worth the original asking price and to reduce for a third time at a 30k loss is silly.

Of course all other estate agents think it's an agent issue why it's not sold yet. But I'm starting to think maybe statistically it's worth the original asking, but my situation of 25 viewings is suggestive that it's not worth that to the majority of current buyers. Just not sure whether to reduce a further 5k or not. Estate agent who came to value today told me if I reduce a further 5k I'm 'giving it away'.

I'll ask them if they use fish eye. I have scrutinised the photos and I don't think it makes it look bigger. Especially with there being a virtual tour too. Someone else suggested putting garden measurements which is something I might do too.

Are you in a rush to move @unsellable ? A few of us from the midlands on this thread have commented the market is really really flat atm. It may just take time if you can wait, but personally I'd hold out with the price EA agree it's worth.

The house is neutral, not smelly, and not cluttered. Many have said on viewings 'they wouldn't need to change a thing and would decorate the same way and can move straight in'. in fact from the feedback I've had majority have said it's presented well and well decorated, then follows with but we have found somewhere else, but the garden is too small or it's just not for us. Clearly the presentation isn't the issue. I also know location isn't either. It's a very sought after area.

I just can't understand why consistent valuations before it was listed and from two other agents I've spoken to since considering changing all think it's worth the original asking.

I know the market in our area is good. My estate agent told me they're listing houses that are selling in a week and still can't understand why mine isn't. I asked my estate agent today to be blunt and tell me if there is anything I can do to make it more appealing on viewings but my estate agent said there is nothing. Agrees is presented beautifully. And thinks a further reduction is all I can do. He did say or sit around and wait for the right buyer to offer in the middle of the guide price.

I've heard that listings can go 'stale' and I'm wondering if people are put off by how long it's been on in comparison to others in the area and feel it's risky placing an offer.

I've had a look today and there's a house down road, a lot smaller than mine. it's presented lovely. It's gorgeous. It's been sat on market about a month longer than mine. I actually viewed the house years ago when I was buying a previous property and it's a lovely location and kerb appeal. I'm wondering if we're just being skipped now because we're stale listings. Or maybe I just like unsalable houses haha!

It's interesting that my estate agent is telling me the opposite and that houses are flying off in our area. Maybe that's just a handful of their listings and usually the case. Maybe if many others on here think market in midlands is flat atm then that's something to consider too.

Less than half have been proceedable. But for the few unproceedable that have offered feedback, they say they like something else better or it's not for them. Maybe I need to ask my estate agent to send me a breakdown of the responses from proceedable buyers to get an accurate representation on what genuine buyers think to jog my memory with 'proper feedback'.

I just think if an unproceedable buyer thinks it's not for them then it must be bad!

If you are getting plenty of viewings the agent is doing their job (unless they are telling the potential buyers fibs) so there is either something not quite right with the house or there are better houses around for the price.

The houses around me on the market for ages seem to be getting lots of viewings too. Just no offers (I assume!). These are nice houses (I've nosied on RM of course!) and a lovely area to live. The cheaper houses as I say are still selling like hot cakes.