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Original poster

My flat won’t sell, please help!

148 replies

SpookyW001989 · 30/07/2025 19:50

Hi guys, well my wife (33 F) and I (35 F)
have put our lovely 2 bed coach house on RightMove in Chelmsford, Essex and there has been ZERO interest! No viewings, no offers. It’s been on with RightMove and HOME estate agents for nearly a month, and zilch. We are beyond gutted. It was valued at £280,000. We have it on for £260,000 (we recently reduced it to this price) still nothing!!
To say we are bloody devastated would be an understatement. The flat has 2 parking spaces, a car port with loads of room, boarded out loft with electricity. It’s got 108 years left on the lease. Honestly, we thought it would be perfect for FTB. If anyone has any feedback back or helpful advice, please chuck some our way. Thank you. Here’s the link www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164205242

OP posts:
Plmnki · 30/07/2025 20:03

Really sorry, it’s a nice place but the best person to ask is the agent. They should understand the market.

also,

imagine you’re a buyer with £280k to spend, go shopping on Rightmove and look what that can buy. Are there freehold houses at that price? Are there places with little gardens? If so, both will attract buyers first.

there is nothing obvious wrong, the service charge is low, there is parking, you just need to understand why buyers are not choosing to view and that is likely to be competition from other places.

good luck, it’s emotionally exhausting.

LuckysDadsHat · 30/07/2025 20:05

What is the ground rent and service charge? You dont have those on rightmove and that can put a lot of people off.

timestheyareachanging25 · 30/07/2025 20:05

It may be that the other residents have access beneath your property to access presumably a shared car park there? How many people park through there? That can put people off
other than that I guess the kitchen is a bit dated but maybe you’ve factored that into the price
what about that huge field opposite? Is there planning on that for future development which might be an issue?
lack of outside space post Covid would put me off - depends on how much a house is locally compared to yours in price
i think the layout is really good and the car port and parking is great

timestheyareachanging25 · 30/07/2025 20:06

LuckysDadsHat · 30/07/2025 20:05

What is the ground rent and service charge? You dont have those on rightmove and that can put a lot of people off.

They are on there in the particulars at the bottom but not in the summary bit

OP maybe get right move to update the details?

Profhilodisaster · 30/07/2025 20:07

Try putting it on with Charles David Casson , the guys that own it have lived all their lives in Chelmsford and are very honest with valuations.

BabyCatFace · 30/07/2025 20:08

There are a lot of 2 bedroom flats with parking on Rightmove at lower prices. Yours may be nice but others are equally as nice and cost less. The market is slow so why would anyone choose yours above a cheaper one? Sorry but that's the bottom of it.

TheGentleButFirmMadonna · 30/07/2025 20:09

Flats sell slow these days. That's expensive also. It's London price...

The size is good. Do these properties with gaps underneath keep warm in winter ?

RandomMess · 30/07/2025 20:09

What else’s is on the local market for £240-£280k that’s your competition.

OhMrDarcy · 30/07/2025 20:11

The flat itself is lovely, thought personally I'd be concerned about the noise of people driving under my flat at all hours and the complete lack of outdoor space.

It's been a long hot summer where I am, so maybe people want outdoor space more than normal.

Elle771 · 30/07/2025 20:14

Its a lovely looking flat!

Quick rightmove search shows A LOT of large flats and even houses in the £260-290k bracket in Chelmsford though so its probably just people wanting a little more space/garden for that price which isn't anything you can change of course :(

Its so emotionally draining selling so totally understand why you feel that way xxx

LightCameraBitchSmile · 30/07/2025 20:15

TheGentleButFirmMadonna · 30/07/2025 20:09

Flats sell slow these days. That's expensive also. It's London price...

The size is good. Do these properties with gaps underneath keep warm in winter ?

Edited

£280k is not London price! Double it to start…

Devonpuff · 30/07/2025 20:19

It's not normal looking for people, as people drive under your rooms. That is going to put lots of people off I'm afraid. Headlights, noise, looking down on to a car park and the noise might that come with it. It's position just isn't what people will expect opening the listing so it needs to have something else to grab people. I would discount straightaway, mainly as it's unusual set up that I'm unfamiliar with. Adding that it is leasehold and there are services charges, it needs to be much cheaper than similar sized and located properties.

Profhilodisaster · 30/07/2025 20:20

You are also up against the new builds in Beaulieu Park. Can you hear the traffic from the main Chelmer Road ?

BigDayForTheWomen · 30/07/2025 20:20

It’s a slow market and flats are not as popular as they were, though yours has a low service charge. And the bedrooms are very small. Lovely reception room with balcony and views.

Thesimplelife1810 · 30/07/2025 20:23

It's a lovely flat. But 107 years for the lease is short. If I was buying I would want you to pay to have it extended.

Littletreefrog · 30/07/2025 20:24

I had no idea what a Coach House was before looking at your listing. Is that a typical house style for your area? Because to me it's flat. Are people looking for a house opening your listing then being put off that it's not a typical house and are people looking for a flat not finding you because it's listed as a house?

Zempy · 30/07/2025 20:25

Is there a shower? I wouldn’t choose it as it’s too open plan for me. I’m not sure about people driving under my rooms either to be honest.

However, you bought it so clearly there’s a market. Maybe it’s just the price?

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 30/07/2025 20:25

I'm afraid that I would be put off by the access to other parking directly under your house.

Groundhogday2025 · 30/07/2025 20:27

The flat itself is lovely. But the area is very much for a particular taste. I think that estate is a little cramped/very narrow access to it off the roundabout from chelmer village (with road noise!). Some of the cladding on those houses around there has also not dated very well imho.
The chelmer used to always flood there too, have you checked the flood reports for the area?
So yes, it really is a lovely flat but I think the competition is just really fierce in Chelmsford at the moment. I’m sure it will sell and be perfect for someone out there but you might need to wait a bit. There are so many newer builds in beaulieu too that are probably stealing the attention.

Dinosaursare · 30/07/2025 20:28

Its built on the flood plain?
Plus 15 minutes further out in Braintree that's a house. Or one of the Springfield massionettes would be a similar price. As ftb in Chelmsford we would have steered clear of that area completely

ComfortFoodCafe · 30/07/2025 20:32

Discount. Car park view & the short lease would immediately put me off. Its lovely inside though!

LuckysDadsHat · 30/07/2025 20:35

timestheyareachanging25 · 30/07/2025 20:06

They are on there in the particulars at the bottom but not in the summary bit

OP maybe get right move to update the details?

Show quote history

No it just says ask agent. People want to see these details before booking a viewing as it may have a 10k service charge which no one would pay and then its wasting everyone's time.

Edit: sorry! See what you mean they are in the main details!

Overthebow · 30/07/2025 20:36

It’ll be the price. There’s lots of competition in that area. Your flat is nice but the pictures make the living my area look very small. Either there’s no room for a table, or the pictures make it look like there isn’t as you’ve got a small fold up table and it doesn’t look like there’s anywhere for it to be properly up. There’s also the issue of it being over a car park entrance so cars will be driving under it at any hour, and it looks on to the car park too. The lease isn’t very long so someone buying may have an issue selling if they keep the flat for a while. It needs to be priced on the cheaper end of a 2 bed flat for the area to compete.

MadKittenWoman · 30/07/2025 20:38

Sorry, I don’t want to be mean but I can’t see much going for it. I don’t know the area, but the pictures make it look like it’s in the middle of nowhere. It’s basically a flat on stilts. I would drop the price further.

Michele09 · 30/07/2025 20:38

Service charge: £394.52 per annum with the service charge being reviewed annually.

They're in the description.