House not getting much interest

[EmRose123]

So our house has been on for 4 months now. With very little interest, although all the house around this area seems to be in a similar situation.
Although it's starting to get frustrating as we would really like another baby but just do not have the space in this house.
Looking for some advice I'll add the link to our house I do understand some part are a bit cluttered (just struggling to find the time to give it a huge clear out)
I think maybe the kerb appeal is lacking?
Any suggestions (don't be too mean please 😂)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164737892#/?channel=RES_BUY

Declutter, tidy and clean are the most important things to do. Then it’s down to price.

@EmRose123

It looks very cluttered and old fashioned/dated, there's not much kerb appeal, the garden looks scruffy, and it looks very small/poky rooms - maybe it's all the clutter, and the garish decor. Is it ex council? It looks a lot like some council bungalows in the town that's 5 miles from me (I live in a village.) It's end terrace, and seems very overpriced for what it is. Are properties normally expensive where you live?

Where I live, (in this village,) a 2 bed semi-detached bungalow would go for £270-£300K, but in the town, it would go for £180-£200K. (It's a very desirable middle class village.) A 2 bed detached bungalow in my village would go for £400-£425K, and probably £350K in the town. (It's a nice, smallish market town.)

But in a bigger town - 15 miles away, they would all go for 20% less. So there are a lot of variables. I wouldn't pay £210K for your bungalow though sorry. As several posters have said, you need a big clear out. It looks very messy inside. I am surprised the estate agent agreed to market it with it being so cluttered and untidy.

The living room is You really need to re-decorate throughout, but the living room is a bit ghastly. (I'm really sorry but you did ask!) Also, as a pp said, the oil heating, and having to deal with solar panels, and the wood burner, may put some people off too.

@ineedthemalltobeasleep

...the dead cat in the cage needs to go - as that freaks me out slightly

WHAT? Where is that?!

defo remove the skeletons?!?!? They would freak me out

And where are they?!!

You might not 'personally' like it but thats the big new trend, its called modern farmhouse and will be everywhere soon.

A new trend cannot be 'dated' just because its not your taste, its like how popular baby names now are Edith and Olive and Evelyn, they might sound 'old' to some generations but they are the 'current new trend' too.

Most people don't get round to hopping on trends until they are almost dead but its very much the OPPOSITE of dated, its brand new and on trend.

The Artex isn't on trend in the UK (although bizzarey is coming back among gen Z buyers especially in the USA though so probably will hit trend in 10 years or so) but many houses have artex its not a huge issue especially in a retirement bungalow.

Where I am house prices haven't changed much since 2019, maybe up by 5%. There was a huge spike during Covid and some estate agents clearly haven't taken that into account.

If I'm honest the clutter and outside spavmce really put me off the house. The driveway looks dreadful and makes me wonder what the area is like.

I would decluter every room. Put the suff in the car/shed. Sell a lifestyle. Lots of people really can't see beyond clutter so you need to cater for them.

In the kitchen in the cages on the wall - looks like a dead cat in there maybe as I'm on my mobile and it isnt as i cant make it any bigger.

There is a picture of inside the log cabin - with loads of guitars etc and 2 Skellington things in there behind the chair.

Sorry if I've got it wrong multitasking with kids haha

Holy cow

I like it but I am an old fogey, the offputting thing for me is solar panels, they are so ugly and I would have to get them removed

The outside cabin could be a great feature but needs massive decluttering too.

anyone seriously looking for a property is going to look at it on streetview

doing so immediately resolves that there is no dropped kerb, (the only other bungalow with off road parking is directly opposite and does have dropped kerb, so the council's attitude may be relevant, but more likely they no longer care.

The lack of any driveway surface certainly relegates off road parking to be worth much less.
Also unconvinced by the removal of fence along the access path down the side of their "driveway" to allow the person on the side to access their entrance gate.

I would neutralise the blue wall and the striped wall in the bedroom. Get some moving boxes and get rid of nic nacs, ornaments, some pictures off the walls, stuff off windowsills, just leave a few statement pieces - you are going to pack eventually so start now. the bits on top of the kitchen cupboards. If a buyer sees clutter they see lack of space. Get rid of the curtain near the front door, it says to me its cold and draughty at the front door. Hide the laundry area with a divider or a curtain. Get rid of the shelves in the bedroom and stick a mirror up. declutter kiddies bedroom.

Do you have 2 children? One still using the cot or is the cot now redundant?

Outside space is not great and look like could need a lot of work when it probably doesn't, again get rid of or pack up stuff you can live without, the ornaments will not be to everyones tastes. There does not look to be a boundary to the right of the drive next to a public path. Could you get something put up there? Paint the tired shed at the end and maybe pebble the drive if you can't do anything else to it, and also maybe a planter either side of front door and get rid of christmas tree.

Oh, I see them now! 'Skellingtons' made me LOL! 😂

Is that a dead cat/stuffed cat in the cage on the wall? 😱 This property certainly has some odd things in it!

People need to visualise their selves there so remove clutter

in the worse one for clutter and if I ever move (unlikely) I know would have to seriously declutter and remove photos

the dark blue wall makes room look dark and Curtains hideous (sorry) in living room so change to plain

paint white and maybe throws on sofa so all match

2nd bedroom isn’t a double and looks small but it’s a kids bedroom

garden /grass looks awful. Needs turfing /fake grass (wait for mn to say fake grass is awful) 😉

hide the washing machines /clutter and make conservatory into 2nd living area or put table in with chair so a place to eat

remove clutter from counter in kitchen

It looks awful from the outfit. The front of the house is so messy, dirty and cluttered.

The garden looks like its straight from a council estate.

Only one way in to the garden via a hugely cluttered and messy utility.

I can't fathom what you've spent £30k on. Someone will have to come in and spend that again to make it more their taste.

Is that the neighbour’s property where the fence panel is removed? This is my assumption, and that the photo with 2 cars was showing the neighbours parked next to the vendor’s.

assuming this is all correct it’s just a massive red flag to me. If someone sees a property advertised as having parking, they’ll expect a dropped kerb and a decent parking space. Better not to mention it at all if there isn’t, and then any type of ‘driveway’ is conceivably a bonus. But tbh if I were the vendor, I’d apply to the council for permission for a dropped kerb. Then make the driveway clear demarcated with an attractive surface.

@Zov "You really need to redecorate throughout, but the living room is a bit ghastly"

WTF? I get that @EmRose123 might have completely different taste in interior decoration/styling to you (and to me, if I'm being honest), but how rude are you?

Yes, the house is suffering from lack of storage/lots of clutter (typical of many homes with young DC ime) and most people aren't sufficiently adventurous to go with something other than white/magnolia (or the dreaded grey) as a wall colour, but it's hardly "ghastly"! What exactly do you think is so ghastly?

God knows what @Zov would think if they saw my house!

It’s a lovely house OP and on the basis of the photos etc I’d definitely view it. I reckon you need to sit tight. Once September hits, there’s more activity

Who’s your target OP? I don’t know your area at all. Is it good for retirees (buses, doctors etc) or better for young families (schools, parks)?

If it’s oldies or getting oldies (like me) I’d be looking for somewhere that looks ready for me to move in, in a neutral, safe, clean way. I’d see the solar panels, batteries, water system as big pluses. On the other hand, the colours, wallpaper and eclectic styling would be negatives as I’m old enough to know that redecorating throughout is hellish mess, cost and inconvenience, even assuming I can bloody get someone to do it, because I no longer can. The garden I could live with but would factor in a good 15k needed to sort fencing, patio and other bits. I pay around £800 to have a room decorated, so I’d factor that in too although wallpaper removal would cost me more.

If it’s a young family, for the love of god get a storage unit for the freak show in the cabin. Make that into a work from home space and tidy the garden up where you can. Dont redecorate, a young couple would be excited and optimistic about making it their own. Put the picnic table on the patio and tart it up to be a family eating area. I love our log burner but obviously there are drawbacks for young kids.

Overall I’d market it for retirees looking to downsize. If you don’t want to neutralise the decor, just go mental with decluttering and cleaning and absolutely still lose the freak show. Mow the lawn as low as you can too, ideally it would look fairly low maintenance.

Then again - there this is also v true!!

Thanks everyone especially to the kind ones with some realistic advice!
We're taking it off gonna have a little reset and put it back on with our original agent think I got drawn in to the massive amount of junk mail from other agents you get when selling unfortunately.

Hopefully 2nd time round will have more luck

I would remove anything high up -so on top of the kitchen cupboards ,on top of the wardrobes, on top of the washing machines ,hanging in the child’s bedroom. As it looks like the house must be small with no storage to need everything up high.
some rugs would have been nice. Or maybe just one big one in the lounge.Mow the lawn -I know it’s dead but it looks like a field as it’s so lumpy. Also the bit where the car goes.
Then get photos retaken - the video flicks tbrough the photos so fast I. Couldnt watch it.

Agree with all PPs. I was misled by the order of your photographs, as I assumed the second image was the back of your property.
Tell tale signs for me (not necessarily valid) are items on top of kitchen cupboards and wardrobes which hint at lack of storage. The curtain over the front door suggests a draught. I’d also remove the plastic insect screen when you minimise the utility area and find somewhere else for the baby gate while the photos are being taken. Load up your car? Imagine who’d buy it and sell them a lifestyle. Atm you’re showing how you live, not how a small family or retirees could.

what photo with 2 cars?

That's what I was going to suggest.

I do think the price is too high but I would definitely de-clutter a lot (really a lot), take better photos on a sunny day and then re-market in a month or so or even next Feb/March if you aren't in a hurry. I expect prices to continue to fall now, which may be good for you if you are looking to upsize.

Ah that’s interesting, there’s a message on the agent’s site saying this property has now been removed. The photos are still there at the moment but not showing in full colour.

I’ve posted the photo but I think MN review them before showing them.