Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Embarrassment of home not selling

65 replies

quadly · 24/09/2025 21:12

First time seller. Absolutely mortified by the little interest my home has had over the first few weeks it’s been on the market. Really struggling with the public nature of your house being for sale - your neighbours all know because of the sign, I’ve had three friends message me because they stalk Rightmove and have seen the house. We’ve had VERY little interest despite seemingly ticking all the right boxes - estate agent has said they’re “scratching their heads”.

I’m just really struggling with how everyone can see it hasn’t sold. It’s such a public experience and will be such a public failure if we have to reduce the price. I’m mortified by the whole thing and I feel like my reaction is completely emotionally unregulated. I feel devastated in such an over the top way. Does anyone have any advice on how to get past this feeling?

I’ve been having huge arguments with my husband as I just want to take the house off the market and stay put, which he thinks is ridiculous.

OP posts:
MidnightPatrol · 24/09/2025 21:14

I think there’s a lot of concern out there about what might be announced in the budget.

So any house an offer is made on now, is at risk of being subject to a (possibly fairly radical) new tax regime.

AutumnCosy2025 · 24/09/2025 21:16

Big Hugs.

I'm sorry you feel the way you do. I sort of understand, but at the same time think your reaction is way over the top.

the housing market is utter shit, don't take it so personally.

it only takes one buyer. Hang in there xx

Arlanymor · 24/09/2025 21:16

MidnightPatrol · 24/09/2025 21:14

I think there’s a lot of concern out there about what might be announced in the budget.

So any house an offer is made on now, is at risk of being subject to a (possibly fairly radical) new tax regime.

Agree with this - if you think about it, any house that has an offer made now is bound to still be going through all of the rigamarole of process that constitutes a house purchase while the budget is announced. Definitely nothing to be embarrassed about - frustrating sure, but embarrassing? No. It's life.

AutumnCosy2025 · 24/09/2025 21:17

MidnightPatrol · 24/09/2025 21:14

I think there’s a lot of concern out there about what might be announced in the budget.

So any house an offer is made on now, is at risk of being subject to a (possibly fairly radical) new tax regime.

This too, I can't see much moving until after the budget.

LittleGlowingOblong · 24/09/2025 21:19

Very few people are watching closely. Your first priority is selling the house, the rest is just noise.

We’re selling my late mum’s flat just now: we’re about to reprice for the third time and we’ve had 5 viewers in 100 days. Obviously we think the EA is shit but it is what it is.

Do what you have to and soon this will be behind you x

Bluevelvetsofa · 24/09/2025 21:19

I suppose it depends on how much you want to move. I think we’ve only once sold a house for the asking price, so no need to be embarrassed about a price reduction. I agree that the market is even more unsettled because of the uncertainty about the budget.

OakDeane24 · 24/09/2025 21:20

If your EA are really scratching heads then they are bonkers. I work in the industry. Time to accept an offer is at a 5 year high!!! Thats right! The data that i observed today stated that Year to date the average time for marketing to offer accepted is 77 days.
However I expect that average will increase before the year is out. Who know what's Rachel R is going to say end of Nov. Could stimulate or stagnant the housing market. Please dont worry!
Genuinely how long has it been on the market for? I wouldn't jump to change price too soon it could be someone's dream home and they are trying to sell their house x

ShesTheAlbatross · 24/09/2025 21:20

I will admit to being kind of a judgy cow at times. But it has really never occurred to me to think anything negative about someone I know having their house on the market for a while without it selling. I certainly wouldn’t view it as a “public failure” to have to reduce the price!

Original poster
quadly · 24/09/2025 21:20

Thanks so much everyone. I know the budget is going to be playing a big part - we’ve been told as much (although annoyingly not before we’d agreed to list with the estate agents).

Do you think it’s worth removing from the market and relisting some time in the new year when things feel less uncertain? I’d rather take off and list at a new price than reduce with the way my head is at the moment.

OP posts:
Original poster
quadly · 24/09/2025 21:21

ShesTheAlbatross · 24/09/2025 21:20

I will admit to being kind of a judgy cow at times. But it has really never occurred to me to think anything negative about someone I know having their house on the market for a while without it selling. I certainly wouldn’t view it as a “public failure” to have to reduce the price!

This is actually so kind and reassuring, thank you ❤️ I kind of feel like this is making me go a bit mad!

OP posts:
CalzoneOnLegs · 24/09/2025 21:23

You can choose whether or not to have the estate argent sign/board up

CoolPlayer · 24/09/2025 21:23

Buying a house is a big commitment I’ve known some lovely houses take time to sell! (We’re talking up to a year or more) - ur only paranoid because it’s ur house - nobody will care. x

OakDeane24 · 24/09/2025 21:24

quadly · 24/09/2025 21:20

Thanks so much everyone. I know the budget is going to be playing a big part - we’ve been told as much (although annoyingly not before we’d agreed to list with the estate agents).

Do you think it’s worth removing from the market and relisting some time in the new year when things feel less uncertain? I’d rather take off and list at a new price than reduce with the way my head is at the moment.

Thats up to you, why did you want to move any driving reason (schools, jobs etc)
Are you tied in to EA for any length of time?
Honestly its so annoying the tit bits in media about potential SD changes and having to wait till end of Nov to find out. I expect it'll be something like "from 1st April" and the conveyancers will.be the bad guys yet again trying to either push everything through or delay depending on what suits their client

Sorry not helpful for your situation 😅

HouseHouseHouse7 · 24/09/2025 21:25

I’m a Rightmove stalker but I honestly don’t think less of vendors who are struggling to sell. It’s a weird market currently.

Furgal · 24/09/2025 21:26

It's a difficult market. One of ours took a year to sell as we weren't in a rush and wouldn't lower the price. Nobody cares. If they do, they aren't worth knowing.

Blinkingbother · 24/09/2025 21:27

Yep, normally I’d say ‘if it’s not selling then the price is the problem’ but right now I’m not sure that’s the case! Nothing round here is shifting and normally houses of all types go quickly. Budget, economy….the govt seem desperate to kill off growth…most people will want to sit tight. Are you desperate to sell? If not it may be better to take it off & wait.

alwaysthesamechild · 24/09/2025 21:31

kindly I don’t understand why this is mortifying ? Is that people can see your home or worried that people will
know your financial situation at high level. ?

agree about budget though. Fingers crossed it will get moving soon

LibertyLily · 24/09/2025 21:34

I definitely agree with other posters that the upcoming budget and what it might mean for the selling process is having a serious effect on the market currently.

Locally I'm seeing very few properties going under offer and it's only those which represent a very good deal that are selling.

@quadly I feel your pain as we've sold quite a few houses and have always accepted an offer fairly quickly previously. But when we were selling in 2023/24 we went two months with no viewings at the start of the process (admittedly we stupidly went on at the end of November '23). I felt like abandoning the idea of moving too as I began to question if there was something wrong with our house (we'd bought it as a repossession and the previous owners had been trying to sell for years before they lost it!)

We stuck it out as we desperately wanted to move back home from Wales to England and in Jan 2024 the viewings began trickling through. It still took till early May to get an acceptable offer from proceedable buyers, but I was so pleased that I'd held my nerve when we eventually completed on our sale and purchase last September.

Good luck and try not to take it personally, I'm sure your home is great! But be prepared to wait, possibly till after Christmas now!

kaysee01 · 24/09/2025 21:41

It's such a stressful process, so much uncertainty wrapped up alongside lots of hope and not much control, it's enough to make you feel mad. Then you see somewhere you love but haven't sold or you have an offer but can't find somewhere and feel pressured, or you have sold and found but then have several weeks/months waiting to exchange/complete. The whole English house buying system is a nightmare and the possible changes will definitely be impacting the market.

Try not to let it be all consuming, certainly don't worry about people judging and remember you and you dh are on the same side. It will all come together, be kind to yourself, good luck.

Original poster
quadly · 24/09/2025 21:42

Thank you so much for your kind words everyone, I’m actually crying in the bath into my glass of red wine. I wasn’t prepared for how this process would make me feel!

We don’t NEED to move now - we have remote jobs and no other pressing concerns, just a desire to leave the city and move back to where I’m from. Hence why I have said we should take the house off and wait. But maybe we should just relax and enjoy the lack of pressure on us and see what happens, and I should make the most of knowing we’ll definitely be here for Christmas and start planning for that (my favourite season!) Try and find the small wins amongst the uncertainty…

OP posts:
Nottodaythankyou123 · 24/09/2025 21:51

quadly · 24/09/2025 21:20

Thanks so much everyone. I know the budget is going to be playing a big part - we’ve been told as much (although annoyingly not before we’d agreed to list with the estate agents).

Do you think it’s worth removing from the market and relisting some time in the new year when things feel less uncertain? I’d rather take off and list at a new price than reduce with the way my head is at the moment.

There’s 3 houses on my road for sale, none have had any interest really in about 6 weeks.

Nothing to feel embarrassed about at all - for various reasons the market is just a bit pants at the moment, it’s no reflection on you or your house :)

WimbyAce · 24/09/2025 21:54

It is a massively stressful process. I think if you have got yourself in this state just putting it on the market then maybe moving is not for you.

WilliamBell · 24/09/2025 22:15

For sure you're over thinking this. My brother's house has been on for a few months, my only thoughts have been poor him, how frustrating.

Icanttakethisanymore · 24/09/2025 22:30

In the nicest possible way I think you need to really delve into why you consider your house not selling (at an arbitrary price suggested by an EA), a personal failure.

How is your self esteem, generally? Are you normally pretty confident in yourself? Is the potential house move unsettling you for any reason?

Papricat · 25/09/2025 11:24

Always the price.

Swipe left for the next trending thread