House not getting interest

[sausagetheorangecat]

Friend’s house for sale, she’s said she’s had 8 viewers in 2-3 weeks but no interest at all. ‘Nice but not for us’ generally being said.
any advice/opinions why?
price is correct as per area (affluent) and from different estate agents.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89691198#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88346313?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

It's definitely the price.

OP this one is like yours, but it doesn't have the open plan so it's more versatile, it's decorated nicer (to me) and it's in a cul de sac, whereas yours is a main road.

Oh and it's 40k cheaper.

That area is not quite so nice , so always generally slightly lower

How is the decor 'very outdated'?

Hideous metal front door

Bland hallway and lounge

kitchen feels cluttered

reposition the furniture in the office, it could have a nicer outlook if desk positioned under the window rather than in front of a wall

unless buyers have children bedrooms 2 & 3 will need to be redecorated

who could forget the peacocks…..some F&B should sort that

the bathroom does not have storage for toiletries so looks cluttered

the garden is really lovely though

It's not been on the market even a month yet. Homes by me are only getting STC after about a year, some longer. Of course there are always some where they sell quickly or are lower priced

Agree with offers over, that has to go. Then maybe a reduction in price. But main thing from where I am anyway, is atm you're very much in for the long haul. Unless selling below 'market price'.

But sellers do have two children…. So they’re always going to look like children’s bedrooms. Buyers would only need to take off wallpaper.
office furniture would be going with the sellers. Buyers can position their desk how they like!

I agree that offers over isnt a great idea. How are buyers supposed to know what the sellers want for the house. The third bedroom is a bit small. Back garden is very nice. No garage isn't great either. But thats the drawbacks. It depends how the price compares with other houses in the area. It's basically overall quite a nice house and it will sell at the right price.

I know this area well. I'd say it's the location and the price.

Location- it's in a very nice area, but it's right on a main commuter road with a bus stop right outside the house. Bus stop would be a bonus for me with older kids and freedom for them but it's not everyone's cup of tea and it's another reminder this is a main road.

Comparing 3 bed houses within a 0.25 or 0.5 radius isn't as reliable here as lots of variety in housing styles and sizes- a search will bring up some houses that are 3 bed but on quiet side roads with speed limit of 20 and also some houses that are very characterful and huge. Comparing price per area might be more useful or specifically comparing houses sold further up/down this road. This is a very nice house but I'd guess it's smaller than typical houses in the immediate area too. I like the back garden- but on photos the front lacks colour- grey parking area.

It’s not been on that long OP.
Drop the price to £375 and take off ‘offers over’
Thing is with offers over, you have to mean it or else it’s pointless saying it. People won’t come along and do as they’re told, they’ll just think sod that. It gets peoples backs up. 2021/2022 has long gone, time for sellers & agents to get real.

Offers over, but it's not worth an offer over. I'd remove that from the listing ASAP.

Yes It is quite a busy road during the day. Although that doesn’t seem to be an issue for those viewing. I guess you can see it’s a main road and would naturally not suit everyone.
Buses only stop twice a day for school annd only ever a handful of school children get on/off . there is never people waiting there luckily!

Oh and they’ve never liked bathroom either. But can’t really improve without putting brand new one in and generally who puts a new one in when it’s up for sale!

I think the wallpaper is lovely - I love homes with personality but…. It’s location for me I would never buy on a main road so while you say the price is comparative to others they need to ensure they take the main road aspect into their pricing.

Also declutter the living areas as they look quite small

If I see a property with ‘offers over…’ it would put me off offering a lower price. I’d just assume it’d get dismissed out of hand because the sellers have stated the minimum they’d be willing to accept. Also, I’d get the listing changed to ‘study/bedroom 4’ since the study is bigger than the third bedroom.

There’s no offers because it says offers over 🤷🏻‍♀️
Like I said, if they don’t mean it why put it?!
Buyers just assume they’d be rejected if they offered lower or worse be accepted and then end up with the seller dragging their feet, being awkward or accepting a higher offer down the line.

Am I blind, or are there no photos of the downstairs loo or utility room?

I don't know the area.

What I would say FWIW for your friend , some people , unless they simply cannot afford what they need any other way , won't buy a house on a busy main road or with a bus stop nearby. Now your friend did , so there will be others , but that is a compromise she needs to be aware of. The kerb appeal I would say is neutral - very tidy but not a house which would grab you - esp with your back to the main road.

inside I think the house is lovely. I would just say that for all that downstairs space having a kitchen / dining table which can seat 2 adults and 2 children is fine day to day but there isn't much dining space compared to having two relatively large seating areas ( in the kitchen and the sitting room) Bedroom 3 is small but fine for a baby / young child.

I would say that nothing about that house , for a person who likes the area and the specific location (ie on the main road ) isn't fixable and people who can't see past wallpaper etc well .....

So I would ask the EA for better feedback than "not for us" but people don't always want to say so that may or may not work. I would look at houses which were put on the market at the same time for the same price and see which ones are selling - that may give a clue.

That said in the current climate 2 - 3 weeks is almost nothing and she is getting viewers. I think it's a hard market at the moment. I do agree , I am ( not Scottish market) put off by offers over. What do they realistically think they might get and may be just put It on at a price near to that.

Anyway I can see lots about it to like so I wish her the very very best.

With property it's usually a simple matter if it's advertised. It's over priced for the current cohort of buyers.

So either sell cheaper or take it off the market and hope things improve.

Labour policies have had the curious effect of driving down prices but at the same time driving up rents. Meaning that only rich renters can consider moving to ownership and there aren't too many of these...

Tough market on the Wirral currently.
If you’re desperate to sell on the Wirral you have to accept lower prices and go with Karl Tatler. Their agents are a bit more aggressive with the sales and also the listings are better on Rightmove. Their floor plans are the best I’ve seen.

It’s a nice house. Been 3w so early days

agree hate offers over - just state your price

many offer and knock off

does she want £410 or happy with £380

seems a lot for area

My thoughts: It’s a two bedroom with a box room. Not three “generous” bedrooms. No ensuite. But with a sought after location, I am guessing, it’s primarily the price. It’s a lovely home and looks well cared for and clean, great back garden. Combination of the price and the current sluggish market?

Lovely house and great garden. Exactly the sort of thing I am looking for as a retirement house. Price seems about right compared with local area. The main road thing would put me off most but can’t do anything about that.
So it’s lack of proceedable buyers and maybe timing too. Best to go on in early spring.
Why are they moving? They may decide like most that they are better off just staying put while the market is so stagnant and uncertain.
I am old and have been through these times and feels like this is the slow deflation of the bubble where only the best places sell and where sellers have accepted the reality and taken a reduction. Everyone else just stays put until forced sellers expose the reality of dropping prices.

I think it's lovely. The first thing I look at are kitchen and bathrooms. Everything else is easier to adapt. However, "offers over" as others have said, is very off putting. I have, on a number of occasions, responded to estate agents with this annoying phrase with, "So why didn't you take the offer?" Strangely, no response. I have homes in my area which say "offers over" and they end up taking them off the market and staying. So, maybe people are just tired of the game playing and jog on. I know I would.

I don’t think the photos are great, and could be putting people off when they are thinking of the house?

id ask for them to be redone eg bathroom - remove most of the product and ensure it looks clean and streamlined.

depending on budget the seller may prefer to redecorate very slightly as I think it looks quite dated inside.

agree with others I suspect it’s too expensive.

Where’s the storage?
the kitchen would be way too small for me for a family of 4