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

I wish prices for that sort of house were like that where we live (London). I would definitely put an offer!

I know! I'm not even in London, but this is a good price, even before a reduction!

What on earth are you talking about? It's not all one homogeneous lump of grim Northern towns. Heswall is a highly desirable area. Didsbury, Wilmslow, Knutsford are some of the most expensive places in the UK.

not this one, the nearby ones I linked in a previous post!

So sorry! ☹️

I’m assuming it’s your house- have you had the furniture in different places before? I’d suggest making your current corner sofa area the dining space and have a table for 6 to have a kitchen diner that isn’t compromised as it looks now. Does the corner sofa fit in the front room? Put a corner/comfy sofa in the living room and get rid of all the individual chairs. the spaces would then have clearer purpose then for buyers, although I think a quick sale would also need a price drop.

We have learned from experience to check out boundary issues and enormous trees… this would really put me off more than being on an A road. It is a nice house, just a bit confusing and ironically the previous listing shows the potential space better.

But if you saw potential to improve or extend, it might swing things.
If you had two properties of similar price and layout but one had the extra bathroom, bedroom or a garage, it would probably affect which one would appeal most.

Yes but the one with the extra bedroom, bathroom and garage would be more expensive.

It’s only been 2-3 weeks. How quickly are things sold in that area?
i read some comments before i clicked the link - i think it’s quite lovely! Don’t understand why people so harsh on the decor. Price wise i have no knowledge of the area. But i would say 8 viewings in 2-3 weeks is a strong start. Where i live typically it takes 3-6 months to find a buyer!

Copilot suggested new doors, additional nonsense in the garden..
But strangely not to make the hedge look nicer.

I think that the number of people it would be of interest to is quite small. Families with 1 child perhaps? Or with 2 same sex children they are happy to have sharing.

It's got 3 bedrooms

DH sold his house in March with 6 asking price offers and went well in excess of asking price. I put my own house up the following week, asking price offer from first viewers within 24 hrs. We move next week.

*Some areas are slow but not all.

As it was originally there wasn’t a bedroom for 2nd child as it had to be an office. To free up and be able to have a bedroom (necessity for a 2nd child) office had to come downstairs where garage was. Also no where for washing machine/dryer so utility was better use of space. There’s a big out building in garden for mower/garden storage/bikes etc

I think one of the reasons people are saying its dated from the photos, at least, because the kitchen dining area somehow looks like the photos have been taken with a sepia filter over the top. Very beige and dull colouring. Could you ask the EA to retake them?

People are going to see that it looks cluttered with the kid stuff. At least move it all out of the room for the photos.

For viewings, shove as much as you possibly can into your car.

Ok, I don't understand... it's a 3 bedroom house, right?

It can be improved. Can apply for a kitchen extension into garden, make it bigger. Can extend on top of garage, add a bedroom/ensuite/redo decor. But it wouldn’t be £400k

It really hasn't. The third bedroom might be ok temporarily for a baby/toddler or younger child - but its too small for a teen. If you had a growing family you could only look at it as a temporary home - and would need to trade up again.
I agree with some of the previous posters - that the layout was better prior to your friends work being done. I wouldn't go so far as to say the work has devalued it, but certainly it will now appeal to a smaller audience.
The biggest issue though is its a bit overpriced. I know one poster mentioned they think that the housing market will improve after the next budget but my expectation is that it will get worse. I think lots of buyers are worried about that too.

Yes 3 upstairs rooms. Layout was a bedroom, kids room and office. When 2nd child came along had to make house work at the time and put office downstairs to make upstairs a bedroom, kids room and a nursery room.
Only way to do that was to use garage area. But it doesn’t take away storage as such as there is an outhouse for furniture/bikes etc

But the upstairs space beforehand was the same size as it is now. it is a small 3rd room as are a lot of semis . Hence the need to upsize to a bigger house….

I see, thank you. I couldn't understand the comment that it was only suitable for a couple with one child.

But as your friend has presumably found a 2x3 is ok for nursery but not too small for a bedroom once you need more than a cot.

I know but no kids when house was bought! Needs have changed as family grown.
it’s a cotbed if that helps slightly! Can fit a single but agree it’s not a double but isn’t trying to be a large room , if that makes sense

These small 20s semis are the same all over the country: 2 reasonable size beds and a smaller room that’s only good for a children’s bedroom or a study.

Options are: add a 2nd floor, extend the back, dig a basement or buy a bigger house.

It’s nonsense to say the layout was better before - it had less floor space.