No offers after months on the market, are we house blind?

[Dandelionkiller]

Been on the market for a few months now, loads of viewings but no offers! I honestly can’t see the problem and I’m worried I’m house blind at this point.

this is the listing: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88856211

i honestly don’t think it’s the price. There are unextended, unrenovated houses on for £20k less the next road over.

it’s also a fair price - we paid 550k in 2017, based on inflation it would be 750k now but that just isn’t supported by the area.

weve done lots to maintain it in that time - new boiler, washing machine, dishwasher, fridge. We replaced the laminate floors downstairs with wood. We changed the purple vinyl bathrooms to nice tile. It was meant to be our forever home so none of this was to make a profit.

bits I know are of; we’re a bus ride away from a train station, but I think this is reflected in the price. The carpets upstairs need to be replaced - this was the case when we moved in but we kept putting it off as we were planning a loft conversion.

tbe feedback has been perplexing - one viewer said we’d made the house too traditional and they would have to redo the kitchen / bathrooms to modernise, but I think they are pretty neutral?

what can I do? Is the market just a bit rubbish at the moment?

For me it is definitely the kitchen.

Sorry! But then think of it this way, you bought it because it worked for you so I am sure it will work for someone else too you may just need to be patient.

That' s a bit unfair.
The OP's style now is lovely. It's not at all tired.

Her garden is neglected but I doubt anyone would turn down a house because of the grass that needs some TLC and some plants/ shrubs adding or even new fencing.

I can't believe that people make a fuss over interior decoration which is a personal taste and can be changed.

Most people I know always replace the carpets asap or install wood/ laminate.

In London, people choose a house for

1 Location (near a station, a good bus route, the tube, good schools.)
2 Potential - can it be extended upwards or outwards
3 Garden and off street parking
4 A safe, low crime area
5 Houses in the road are being 'done up' not going downhill

If anyone spends £650K they are not going to make a huge investment decision based on a few pots at the front door, or a power washed drive.

So far, OP thinks 15 people have viewed it.

The agent needs to push them for feedback and the price needs to say offers in the region of - not in excess of.

some agents count a loo as a bathroom

Some kid share a room.
There is also the option of a loft conversion

Sorry to be blunt- but I don’t think the photos match the reality. On zooming in- I see chipped furniture, marks on the bannisters, mismatched what looks to be anaglypta in the hallway & marks on carpets. Then the front needs jet washing and the garden & patio needs sprucing up. In reality this is a 3 bed house. A 6ft by 7.5 ft room is a study, not a bedroom.

It can be used as a bedroom, because it fits a single bed and a chest of drawers. This is the dimensions of my son's bedroom, and he was there up until he left for uni. Other pp have said they have had teenage siblings or children in such rooms.
We know it's small, but it seems foolish to "dress" it as a nursery when it could be used as a bedroom, as it is currently for her daughter 🤷

I think it’s because the market is shit, if a house / flat is even slightly - slightly - ‘compromised’ then buyers have cold feet.

I think it would have sold quickly in other years. It’s lovely and bright inside. Nice kitchen and bathroom.

The carpet is a super minor point, as is a bare garden. People can see beyond that.

It doesn’t have much kerb appeal but I imagine there are lots of houses on surrounding streets that look the same

It just comes down to price and essentially how little are you willing to take for it. The market peaked in 2016 in London, as late as 2019 in some boroughs. Having bought in 2017, if you can break even with what you put into it (stamp and renovations) then consider yourself one of the lucky ones

last year I sold my flat I bought in 2016 for a 7% loss just on asking price and was told anyone who bought in my area in the years 2012-6 is selling at a 5-10% loss. My DH bought at the peak in 2019 in his area and is facing a bigger loss - his place (which we now live in) has been listed for over a year. Several people in our building have tried to sell and haven’t been able to

The good news is there is a bigger turnover for houses then central flats. But people still don’t trust they know where the bottom of the market is so buyers are hesitant (subject to the right price)

I think it’s because the market is shit, if a house / flat is even slightly - slightly - ‘compromised’ then buyers have cold feet.

I think it would have sold quickly in other years. It’s lovely and bright inside. Nice kitchen and bathroom.

The carpet is a super minor point, as is a bare garden. People can see beyond that.

It doesn’t have much kerb appeal but I imagine there are lots of houses on surrounding streets that look the same

It just comes down to price and essentially how little are you willing to take for it. The market peaked in 2016 in London, as late as 2019 in some boroughs. Having bought in 2017, if you can break even with what you put into it (stamp and renovations) then consider yourself one of the lucky ones

last year I sold my flat I bought in 2016 for a 7% loss just on asking price and was told anyone who bought in my area in the years 2012-6 is selling at a 5-10% loss. My DH bought at the peak in 2019 in his area and is facing a bigger loss - his place (which we now live in) has been listed for over a year. Several people in our building have tried to sell and haven’t been able to

The good news is there is a bigger turnover for houses then central flats. But people still don’t trust they know where the bottom of the market is so buyers are hesitant (subject to the right price)

I’d say it’s the location, it’s not quite Blackheath, it’s not quite Greenwich and it’s not quite Charlton. A person looking to buy in Blackheath is probably looking for somewhere near the station, they may not be driving regularly to work etc and you would need to drive in your area. If I was coming from a not so nice or suburban area this is a catch, if I was coming from Blackheath or Greenwich the location is
dull. Maybe change location from Blackheath to where it actually is? Isn’t it more Charlton/ East Greenwich area, then you might get people less dissapointed when they realise it isn’t Blackheath.

OP, I like the house. A few minor tweaks would improve the kerb appeal as other posters have suggested.

I think it is the price that is holding you back. You would have been able to sell at the current price in any other market but if you want it to move, then you might have to consider dropping the price to 600,000.

This is essentially a 2+1 bedroom house with a large garden and good potential for extension. For a 2+1 bedroom house, it makes sense to have 1 family bathroom and 1 cloakroom. The price drop gives people the financial headroom to extend. The area is not quite Blackheath as it is beyond the Sun-in-the-Sands roundabout. Sorry to be blunt. I know estate agents call it Blackheath but it does not have the amenities or transport links of Blackheath or Greenwich. It will be good to mention a nearby good primary school within walking distance as people who buy 2-1 house are more likely to have a young family. Apart from Leigh Academy Blackheath, I believe Thomas Tallis School is another good secondary school that is nearby.

The kitchen is a problem, too narrow. But if you reduce the price enough someone will buy it eventually.

It should be marketed as a 2-bed plus study, as it's unlikely to suit someone needing 3 bedrooms 🙃

The Housing Act 1985 would not count the 3rd room as a bedroom. Minimum room sizes:
>10yo: >6.51 sqm (70 sq ft)
<10yo: >4.64 sqm (50 sq ft)

Also, prices have been fairly flat in London since 2017. We bought that year and would only expect to achieve a similar price today, based on what local agents have told us. Inflation figures are irrelevant.

It's very hard being a seller atm. All the best ☺️

Which is one the things I think American agents have right, they say "1.5 baths" which clears up the confusion.

I think it will be the price. It's almost always the price. You might find that the market was actually high in 2017 and the market will not now support the number you're looking for. I'm often surprised that more buyers don't just make an offer even if much lower than the asking price For example if everyone who viewed had said they would be interested at 595k that would give you an answer. I found when we sold that just doesn't happen.

I would suggest making the backyard a little prettier and can you paint the front to increase the street appeal?

I think the comments are being repeated now.
OP, I hope this has helped.

Before I go,I'm going to repeat one thing again, however - you're going to need to reduce the price.
It's a lovely house, someone will want to buy it!.
Good luck 🤞

I really like the interior of your house. When I came to the photo of the front and back of the house I was amazed. They look uncared for. Kerb appeal will get people in to view.
Drive:
jet wash block paving
buy matching ready planted pots for either side of the front step.
buy a big coir door mat
paint both fences the same colour

back garden:
paint all fences same colour
cut and edge lawn
trim any shrubs
jet wash patio
buy an outdoor rug to put with your outdoor furniture

Can you vax the bedroom carpet?
New photos of both areas and bedroom.

Good luck!

Could you get a planning permission for a loft extension? If that's a done hing on your street, it might be attractive to buyers to know they could add an extension and gain a big loft room?

The ikea sofa is modular so an easy win is to remove the chaise part and put the arm on the 3-seat sofa section.

Are you sure about price? I viewed this house listed at £500,000 in 2021 after the price increases during stamp duty relief. It’s only a short walk from you. There’s been huge changes in the market since 2017 which haven’t tracked with inflation. The London market really dipped after Brexit freedom of movement properly ended in 2020. It’s very hard to sell a house like this aimed at middle management young families now. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/79473624#/

it’s also a fair price - we paid 550k in 2017, based on inflation it would be 750k now but that just isn’t supported by the area.

Aah no but you are misunderstanding. Property prices are not only driven by inflation, but by interest rates. Inflation pushes up the £amount that people can pay, but the tripling of interest rates reduces it. Also, if its an area where a lot of buyers used to make quick gains on london flats, then move there with good deposits, remember that anyone with a london flat in the last 5-7 yrs has probably lost money rather thzn made it.

We recently sold. Paid just under 900k 10 yrs ago, sold for 950k now.

It’s always the price, any house can be sold in a day at auction if there is no bottom to the price you “want”.

This is so true OP, either drop your price or wait until the market picks up.

The garden is fine people only look at the size really, the decor is really nice. Tiny kitchen though could you not possibly extend into the dining room in some way? The front of the house doesn’t look as attractive as it might could you consider painting the front door and adding plants around it

It's a strange use of space. The second reception room really needs to be the main bedroom, with folding doors across the big opening. The tiny bedroom could then be the office, which takes away the clutter from what is the main bedroom just now. You'd lose the seating in the reception room, but could you not incorporate a 2/3 comfy chairs in the dining area, looking out into the garden? Do you really need storage units on both sides of the dining area? And there's a second office desk there too? The kitchen looks quite bright in one of the photos, and a galley kitchen is such an efficient workspace. In the main reception room it would make more sense to have the tv on the wall where the picture is - but perhaps there isn't room for the couches on the other wall? It just doesn't look right that you have to lean or climb across the seating to get anything off the shelves. And viewers will immediately notice the cupboards below are out of reach. The mismatched fencing in the garden is pretty awful. Sorry if that's too blunt or if I've interpreted the photographs totally wrongly!