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?

This is a bad idea. Switching agents doesn’t magically change the buyers looking for houses!

It’s the house that needs to change, not the estate agents!

Some agents do get lazy with houses that won’t shift, yes. But WHY won’t the house shift?! That’s the question!

I’ve had a look and I think your house is lovely inside and very neutral. Obviously there is room to extend into the loft if someone wanted another bedroom. I think you should jet wash your forecourt and get some nice planters out there. But I think the main reason your house hasn’t sold is because you have a bus stop right outside.

Spot on. Kerb appeal isn’t just an estate agents gobaldy gook, it a real thing happening in our brains when first seeing a property.

This is what ChatGPT says about an estate agent saying a house looks lived in.
OP everything needs a repaint and clean, especially the fencing in the back garden, sprucing up the kerb appeal, pressure washing the patio. The rooms may need a repaint-you can’t tell from the photos but maybe in real life they don’t look as fresh.

When an estate agent says a house is "looking lived in", it's usually a polite way of saying that the property isn't presented in an immaculate or show-home condition.
It can mean things like:

• The current owners are still living there and haven't staged it for viewings.
• There is visible clutter, personal belongings, or untidiness.
• The décor may be dated or worn.
• The house may need some cosmetic work, such as painting or new carpets.
• It doesn't have the fresh, minimalist appearance that many estate agents prefer in their marketing photos.

Importantly, it doesn't necessarily mean the house is in poor condition structurally. Estate agents often use softer language to avoid sounding negative. "Lived in" usually means "well used and occupied" rather than "dirty" or "run down."

But 99% of buyers will look at street view or the EA photos so they see the outside before making an appt to view.

The OP isn't short of viewings. She's short of offers.

No buyer is going to turn away from a sound, nice house if all it needs is the front garden/ drive sorting and a lick of paint .

ChatGpt isn't the be all and end all.
It doesn't know the context of location and demography of buyers.

I know people looking to buy at the moment and everything that's being mentioned here are cosmetic issues that can be sorted. They are definitely not choosing a house based on whether there are pot plants at the front door, or the decor isn't perfect.

All of those can be changed.

The OP's house is clean, tidy, neutral, and shows the owners care for it.

If someone wants a show house, that's their choice.
But most people are not buying a house based on the carpets, if the hallway needs painting or the garden and drive sprucing up.

It comes down to location, (she's a long way from the station), schools, potential to extend, condition of the street and other houses, etc.

For the most part, the interiors are lovely. The carpets are dirty / stained and need a professional clean though.

The back garden looks like you've cut it all down but there's nothing nice growing, the grass looks like it has weeds.

The front of the house is a shocker, that side gate is hideous. Something needs to be improved at the front, to match the style of the interiors.

Don't worry about furniture (as long as it's clean). The comment "looks lived in" translates to "dirty"

Just saw you find gardening a puzzle. For the planters. If your front faces north then a couple of hydrangeas or box plants either side of the front door. If it is south facing then a couple of lavender bushes.

The front of the house is a shocker, that side gate is hideous. Something needs to be improved at the front, to match the style of the interiors.

BUT BUYERS ARE VIEWING IT!!!!

If someone really wants the house they will negotiate around the cost of replacing the side gate, painting the exterior, and fences etc.

I'm really shocked TBH at some of the rather naive posts here where many people seem to want a show house and don't want to do anything to themselves.

How do you know?

I also think the price is way too high. When you look on recently sold there's a house on the street with the same size that sold for about 100k less

Not remotely naive. Have bought and sold many many properties over the past 30 yrs, to live in and to rent out. I know my chickens.

The location of the kitchen is odd, it looks like it is in the corridor. I would be out off knowing if want to fix that sbd the cost involved.

There is nothing wrong with the house but you have to think about who your buyers are in this new economic reality. Is it attractive to young professionals? Young families? etc Hybrid working means people can spread the net wider, what can 650k get you in a wider area?

For me it’s too far walk from a station and I would want outstanding schools (not sure if they are or not) because you can get that at that budget in other parts of London.

You also have to ignore inflation gains as so much of London property has stagnated. Increased interest rates make a big difference to what you are paying now plus all the other increased costs. Your house would probably be the next step up for people in a flat but many don’t have the equity gains to make the jump.

But isn't that house a do-er upper that clearly belonged to someone old?
Have you looked at the photographs of the inside?

This is not affecting your offers but your photos need to be in order of walking around the house. Not the first photo but everything else needs to be in a walk around order. Price. Forget about what other homes are on the market for - look at what has sold. Looking st what past homes have sold for in your road you are overpriced by about 50k. Especially if you say that some people say your home looks lived in. Ie it needs some work. The market is tough and if you are having viewings but no offers then something needs tweaking.

Everything is a do-er upper unless it is brand spanking new. Roofs, plumbing, electrics, decor etc.

You can buy a house that's painted white and has new floors but it doesn't mean there's not extensive upgrades required.

And? Do you think you're the only one who has done that?

The OP is getting viewings so the outside is not the issue.
It's easily sorted.

The main issue is the galley kitchen which leads straight from the hallway - no door, looks dark, no room for two people to cook alongside each other, out of sight of the dining area too.

Did you look at the photos before posting?

It needs a total revamp - bathroom, kitchen, wallpaper stripping etc.

One room looks as if there may be damp at the skirting board level.

A LOT of work.

No I don't think I'm the only one.

but you're rude and off the mark

Getting viewings is irrelevant if there's not a single offer coming back.

Most people don't want to do work themselves. I've discovered this selling my BTL house recently.. We had 12 viewings with a tenant in situ. Every single one said "too much work". We took it off the market, decorated it and dressed it and suddenly the feedback was 'turn key'. We had 3 second viewings and an offer.

I'm not sure why people think they can negotiate price in things that are obvious. Surely the price is set taking these things into consideration.

Photos are not the same as an in depth survey.
If you buy based on photos, you're just a chump

Price is "set"? OMG what decade do you live in. EVERYTHING is negotiable in a house sale.