Why aren’t we getting more viewings? Honest feedback welcome

[Diva78]

We’re selling our four-bedroom townhouse in Bicester and have reached the point where we’d really value some completely impartial opinions.

We originally listed at £425k, have since changed estate agents, reduced the price to £400k, changed the lead photo and updated the kitchen cupboards to give them a more neutral look.

Despite all that, we’ve still had very few viewings and hardly any interest coming directly through Rightmove.

We know townhouses and three-storey living won’t appeal to everyone, and there are larger semis and detached houses available nearby. However, our house has good square footage, three bathrooms, flexible living and home-working space, a garage, driveway parking and a quieter position on the estate.

Would anyone be willing to look at the listing and give me some honest but constructive feedback? Is it the price, layout, photos, description or something else we’re just not seeing?

50, Fontwell Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 1BP - Estate Agents in Bicester, Oxfordshire | Barton Fleming

Thank you!

The national parks (and york) would be the fancy bits tbf

I’ve just had a play around with it and seems spot on to me based on all the houses I know around me. Really useful tool.
It tells me I would get around the same as I paid in 2022 which seems about right based on current sales around me and even though I’ve spent £20k on improvements. Three neighbours are up for sale and nothing moving as they’ve priced too high. If I was to try and sell in current market I would be pricing low and going into rental and waiting for a ‘bargain’.
I am old and have lived through many cycles. Have clear memories of people refusing to sell in a deflating market and regretting not just accepting prices were dropping.
I’d reduce to 399 right now and be open to offers over 375. All depends on so many factors whether that works for you though.

I think this house is very typical of modern town houses; they've sacrificed space for additional bathrooms. Nobody needs 4 in a house that size. The ground floor one could be a utility, or one of the upstairs ones a large closet. It's apparent in every room.
However, there's nothing major wrong with the house and it's been well looked after.
However, you bought it, OP, so there will be another buyer out there. Have a fixed price, maybe drop it a bit and see what happens.

They're still in the North, as are premiership football teams! So there's lots of expensive housing.

Ok, so if theres not as much of a north south divide as i'm led to believe this definitely feels overpriced.

No indeed. I'm inclined to think this may be over priced, looking locally, but not by much.

There are planters and plants in pots, but as we are in Autumn now they do not look their best!

There is a garden and its a Kitchen/diner...

I could only see concrete on the pictures?

There is a garden...

Yes, there's a garden, but the pictures of it aren't great. Same with most of the rooms. Could you get the EA to take different pictures?

We already have....

@Diva78you have asked for honest feedback and Mumsnet has delivered. It’s not personal, but try to filter through and see what you can do to change those perceptions. I’m not a home stager or estate agent but I am an interior designer and stylist, and a Rightmove addict. Here’s what I would do.

1. look at show homes of new builds in your area and steal some styling tips. Eg how are the beds made, and could you copy it to make it feel a bit more cosy and luxurious? How are the cushions arranged on the sofa? I’d get rid of the red in the living room, and an easy trick when your cushions look a little deflated is to put two cushion inners in one cover. I’d switch the curtains to a cosy olive or moss green, and lose the tie backs (and the mural wall). To be honest I would use green a bit more to create a cohesive thread through your home, and bring the outdoor in feeling.
2. You want people to picture themselves in your house so make it easy. Set the dining table up properly. Chairs all around. Some textured place mats, a large jug or vase, maybe some nice salt and pepper pots as well. It doesn’t need to be set for a fancy dinner, but help people picture themselves there. A pendant downlight over the table wouldn’t go amiss, either.
3. Your house is tidy but you could remove some clutter. Find somewhere else for the stuff on top of kitchen cabinets and wardrobes, at least for the photos. You’re highlighting a lack of storage by having that there.
4. Look critically at the photos. Everything looks different through a camera lens. Where do you want people to look in the picture? Create a focal point in each one - beautifully dressed bed. Dining table as mentioned. Fluffy towels in bathroom. This comes back to the red curtains - all you see in that room is those red accents.
5. for the garden I know it’s Autumn but it looks really sad in the pics. Can you jet wash the paving? Set up or borrow some cosier lounge type outdoor furniture? What are your neighbours gardens like, can you steal any ideas from them?
6. Then get new photos taken. Try and be there when that’s happening, make sure you are happy with the pictures. Share examples of other houses near you that have better photos to show what you are expecting.

I don’t think you need to spend loads or make huge changes, but it can be really hard to look at your own home because you are so used to seeing it. Just try and look with fresh eyes at the photos, I’m sure if you can get people through the door they will see the good points you mention. Good luck!

Sorry! Oh and I wouldn't pay heed to advice about bedspreads or textured place mats! Most people want a house in a particular location, for a reasonable price.
Two things I hate? Grey, and kitchen islands.
The last house I bought? Grey throughout and with a massive kitchen island. It's all now painted much cleaner and cheerful colours, and the kitchen island is ripped out.
Sorted! It's fine. Someone will want your house. You did!

'It looks utterly depressing in the external pics, and completely characterless in the internal ones, but they probably just reflect reality.'

Bit harsh! We enjoy a fantastic life with our 2 teenage daughters, this home has bought many wonderful memories.

Yes, other people will want it, if that's the right location and price.

Piddington....

They are integrated...

Ok, thank you

Hosepipe ban....

By all means the OP can ignore my advice, all I said is this is what I would do. But last time I moved, my neighbours house, which was a three bed, had been on the market for 6 months when we listed our two bed. Ours sold within a week. Theirs took another year to sell and sold for 30k less than ours, despite being bigger. Yes location and price matter, but so does presentation. Why do you think developers spend so much on show homes?

Because that is a hangover from a very heated market.
Nowadays - it's a buyers' market.
You know that people are going to take bedspreads and cushions with them.
You want a location, you want a good price. Is it in a good state?
Is this house to my taste? No, but I know she'll take that massive fridge with her and I can repaint it and maybe change some things.
It's the biggest investment of most people's lives. They look beyond place mats.

It looks pretty soulless and has zero kerb appeal. If you were driving by there’s nothing to make it stand out and be memorable, even something as simple as a window box or a coloured ceramic plant pot with a small bush would help. No idea on the market in your area so can’t comment on price, but I agree with the PP who posted the other townhouse for the same price. If I was choosing between the two I’m afraid I wouldn’t choose yours unless the other one was in a really dodgy area.

I would jet wash the patio as a minimum to brighten it up and put a few more pots out there to break up the concrete, ideally colourful or autumn flowering shrubs. If you redo the photos, put the umbrellas up and dress the tables to make it look more like a sociable space and less neglected. A good estate agent local to me does that (eg bottle of champagne and flutes) and it helps people picture the lifestyle rather than just the house.

The market is crap generally at the moment though, not much is selling.

@Diva78 I just had a look on google streetview, and I really don't think the photos do it justice. The house looks far nicer on streetview. It's quite a pretty mid terrace, in a nice looking area - block paving roads, and plenty of greenery around. The EA photo makes it look like it's in the middle of a huge imposing municipal block. Especially the one with the red lines pointing out the house.
Seriously, change the photos, they are terrible. And get rid of the photo with the 2 cars/garage in - I honestly don't know what that photographer was thinking!
Someone did put some nice AI photos up for the kitchen & lounge - I'm not suggesting revamping the place entirely, but maybe get some ideas to dress it up a but.