Struggling to Sell our house

[TigersoulBlue]

Hi Everyone.
I hope you don't mind me posting here to get some advice about selling our house, we use an Agent, and its been on the market for 868 days, we have had some interest but nothing enough for anyone to put in an offer. I would be grateful on your views, I have tough skin so please be honest. all the other houses that are very similar in this area have sold for similar prices.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148421291#/?channel=RES_BUY

Unfortunately, it is always the price. Houses are only worth what people want to pay for them.

Your house looks lovely by the way 💐

836 days? Over two years??
Clearly it's overpriced. Goodness me.

There is nothing wrong with it, but who would be the target market? Does the price reflect the target market?

The downstairs actual living space is very small so for anyone with kids it’s a squeeze
the second floor - is it actually usable as rooms and if so why don’t the picture reflect that
also the pictures are not good and don’t show the whole rooms and they don’t look enticing
garden - nice / boring tho - why no garden furniture or anything to dress it
is it all shared parking - if so major red flag
but honestly after 2.5 years it’s the price

there’s nothing wrong with it per se but there’s nothing to blow anyone away

Why are you moving? If acces to facilities schools etc thrn that is maybe why...people want to be close to shops etc? This is nice but very rural. What led you to buy the property? How would you attract those buyers?

House looks lovely. I agree with PP about considering the price. Are prices falling where you are?
My only comments are that some of the downstairs photos look like they've been touched up with AI. Some people might want more privacy in a garden but you can't do amything about that.
Is it a nice comminity to live in?

When you say similar houses and similar prices have sold - how similar ? The house next door with the exact same layout or something with a loo on the top floor , headroom on the top floor and 5% cheaper?

I clicked on what has sold nearby and there are detached houses with their own parking for £300,000 and less, that have all sold.
What makes your house worth so much more than all of the ones that have sold?

Whatever the answer is to that question needs to be made very clear in the photos and listing.

Your house looks lovely and I’m sure it would be a great home for someone. But 868 days says something is wrong!

The things that’s stand out to me:
imbalance in upstairs and downstairs space. Could it help to change one of the bedrooms on the plan to a second living area and market it as a 3 bed? I know it sounds counterintuitive but anyone looking for 4 beds will likely want bigger living space

From the photos it’s both isolated and cramped in terms of location. I’d be worried that being stuck in close proximity to my neighbours I’d be under pressure to like them! I know there’s nothing you can do about that, but just saying that could potentially put people off. If I’m living that rurally I want my own space.

its difficult to see which house in the terrace is you. Get them to outline the house on one of the photos or put a land plan pic straight after the terrace pic.

the order of the photos is annoying. Not a deal breaker but when you’re hurrying through lots of properties and it keeps showing the same or similar photos of the outside when you want to see the kitchen that could prompt someone to swipe by

nothing stands out in the decor. It’s nice that it’s neutral but maybe just jazz it up a bit for some new photos. A big picture above the main bed or a bit of colour here and there.

just my thoughts on it. I don’t know your area or of course the state of the market there, so I can’t say re the price. But for the right person they’d make an offer, no matter how cheeky, if they love it.

If you’re getting no viewings then it’s a listing issue, new photos, new agent who will breathe new life into it, take it off the market for a bit so it doesn’t show as languishing.

If you’re getting viewings but no offers it’s on the agent to ask for feedback.

Thanks for replying.

the pricing is very tricky.

the next door neighbors house sold over 400k its has 1 extra box bedroom, our house was valued at 370K, neighbor house on the right is alot smaller and was going for +340k 2 years ago.

It's probably overpriced. And after 2 years I would avoid assuming you weren't serious about selling.
Relist with a proper local estate agent who knows the market.

This photo for example - what is it doing to sell your house? You get one chance to make a first impression and the estate agent thought yeah, people are going to love this?!

Have you stayed with Yopa all this time? I would take it off the market for 3 months and re market with a proper local estate agent who can take better photos and be more proactive.

Thanks for repling so quick :)
Yes the price is the biggest issue. its started at 425k at recommendation from the agent lol and we have been dropping it throughout that period.

Also, I presume there are maintenance costs but can’t see them.

Lol, yes, that has been on our mind.

Its lovely! But I have no idea which one it is from the photos with other houses in.

I also think some additional staging might help. Get rid of the toddler step round the loo. Make the bed in the master bedroom properly and get rid of the stuff I can see poking out from under the bed.

The empty loft room need a purpose. I would put a desk in there to show it could be used as a home office. Or another bed. Whatever, but show your future buyers what's possible.

Some of the rooms look a bit sparse, they are neutral and decluttered which is usually the advice, but there is something missing. Maybe a splash of colour or some additional texture, so use rugs and cushions.

It does seem very rural and theres nothing you can do about that, but the listing makes it seem quite isolated. No talk of supermarkets or schools nearby, just walks and a village with a single convenience store.

Good luck!

thanks for your reply, for what it is at the moment, you maybe right :)

Nice house but the location and proximity to neighbours reduces potential buyers. Relist with another agent, change order of the photos and consider how much would accept if you really want to move. Good luck.

The garden looks nice but inside looks very dated and magnolia. The fireplace thing in living room looks odd?
I don’t know your area but I can’t see anything about the house that makes it very appealing and only one room downstairs will limit the number of people that will be interested. I think you could style it a lot better and take better photos.

Thanks for repling
the Target market? there are 6 houses here and the people range from retired people to older families when children have moved out, and young couple, wanting a quieter life. so its quite varied, not really a family location, but we have a very very good primary school in the village.

The photos are not great, and are annoyingly repetitive, there should be less of them so as to not cause irritation! It could be dressed much more nicely.
I don't know if our local estate agent Nock Deighton (I have no affiliation, have just noticed how good their photos are) goes into Staffordshire, but have a look, at their photos, they are so vibrant, and might give you some inspiration.
Also maybe take it off the market for a while. I would definitely be put off by a house that's been on the market for well over 2 years because I'd assume there was something wrong with it, or the owners don't really want to sell, or its a listing that should have been removed.

Take the property off the market from mid Nov until mid to end Feb 27. Then relaunch on RM and your new chosen agent .

I would get 3 independent valuations at today's price, 2 years ago had very different market conditions.

New agent, new good quality photos. Get them to dampen down the whiteness which makes rooms look cold. They need to be warmer, slightly off white.

we are moving as we want a small holding. we love it here. theres actually a great school, a few pubs, shop, post office, they are all 20min walk down a country road. so not ideal for some, but im the country side it always important to being able to drive.

I See what your saying, i think the house that are cheaper are the ones in the actual village and on busy roads and don't have that country side feel, we are in the country side. thanks that's an interesting point.