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

I agree with what's already been said, the photos aren't great, I cant see where I'd put a dining room table, the lack of 6 foot fences in the back garden - but my dog would love free roam of the neighbours gardens!, what does the house look like from the back, the big issue for me, which you cant do anything about, no private parking

In 2 years prices have fallen here. 4 bed house up the road, private garden not overlooked, driveway, garage sold for £550k two years ago. It's back on the market (moving overseas for work) and it's on for £530k. The estate agent are the best in the area and known not to over promise on valuation. So I'd suggest that your house needs to be revalued by a local knowledgeable agent.

Also I always assume the yopa agent is for a problem house - I don’t know where o got that idea from but if it’s widespread ../

Thanks so much for the in depth views. you make some good points.
we will try and implement the points you suggest that we do. i get what your saying about the garden and Neighbors. we been lucky as the neibours dont really go in their gardens.

I might be missing something here, but we only counted three bedrooms in the pictures, but you listed as a 4 bedroom house? Also the bedrooms pictured don’t look as large as the floor plan, you need better pictures! Agree with others, need more dressing (garden furniture and plants, plus the loft room). Also agree it’s worth getting it revalued and on with a different local EA.

So your say Yopa is the issue :) i also think they are a part of the problem. though they did sell a smaller 3bed converted barn very quickly recently in this area. maybe a reason we have been holding on with them.

Take it off the market, get proper valuations done by 3 local agents, then repost with new photos and a new agent. Tell them you want to price it to sell. (Bear in mind that prices are going down in much of the country.)

Yopa is not a proper estate agent, just an online marketing service. They don’t actually sell your house actively , advise on strategy, vet buyers or any of the other things a normal agent would do. No decent agent would have allowed you to sit there unsold for 2 years.

Thanks Appreciate the advice, and something we may look to do.

the walls aren't white they are magnolia throughout :) but i see thats what it looks like. but more colour is needed. Thanks!

I agree with PP. In new info i would stress 'in catchment for xxxx sxhool/s"

Hi, Thanks so much for the Advice. i hear you about Yopa, and we will most likely be looking for alternative options.

The blurb you've got at the moment is v generic. E.g. "Towns" what towns? . I think marketing tbrough a local agent would help.

We had issues viewing a house with Yopa (different area). They were impossible to get hold of and hung up when we eventually spoke to someone. Very odd. We gave up and didn't view the house. It's still on the market nearly two years later.

I’m not sure I agree with the idea that Yopa is for problem houses - I have used them once and wouldn’t recommend- I’m really not a fan of their model- they only work if you are happy to conduct viewings yourself and negotiate with potential buyers on your own behalf - this is what happened when we used them

Thanks for your reply, yer the photos aren't great, i even told that to yopa but they didn't want to do anything about it.

Its interesting you say 6 foot fences.

But with none of the rural benefits- no neighbours (or at least detached), no neighbour noise, privacy and space.
So the price will need to reflect that.

(I live rurally because I don't want neighbours, that's the whole point )

Your house is lovely and the price seems right for an ideal market BUT it's not ideal atm. I know someone in exactly the same position in a really attractive location in the Cotswolds. They've reduced the price to BELOW what they paid and nobody is interested. People don't have the money, OP. Sit tight for now.

It looks lovely. The only thing I can think of is that it’s very “character” on the outside but all character has been removed on the inside. That would definitely put some people off.

Also, there’s something about the configuration of the houses that makes me think you would have to get to know your neighbours. I’m a Southerner and I really wouldn’t like that.

I suspect you will have to lower the price unfortunately.

They do say that good fences make good neighbours- imagine if your neighbours had dogs, small children, sunbathed naked- your garden as it is does not give you or your neighbours privacy

Online estate agent. I dont have much experience using them but if I was buying would avoid them.
The price. It went up 8% in 14 yrs. What you are asking for doesn't make sense after owning it for 9 yrs especially as this is reduced from the initial pricing in 2024.

Are you getting viewings?
If not, it's price.
If yes, what feedback are you getting? Why aren't people buying?

Having tried to buy property through YOPA and PurpleBricks my opinion is that they are total shite. 'Agents' don't turn up to viewings, hard to contact, disinterested staff who are all at a distance. I read somewhere the 'agents' have next to zero training and are paid £19 to turn up.

I've sold over a dozen properties and this is my advice.
Take your house of the market.

Go now to three different agents and get valuations and honest feedback.
Pick an agent - local, recommended, experienced.
Clean your whole house so it shines.
Add colour - towels, curtains, cushions, pictures, duvet covers, rugs flowers, table lamps etc. If you spend £300 in Dunelm it will be worth it.
Being honest, your kitchen and bathrooms look dated and the paint (especially skirting boards) looks yellowing. Sorry if they're not, but that's how it looks in the photos. Colour will make this look better.
Lose - the plastic steps near the loos (looks care homey) and the guitars (will make people think of noisy neighbours which is a red flag in a terraced house). Also lose the cat tower (people will think pet smells).
Those top floor rooms are undersold in the photos. Make one an office perhaps -people want to work from home.
Get new photos taken on a bright, sunny day.
Your picture 5 is your best one. Have another taken just of the front of your pretty house - not showing the adjoining houses. Flowers in pots either side of the front door. Make that your first picture.
Your garden is amazing. Put a table and chairs out there suggesting wine as the sun goes down. Show people they can enjoy it - not just have to mow the bloody thing.
Then have a break from market. Let the Rightmove searchers forget about 'the house that's been hanging around for two years).
Then re-market in the new year all guns blazing priced to sell.

From the outside, it looks like a beautiful period property. Inside it looks quite clinical and impersonal. I agree with other posters who say to re list with a different agent. Someone local who has excellent photos for their listings. I would then look to inject a bit more character into the house with maybe some artwork on the walls, some coloured dressings like cushions/throws.

Consider dressing all the bedrooms as bedrooms to show them to their full potential, or dress them as an office/playroom space. Something that makes it obvious what someone could use it for.

I think the garden is really lovely, but perhaps a bit bland. Do you have a patio/outside seating space? If so, dress it to show that and make sure there are good photos of it in addition to photos of the lawn.

It must be so frustrating having been on the market this long. I really hope you find a buyer soon.

thanks for the information. that's very interesting. are you in the area? which house was that one? we will have a think about the price.

And description says barn conversion and it doesn't look like that from ariel photo.

I know this area a bit and I would say that in its favour whilst it's rural, it's actually got good transport links, not far from the M6 and the west coast mainline station at Stafford.

However, whilst I like the house there's no way I'd pay that amount basically for a (lovely) terrace with presumably no outside access to the back garden and shared parking. What is the deal with the parking, if it needs resurfacing do you all have to agree and pay for it together?

Plus there has been a ridiculous amount of housebuilding in Eccleshall and Newport so there's a lot of choice out there. I think you need to either drop the price or stay put.

thanks for the reply, yes theres only 3 pictures of the bedrooms, the 4th bedoom, im using for office, but they decided not to include an image for it. but your right with eveyone else, we need better images, and to sort out the garden and more dressing.