What’s wrong with my house?

[Blueysothermother]

House been on the market since Easter, it’s in the catchment for the much sought after local grammar, well priced, was valued originally at £595,000. We had an offer for £575,750 which we accepted during the summer hols but then fell though due to reasons unrelated to the house. We need to relocate, so dropped the price, even though much larger than most houses in the surrounding streets and better parking. Estate agents can offer no constructive feedback that I can act upon. I get that it’s not all grey etc but it’s a period house and has a wealth of features intact. Any ideas?
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/91344150

In the kitchen, is there any chance of new cupboard doors that match above and below? The brick tiles aren't bad, and the floor could have charm if paired with the right cupboards. But the upper and lower cabinet doors aren't even the same, which gives a feel of them having being picked up at a reclam yard.

If you just got new doors, that would save you repainting the green as well.

Simple fix: take all the drapey throws off the beds. That can feel luxurious if they are in plush hotel textures and carefully orchestrated colour schemes, but I think they are making the bedrooms looked cluttered and overly personal. Your own cuddly throw looks cosy to you, but not to strangers.

Ideally, I'd get more impersonal duvet covers as well, especially in the yellow bedrooms. There is a reason hotels go for white, but a crisp navy or plain denimy blue could work with the yellow walls. I can see that isn't your style but you could even keep them in a cupboard ironed and ready just for viewings.

tidying the ivy won't help the rotten wood.

me too! I know I am not buying them but they don't help! I bet I can guess the offputting one!

Nothing's wrong with it - I like it and the style.

However, the listing should have it as a 3 bed, with 4 reception rooms or 3 and a study.

I remember getting pissed off with my time being wasted viewing a '4-bed' whilst house hunting, it turned out the '4th bedroom' was actually just a landing.

Estate agents shouldn't try to deceive people like that. The other thing is, I really wouldn't pay over half a million for a terraced house....no offense intended, if I had that budget, I'd be wanting a detached house.

I went originally with the agent suggestion of 595 and on my suggestion lowered it to 565. Changing agents in July. Who also agreed it was under valued. I’ve asked the agents for feedback to help it sell and am clearly open to suggestions hence me posting here. But agent gave nothing other than what potential buyer could have seen on google maps before they viewed.

So…. Thoughts on the dozens and dozens of posts saying - price?

It's price, always is. The combination of one bedroom accessed through another, location close to the stadium and the potential redecoration and garden work needed all add up.

Buyers will typically go for something similar on a better street or that needs less work. The house under offer nearby has broader appeal. I'd want to knock the breakfast room and kitchen together to make a better family kitchen space. The kitchen has mis-matched wall and base units in style as well as colour, a wonky door under the sink and space only for under counter fridge and freezer. Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. I'd also want to put a stud wall up making the middle bedroom smaller and completely separate. Then redecorate many of the rooms. That's a lot of work and added expense if you've a family and you're working around family life.

Who also agreed it was under valued. it had been on the market at that point for 3 months. They said that with a straight face?

I think it is absolutley delightful!

Nothings really selling atm. There's a lot of "stuff' in relatively small rooms that makes it look cramped. I'd personally white wash over the loud paint to make it more neutral. Not that it wouks stop me buying it but I hated who I bought mime off for their lairy paint that it killed me to cover. Looks v squished and small garden for the price (mines listed the same as a semi 4 floors 5 bedrooms and a 30m garden in Surrey) but i don't mnow the area

For me, it would be the price of the house. Also, the dark colours on the fireplaces, sofa, the deep blue coloured room and the deep red rug suggest a gothic style which makes the house look less neutral and less cosy.

The kitchen looks as though it's past its best. The colourful walls wouldn't put me off - it's half a day's work to repaint them - but the garden isn't what I'd want, I like grass and flowers. Apart from that I think it's lovely.

I like it, however, no parking, only one bathroom, its dated throughout so will need work, the garden is tiny, only 3 bed in reality. Looks like a few areas have had dodgy DIY. Overall it is too expensive, its pretty much always the price.

You’ve got a lot of marmite art up there- enough for a big 5 bed on the walls of a more modest house.

The green wall cupboards in the kitchen are an afterthought? Could you paint them the same colour as the bases - it doesn’t look a tied together kitchen.

It does look like it needs new kitchen/bathrooms but not awful. It’s just the market really - so much uncertainty everywhere you look.

Thank you for your really usefully detailed feedback. In response the wallpaper is 300 quid a roll Sanderson so didn’t want to scrap it. Period appropriate in my mind not dated but I’ll take that on board. The art work is a curation of pieces that mean something to us and would have been created during the life span of the house and I’m definitely not parting with it and a buyer would definitely not be saddled with it on moving in.

It’s a lovely house. But having once lived around the corner from a football stadium I wouldn’t be interested. Sorry.

Also the garden could do with some updated garden furniture OP. A nice set with a table - which on warmer visits you could even set with a pitcher of lemonade and some stylish glasses - just helps people think it would be lovely to sit out there.

The outdoor table is important though, as it suggests the whole capacity for eating al fresco. There is space for this, but by not having the table out there you sort of imply that there isn't. You have to keep seeding ideas in the buyer's mind as they don't have long to look round.

@Blueysothermother square footage it looks identical to number 17 which sold for £520k. Honestly (and you did ask for feedback), you either do work, or lower the price (both might be necessary).
Top actions:

1. new photos of improved lean to and garden
2. paint the bold rooms off white
3. Reduce furniture in front room and fresh white linen for bedrooms. Declutter.
4. Add a wash hand basin to the WC (next door has same space and fitted a basin)

Thanks! I’m glad you like it! I mostly use junction station but met station is and easy 18 minutes walk for me even in heels 😂

Some reasonably quick wins to get better photo appeal and get people through the door.

1. Take off the tiny toilet room photo. It's absolutely tiny and does no favours to have s photo of it.
2. Change the black toilet seat in the bathroom to white. It may be in keeping with the period I guess but just looks old and dated rather than a feature.
3. Change the rugs to neutral. Again they just look dated which makes house look dated rather than part of the period.
4. Get rid of the blue walls. They'll put a lot of people off.
5. Then re do photos and re list.

The only thing that looks odd to me is the dodgy yellow walls. It looks like they need re-plastering in both photos. I don't agree with those saying it's not 4 bedrooms. I'd do what someone else suggested and turn the second reception room into a bedroom. (Some people have no imaginations. You have to spell out all the useful rooms and have the photos show exactly what they are ie. if it's a bedroom, put a bed in it etc.)

It needs a bit of updating but, aside from the walls, nothing major. It's not my style, but it is a nice home. I hate white walls, so I love that you have some colour in it!

If I were being really picking, I would suggest that the mismatched furniture in the lounge room makes the room look cheap and unloved, so I'd probably either put it in storage (if you're keeping it) or get rid of it, hire some show furniture and have the photos retaken. I'd also tidy up the other rooms so they don't look so cluttered, and make sure the estate agent highlights that the back porch is weather resistant/in good condition, as the photo really doesn't show it in a good light. I'd probably re-paint the wood to make it look a bit smarter. At the moment, I would worry it leaks/would cause damp problems and would probably fall down in a strong storm.

I would take table out of lounge and leave one sofa and one chair.

I think the blankets on the beds need adjusting.

Lovely house though.

I agree with all of this.

Yes I know what you mean completely but in Watford for a period detached you’d be looking at 750 to a million for sure. Crazy I know

It’s gorgeous - just my cup of tea, but having viewed properties in Watford it’s really expensive for no driveway and being so close to the stadium. The conservatory looks like it would need to be re-done if people want the open plan dining /kitchen out to garden? Maybe booking some storage and reducing belongings a bit will make it seem bigger?