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

I’ve just sold my Victorian house , in a cheaper area to where you are. I’m on the South coast . Was on for 300k in Feb , sold twice and 2 of our houses fell through . We are now doing a lot of work as our house fell through last time because of the survey . Old houses like ours need to be seen to have no work needed as people will come and and although the style is nice , not unlike what I have we have new plastered walls, new old style bathroom , large modern kitchen and landscaped garden . We hardly had any viewings as despite people loving it , they either hadn’t sold theirs or 1st time buyers were having trouble with getting mortgages . We have now sold for 270k and doing 6k of work ourselves . The market is dreadful ,I think unless you drop you are unlikely to get interest

I think the off road parking when you are so near the football stadium could put people off?
I don't think it is particularly overpriced for the area, but I agree with many of the comments re decorations, the green kitchen cupboards would irk me and the blue room.

OP it’s difficult to give exact examples but here are a few places near you which I think have decor which is much more appealing to a buyer. Both a bit quirky, period features, nice furniture, colour, not grey boxes. But both are immaculate, light and airy, modern touches, and the outside space looks really lovely.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/93007836#/media?id=media4&ref=photoCollage&channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90999444#/media?id=media0&ref=photoCollage&channel=RES_BUY

Thank you. I’ll take the artwork off the walls, they are all clean behind and no paint fadesas all quite recently decorated, so should look ok still. Stupidly I thought people would see the fact that pictures and books do t belong to a house and they would bring their own stuff-or not!- like I do but it’s a valid point.
nothing will happen in the market until after Christmas now I think. So maybe I’ll have to reduce again after, beyond the 30K I have already.

I am not sure you saw my comment up thread. Another thought is that primary schools in central Watford are not very popular, small and without a lot of outside space.

Yes agree they are lovely but both 200k more!

I'm sorry, but yours would need a complete renovation for most buyers too.
The kitchen is odd with lack of appliances in the photos and the mis-matched units. The bathrooms look old and I've seen better toilets in public lavs. The blue room is overpowering, and far too many photos/pictures etc. Quite a lot of surplus furniture making it look smaller than it probably is.
And I would definitely re-brand the second reception room as a bedroom.

Yeah, I think a few of them have been taken at quite unflattering angles. I’d automatically write off anything that looked like it was damp. So that alone would make me discount it. Which is a bit of a bugger for you if others are doing the same just because of a poor photo.

I know it’s easy to say, but do try not to be disheartened. There are so so many lovely things about your house. But the quickest way to sell is to turn it into a generic property where people can envision their own taste, rather than strong colours which look fantastic in big rooms, but obviously aren’t going to appeal to the greige brigade.

There’s a paint colour called Timeless that is not quite white, easier on the eyes and has a reflective quality for light that works well.

Thank you for sharing your experience. And congratulations on getting that sale! Our house was ll clear on the survey for the buy that fell through so it wasn’t that luckily. Just going to take everyone’s advice on bird and prioritise what makes the most positive difference for what I can afford.

I think others have said but although the property has lots of character I think that it isn’t decorated or dressed to inspire a young family who would be the prospective buyers?

Really enhancing the character features would be good. As you say it isn’t appealing to the new build lovers and it has great bones.
Maybe dressing with furniture that appeals to the target buyers now is necessary.
You could I am sure find a few bits on Facebook marketplace to help. Sell
a lifestyle to them and get some new photos taken. Review the price if necessary.

Totally agree with this. We painted our previous Edwardian house mainly in Timeless.

Its gorg op xx

Chain free

Are you genuinely chain free? Going into rented? Moving with inlaws? Leaving your H and moving in with a new partner?
Have another house to go to?

The living room looks patched up over the door. Not sure which yellow room - maybe both. One has what looks like a yellow chimney breast that looks like it needs skimming, another picture with the yellow wall looks very bumpy at the bottom.

It’s the garden size and the lack of front drive for me. Doesn’t feel like somewhere you can live too long in.

See, you are being jokey/sarky about people not seeing past your stuff/taste in decor but it matters!

OP's been there 24 years I think.

I kind of know the area and bet parking is a major thing. Plus you're right near the football ground. What's parking like?

100%

OP, a couple of thoughts:

• I'd consider replacing the downstairs loo with one of those Japanese-style toilets with a sink over the cistern
• Photo of the living room fire place if it's original!
• Take down the faces picture in the living room, it's distracting
• I love the blue colour
• Change the kitchen doors to all be the same design, with the same handles.

Yep I realise this- but it’s to give you an idea of how a period style can also be really attractive to buyers with not many changes from your decor. Neither of these are grey boxes with bifolds and false grass! Your house would look absolutely stunning with this type of feel.

As others have said price can be a huge factor although so can taste. My thoughts are this house is like marmite you would either love it or hate it. I'm sorry to say according to the photos I'm in the latter category. Despite the fact decor can be changed it would still put me off arranging a viewing. I would contact a painter & decorator & make the house speak for itself rather than the dominant colours which to many give such a negative first impression. Those are just my thoughts OP & I hope it sells soon.

I know what you mean but because my road is just only 30 house and not one of the two perpendicular roads to us it’s actually not bad at all as they have increased the permits now to 10pm and I manage to get a space whenever I get home. A couple of years ago with the only until 6:30 permits it was a nightmare though.

Garish colours especially the blue and black room - looks like a student dig from the 90s - hideous!

Mismatched kitchen with leopard print?? worktop

cooker not visible - its not even marked on the floor plan

Rickety/damp looking lean-to

Looking past your garish colours and bonkers art work it all looks tatty and cold

You keep saying its decorated in a period style but its not! You've misunderstood what that means. It means matching the decor/furniture to period THE HOUSE WAS BUILT not filling the house with mismash of styles from 10 other periods (mostly the 90s though)

Dodgy badly painted pipes and wires hanging out by boiler