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What’s wrong with my house?

573 replies

Blueysothermother · Yesterday 18:04

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

OP posts:
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24
HinzKunz · Today 11:00

poppymango · Today 10:31

I think, rather than redecorating, you'd probably benefit from a slight de-clutter and having new photos taken. Their photographer clearly isn't great, and for a house with this kind of decor the wrong angle, bad lighting, and a poor quality image can make or break it. The living room and kitchen are really your problems... they are the worst offenders and also the first rooms you see.

Living room: The picture with the four faces in the top right corner... take that down or replace with something else. Take the red throw off the sofa as it's competing with the rug (or find a rug with colours that don't clash). Add a couple of well chosen cushions with colours that compliment the room. I'd take the largest plant out of the window too, as it's blocking the light a bit and making the room feel crowded. Remove the pot plant from the mantelpiece, and the large black speaker from the top of the cupboard. If possible, I'd also remove the weird 90's leather sofa (sorry) and replace with two armchairs that are a bit more traditional. Nothing in front of the radiator. I would also arrange something on the coffee table - some artistic books and a pretty candle, something like that.

I can't see what the floor is like in here but it looks grey, which I think is why people are coming for the wallpaper... the wallpaper on its own is nice, but it's warm toned so it doesn't really work with the grey floor, the grey armchair, or the solid black sofa. If there are original floorboards under there somewhere then exposing them could make a world of difference.

Kitchen: Can you repaint the pipes in the corner? The issue is that the boiler, the tiles beneath it, and the cabinets to the side are all at different angles which makes it look like the fitting wasn't done well. Painting the pipes white and removing the magnets from the boiler will make that less obvious. Also remove the speakers from the tops of the cabinets. Some of the pot plants from the living room could be brought in here and arranged on the counters to make it look warmer.

Whoever takes the next lot of photos needs to do a better job with the kitchen because everyone seems confused by it! The first image makes the room look rectangular (one of those funhouse mirror photos which estate agents love and everyone else hates), but it's square in the next, and no pictures of the cooker or anything. It's confusing and makes it seem like you're trying to hide something/present the room as bigger than it is.

I have no issue with the lean-to, but the fact that there are no photos of the inside of it makes me wonder if it needs work, or needs removing altogether. A utility room is an asset, so why aren't you showcasing that? Again, a good photographer could make the world of difference.

The rest of the house is lovely, and anyone who doesn't like the colours can simply buy some paint - no big deal - but many people will have made their decision after looking at the first two rooms. If you were to repaint only one room to try and sell it, I would make it the blue one. It's a bit violent. You don't have to go magnolia, but perhaps a slightly more muted blue. If you can also find wooden chairs that match the table instead of the current officey ones, that would make a difference.

You also cannot market it, or price it, as a 4 bedroom when it's not (yes, even if you have used the study as a bedroom in the past).

It's true that the market is rubbish right now and you have to be realistic. A house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If nobody wants it at the current price then, bluntly, it's not worth that.

This!!! 100% and get that photographer to take a better picture of your garden.
also the price. Area360 estimated the sale at £520k that may well be too low but buyers will see that so you have to do work to make them realise they are wrong.

JayJayj · Today 11:30

I see a lot of cosmetic work that needs doing. The living room does not photograph well. I get it’s your style but when trying to sell you need it more neutral I would think.

it also looks like it needs a new kitchen, and the single toilet to be upgraded. Outside looks messy and unkept.

Upsetbetty · Today 11:41

I think on a whole the house is very rough around the edges @Blueysothermother sorry but it’s really off putting. The kitchen is mismatched. The whole boiler and surrounding areas is awful. Same with the toilet and bathroom.
The plant on top of the wardrobe looks odd too…no need

pinkdelight · Today 11:43

Rainbow1901 · Today 09:51

On reflection and reading others comments here - I wonder if it is absolutely necessary to have two reception rooms. You have a dining room/breakfast room and a study - if you were to turn the second reception room into a bedroom - you would then have the four bedrooms you are trying to sell but with the added flexibility that prospective buyers could imagine if they were to live in the house. If both reception rooms are used equally but differently - say to watch different channels on TV or listen to music then I see the need for them but sometimes turning things on their head brings the results you want.

Pretty sure she said she does use the second reception as a bedroom but has to convert it back for viewings because it won't wash as a genuine 4th bedroom. People know they can turn reception rooms into bedrooms if they want to, but to bill one as the 4th bedroom is disingenuous unless it's a townhouse or similar where it's always been designed to be a bedroom. As others have said, selling it as a 3-bed plus study makes best sense, and dropping the price a fair whack.

To this point above: there’s a way more nuanced way of suggesting without making it personal - woukd you say this to their face?

I agree it's nicer to not get personal or rude, but I thought part of the point of getting view on a forum like this was to get the unvarnished reactions that anyone who knew you wouldn't say to your face. People who view a house don't say this shit to the owners face and when the agent wants feedback they say vague stuff that's not helpful because they don't want to be honest, which is what you get on here. When people are looking on rightmove, they aren't thinking about the owner's personal feelings, it's the full range from love to hate. That's the hard thing about marketing your home which means a lot to you to people who have a totally different perspective. Even saying the price needs to drop below 500k, almost 100k less than what it was first valued at, suggests that the people who were rude about it were correct about the extent of the problems.

LibertyLily · Today 11:49

DrumsPleaseFab · Today 07:18

I really really love the decor and it shows to me that this is and can be a lovely home with personality and not just a beige box

but I am in my 50s, and maybe you need to think who your prospective buyers are, maybe people who start out with kids and care about catchment areas (so young parents?)

I think the younger generation (late 20s early 30s) do not know diy, like very different type of decor (beige or grey) and are unable to think how they would achieve that themselves? (It seems, from this thread)

also, it seems to be a falling market and I know so many people have issues selling, it is a buyers market so people can be more picky

annoying for you

but there is nothing inherently wrong with your lovely house other than the time we live in 😬😅 it is a really hard time to be selling

I have a family member in this age group who bought a doer-upper previously owned by an elderly lady. They love DIY and have replaced the kitchen and two bathrooms themselves in their spare time. Many of the paint colours they've used (saturated yellow, deep blue) are almost identical to @Blueysothermother's.

As it happens, they also love period style features and have put in bathrooms that are very similar to the OP's upstairs bathroom using a high level version of her toilet and metro tiles etc that another poster referred to as looking like public toilets! They are in Brighton though, where this type of arty style is popular....

pinkdelight · Today 11:53

LibertyLily · Today 11:49

I have a family member in this age group who bought a doer-upper previously owned by an elderly lady. They love DIY and have replaced the kitchen and two bathrooms themselves in their spare time. Many of the paint colours they've used (saturated yellow, deep blue) are almost identical to @Blueysothermother's.

As it happens, they also love period style features and have put in bathrooms that are very similar to the OP's upstairs bathroom using a high level version of her toilet and metro tiles etc that another poster referred to as looking like public toilets! They are in Brighton though, where this type of arty style is popular....

Yes! I said way back that it would sell in Brighton, or Hebden Bridge. But it's in Watford by the football ground which is a rather different market.

LemonTT · Today 13:22

pinkdelight · Today 11:43

Pretty sure she said she does use the second reception as a bedroom but has to convert it back for viewings because it won't wash as a genuine 4th bedroom. People know they can turn reception rooms into bedrooms if they want to, but to bill one as the 4th bedroom is disingenuous unless it's a townhouse or similar where it's always been designed to be a bedroom. As others have said, selling it as a 3-bed plus study makes best sense, and dropping the price a fair whack.

To this point above: there’s a way more nuanced way of suggesting without making it personal - woukd you say this to their face?

I agree it's nicer to not get personal or rude, but I thought part of the point of getting view on a forum like this was to get the unvarnished reactions that anyone who knew you wouldn't say to your face. People who view a house don't say this shit to the owners face and when the agent wants feedback they say vague stuff that's not helpful because they don't want to be honest, which is what you get on here. When people are looking on rightmove, they aren't thinking about the owner's personal feelings, it's the full range from love to hate. That's the hard thing about marketing your home which means a lot to you to people who have a totally different perspective. Even saying the price needs to drop below 500k, almost 100k less than what it was first valued at, suggests that the people who were rude about it were correct about the extent of the problems.

Edited

I think people are being objective and giving the OP the critique she needs. The OP asked for advice on selling the property. People are describing why they may or may not buy the property at that price it is marketed for.

The decor and furnishings can be off putting for some. For others it is about the layout and the amount of work that needs to be done. That is going to significantly impact the price.

Missohnoyoubetterdont · Today 13:29

It will be the price. It’s always the price.

Hyroplate · Today 13:32

This thread has made me think about my first house. It was perfectly livable, in that it was weather tight and had a working toilet and we did live in it while the work was done, but it had a derelict lean to, an orange bathroom, wallpaper peeling in most rooms, a kitchen where most doors were hanging off and a hob with only one working ring. We did "everything", but we expected to, and it was priced accordingly.

I think, if I moved into this one I'd want to do all the same jobs, and looking at the quality of the finish, even the bits I liked, I'd be wondering what I was going to find that needed redoing once I was in, so why would I pay top price for it and still have to live in a building site?

It might be different in a market where houses are selling before they're advertised, but currently sellers need to be much more realistic about what needs doing to their homes IMO.

In the face of it, it's a very nice home and on the whole, I like OP's style, but I'd be wary of buying it because it's not really what it's claiming to be - 4 beds and fully renovated.

KeepPumping · Today 15:52

foursquares · Today 03:06

It's not rocket science.. It's just price. Drop it to what it's actually worth, and you'll have a sale by Wednesday

Maybe, demand is down in a lot of areas now, but you would definitely stand a better chance.

housethatbuiltme · Today 18:03

Blueysothermother · Yesterday 18:18

Didn’t get there yet, is all!
it has three double bedrooms plus a single bedroom/study upstairs. When our kids were small, all bedrooms were used as perfectly usable beeooms 3 double plus single. Now I have the third reception room as an additional double as it suits our needs better.

Legally a through room cannot be classed or listed as a bedroom as its against regulations. I'm really surprised the EA allowed it.

You can personally choose to sleep in a through room in your own privately owned house if you want but you can not list it and sell it as a bedroom.

A mortgage lender or surveyor will not count it as a bedroom. A bank can deny a mortgage to the buyer over it and it does happen.

listing as 3 beds and a study will likely be fine.

housethatbuiltme · Today 18:21

Also outside of that honestly, it just looks really unfinished and like it needs a lot of work.

I don't care about sellers furniture or personal decor they take with that so not commenting on your personal stuff just the building itself.

The living room I don't mind, I like cosy and dated although many others don't.

The kitchens not my taste with mismatched cupboards although I know thats a style choice but it does look ok and usable (and I do love the back door).

The blue room is very intense, most people will want to redecorate it. I love blue and lots of colours (I have every colour of the rainbow somewhere in my house) but I would pick THAT blue, its quite strong. The painted black fireplace would really put me off, stripping black off brick will be a nightmare. Not a fan of the black windows and doors either, its so jarring compared to the other rooms.

The white room is the worst for me, it reminds me of when your completely starting from nothing and have no money to do even the basics. The white paint on the historic fire is awful, the floorboards look badly done like you just couldnt afford carpet so bodged it, the wallpaper/lining paper is creased and badly done. Just looks very unloved.

The toilet is a dated bare bones toilet which I guess does the job.

The yellow bedrooms, once again really strong colour (I would never put yellow in a bedroom, its like waking up in a migraine) and the colour highlights every damage spot on the wall.

The bathroom looks average, nothing really wrong with it.

The green room is not my personal taste but probably the most on trend room, once again quite strong colour. I would personally have gone either dark emerald or lighter sage than that bright of a green.

The study is bland but fine. Nothing wrong with it.

Garden looks ok, but the lean too looks like a demolition job.

Front of the house looks fine.

The white room and the lean too are what really make it look like it needs work imo.

I think the problem is everything that 'stands out' stands out for the wrong reasons and everything thats ok is just dull. If I was to view this I would be viewing it as needing a referbishment not a top of the market value.

Also is it listed? I assumed it was from the windows at first but I don't see it mentioned (maybe I missed it) and going back some windows look modern and some don't.

MotherofPufflings · Today 18:24

housethatbuiltme · Today 18:03

Legally a through room cannot be classed or listed as a bedroom as its against regulations. I'm really surprised the EA allowed it.

You can personally choose to sleep in a through room in your own privately owned house if you want but you can not list it and sell it as a bedroom.

A mortgage lender or surveyor will not count it as a bedroom. A bank can deny a mortgage to the buyer over it and it does happen.

listing as 3 beds and a study will likely be fine.

Edited

Really? RICS says that there is no statutory definition of a bedroom? https://www.ricsfirms.com/glossary/what-is-a-bedroom/

What is a bedroom? | Find a Surveyor

What is a bedroom?

https://www.ricsfirms.com/glossary/what-is-a-bedroom

KilkennyCats · Today 18:34

MotherofPufflings · Today 18:24

Really? RICS says that there is no statutory definition of a bedroom? https://www.ricsfirms.com/glossary/what-is-a-bedroom/

No legal requirement for a window?? Shock

housethatbuiltme · Today 18:38

MotherofPufflings · Today 18:24

Really? RICS says that there is no statutory definition of a bedroom? https://www.ricsfirms.com/glossary/what-is-a-bedroom/

They are habitable rooms if they have a window, you can personally choose to sleep in them but they don't meet regulations for classing as a bedroom.

You should not exit a bedroom via another through room for fire safety. All bedrooms should have a minimum window escape access and exit onto a direct passage way for fire escape.

Its to do with fire safety laws not RICS. There no law that say you cannot in your own home sleep in one but you cannot rent it out like that, house a foster child in them or have it legally listed as a bedroom in the house.

Its like how for safety regulations you need a banister on your stairs, load of people rip them out in the own house and no one is inspecting and telling you you can't, if you fall down your own stairs thats on you but you can't rent like that and once again it could scupper a sale when it comes up in the survey as it doesn't meet required safety regulations.

MotherofPufflings · Today 18:45

But we're not talking about renting a house, the OP is selling and RICS say there is nothing stopping their house being advertised as having 4 bedrooms.

CatkinToadflax · Today 19:00

The house being listed as having 4 bedrooms, but then only showing 3 on the floor plan, seems daft and is presumably an error by the EA?

From the first couple of photos I thought the house was absolutely beautiful. The front of it, and the front room, are gorgeous. But then after that I feel it’s a bit mismatched and that the Victorian features have been forgotten about a bit due to so much very bright paint. To me the kitchen doesn’t look recently fitted. The two work surfaces are similar but don’t match, in addition to the wall and floor units being different. It doesn’t look new or of any particular time period.

None of these things should be deal breakers but it may mean the house is passed over in favour of other properties.

user1471538283 · Today 19:07

The period features are lovely but it looks like it needs quite a lot of work for that price.

It's usually always the price that means a house doesn't sell and it's a tough market at the moment.

LibertyLily · Today 19:17

MotherofPufflings · Today 18:45

But we're not talking about renting a house, the OP is selling and RICS say there is nothing stopping their house being advertised as having 4 bedrooms.

We sold a semi-rural Georgian house in 2014 that had five bedrooms - one was in a 1980s built annex extension, two were on the first floor and there were two more on the second floor. Additionally there was a 36' kitchen diner and three reception rooms.

The two attic bedrooms (which were original to when the house was built) had,a study space between them, that had bathroom potential. You had to walk through the first (larger) of these bedrooms to get to the other. Each had two/three windows.

At no point did our EA say we couldn't market it as a five bed and our buyers planned to use the attic rooms for two of their three teen DC.

Perhaps the selling rules have changed since 2014?

Atlasthome · Today 19:39

Blueysothermother · Yesterday 21:13

I want to move A LOT. Thank you everyone, for your insight. I guess I’ll take it on board and spend my half term with many, many tin of beige or white paint, and rent myself a storage unit. if that’s what it takes 😔

You want to move a LOT
Your property has stalled for half a year
If you want to move, you need to accept reality. Price

godmum56 · Today 20:39

LibertyLily · Today 19:17

We sold a semi-rural Georgian house in 2014 that had five bedrooms - one was in a 1980s built annex extension, two were on the first floor and there were two more on the second floor. Additionally there was a 36' kitchen diner and three reception rooms.

The two attic bedrooms (which were original to when the house was built) had,a study space between them, that had bathroom potential. You had to walk through the first (larger) of these bedrooms to get to the other. Each had two/three windows.

At no point did our EA say we couldn't market it as a five bed and our buyers planned to use the attic rooms for two of their three teen DC.

Perhaps the selling rules have changed since 2014?

Edited

I think that people get mixed up between the rules for council housing, the rules for landlords and HMO's, building regs, and what you can say and do when you are selling a private house.

LibertyLily · Today 21:50

godmum56 · Today 20:39

I think that people get mixed up between the rules for council housing, the rules for landlords and HMO's, building regs, and what you can say and do when you are selling a private house.

I think you're right!

foursquares · Today 22:50

Atlasthome · Today 19:39

You want to move a LOT
Your property has stalled for half a year
If you want to move, you need to accept reality. Price

I don't think she actually wants to move. Rather than actually deal with root cause of issue, price, she's popping to B&Q..

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