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Bungalow not getting any viewings feedback appreciated

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  • 00ec25
    00ec25 Posts: 9,123
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    edited 10 July 2017 at 9:35AM
    MichLambo wrote: »
    The link is for a semi detached new build house with no secure outside space (no rear garden), they are very nice places and done to a high standard but they have been on the market for ages. Bungalows do generally achieve a higher price than houses due to the amount of land needed to build them! Re dining room: the lounge is quite large and would easily accommodate a dining area, maybe that's the answer. perhaps if we rearrange the lounge and put a dining area in that would help
    LOL, in the time taken to post your asking price has dropped?
    now on at offers over 315k?

    leaving aside that change, when i started to write this post yours was still 325k and although yours is "modern", your direct competitor is more "twee", but it has:
    http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66839315.html
    a) much larger plot and
    b) your lounge is 15 x 11. You will need to squeeze a dining table in there. In contrast they have a 13 x 12 lounge PLUS a 12 x 9 dining room and 3 bedrooms as well

    your price reduction may help, and as you know if people need a bungalow they won't look at houses, but all the same 315 for what you offer is not that good set against houses within half mile of you.
    here's 3 beds, "semi" (OK its end of t) but it's "only" 290K
    http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49261338.html

    more to the point, if people really must have bungalows then the bargain basement reveals:
    i) 3 bed bungalow 275K http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66327323.html
    and
    ii) a 4 bed semi (half, ie 2 beds down and 2 up) bungalow 280K http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60140260.html
  • SuboJvR
    SuboJvR Posts: 481
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    The room sizes look good, utility is a bonus so make sure you talk that up, I'd want the guest bedroom to be labelled master bedroom (even if you dont use it as such) and perhaps move the sofa so its facing the tv and pop a table and chairs behind it - get rid of the sofa chair you have in there at the minute so its not too cramped.

    You may just find you've hit a slump in the market, I wouldnt worry about the price at this stage

    I agree the Utility is a definite bonus!

    OP you really need to get the floorplan sorted; I assume the utility isn't only accessed from outside. Such little things can put people off and they'll click onto the next house.
  • Tiners
    Tiners Posts: 232 Forumite
    That's not comparing like with like though - the OP's place is detached. For me (and many others - but not everyone I acknowledge) being attached would be an immediate deal-breaker.


    Yes being detached does obviously put a certain premium on it... not sure it makes it worth over 80% more than what other comparable semi's on the same street have recently sold for though?

    Also for a detached it's still rather 'hemmed in' and over looked.
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698
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    Who is the target market is one issue. It might suit a single, wishing to rent out two rooms as they could have the en-suite room and rent out the two bedrooms. Only research would show if there were still something better/cheaper with that idea in mind.

    It could be for people "working from home" as they could work from a bedroom close to the front door and it has good off road parking. Again, only research of other houses locally and their layouts would show if this was a goer.

    It's not for older people as they'd not get in/out of that bath.

    As others have said, it's probably not for families as they would want a dining room, so then it's a 2 bed.

    It's not for "private people" as many of the photos show the garden's overlooked a lot.

    I think the biggest problem, therefore, is the property "finding its market" so to speak.

    Who do you think would buy it/why? Why did you buy it?
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967
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    There are definitely similar properties that are a good chunk cheaper, e.g. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-58509121.html
  • Tiners
    Tiners Posts: 232 Forumite
    glasgowdan wrote: »
    There are definitely similar properties that are a good chunk cheaper, e.g. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-58509121.html


    To be fair that is a ''lifetime lease'' property... which really is a scam aimed lunatics with more money than than sense, where as the OP's property and asking price is more aimed at gullible idiots with more money than sense.
  • SuboJvR
    SuboJvR Posts: 481
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    Who is the target market is one issue. It might suit a single, wishing to rent out two rooms as they could have the en-suite room and rent out the two bedrooms. Only research would show if there were still something better/cheaper with that idea in mind.

    It could be for people "working from home" as they could work from a bedroom close to the front door and it has good off road parking. Again, only research of other houses locally and their layouts would show if this was a goer.

    It's not for older people as they'd not get in/out of that bath.

    As others have said, it's probably not for families as they would want a dining room, so then it's a 2 bed.

    It's not for "private people" as many of the photos show the garden's overlooked a lot.

    I think the biggest problem, therefore, is the property "finding its market" so to speak.

    Who do you think would buy it/why? Why did you buy it?

    Definitely agree with this. Also wanted to point out that having a "low level" toilet is good for children, however generally not good for older people. (When the hips/knees start to go, this can be problematic... it's something I became a lot more aware of after spending time with my in laws both of whom have had knee replacements. Shopping centres are the worst for having really low toilets!)

    As a youngish couple, I do like the look of the house and the astro would actually appeal to my husband. There's a garage too which is a bonus, as is the utility room. However I would expect to be able to set up a dining table in a three bed house. Where do you actually eat? At the moment, in our 2 bed terrace, we eat on our laps and then if we do have guests the dining table takes over the entire living room. I don't like that at all for a home we'd buy but it's a comfortable place otherwise and has served us well when we moved down.
  • shortcrust
    shortcrust Posts: 2,697
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    If you're getting zero viewings and there's nothing obviously wrong then it's always price. There are loads of threads like this and you know the answer is price as before you open the thread. Sellers always have lots of very well thought out reasons why it's not. But it is.

    That said, the photos aren't great. Looks a bit gloomy and the main photo of the front looks stark and municipal. Better photos when the sun's at a more favourable position and with blinds etc open (unless they're hiding stuff...) and a much better photo of the front would help a bit.
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,198
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    I agree with previous posters that this looks like a 2 bed where you're using the dining room as a bedroom, rather than a true 3 bed.

    Re-arranging things so that you either have a kitchen-diner or lounge-diner (labelled as such) may help. id the 'guest bedroom' accessed through the lounge, or through the kitchen? Either way, the lay out seems a bit awkward for a bedroom and does add to the impression that that room is really a dining room rather than a bedroom.

    I also think PasturesNew is right - your bath looks very nice, but anyone interested in a bungalow because they want a more accessible property is likely to look at that and factor in the cost of a new bathroom when considering their offer.

    I'd also suggest that you change the price so it isn't 'offers over' - a lot of people find that very off-putting, I know when I was house-hunting it seemed to be a very good indicator that the property was overpriced and / or the sellers unable / unwilling to be realistic , both of which are red flags!

    If you get the agents to update the listing and correct the floor plan I'd suggest that you also ask them to rearrange the photos so they are in a more logical order - they do jump about a bit. (also, the lighting in the 2 pics of the kitchen make the cabinets look completely different colours - if you can get better pictures with more consistent lighting I would)

    That said, I think that the minor things such as the photos and floor plan are relatively minor and that price is the main issue
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
  • gonebust
    gonebust Posts: 170 Forumite
    As a 50+ with grandchildren, I would be considering a 3 bed bungalow next time around and first look, yours seemed ideal, two bathrooms, well maintained, easy to care for garden, parking...

    But then when you look again and see there's no dining room or any room in the kitchen for a table, I'd pass up on it.
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