Beginning to Think Our House Won't Currently Sell at Any Price

Incisor

westv wrote: »

4 bed detached. Started beginning of April at 279,995. A few viewings. "Nice house but too small"
Reduced to 269,995. A few viewings. "Nice house but too small"
Reduced to 259,995. A few viewings. "Nice house but too small"
Reduced to 249,995. A few viewings. "Nice house but too small"
Last Monday reduced to 229,995. Two viewings this weekend. A few viewings. "Nice house but too small"

Some consistency there, then. From the link it looks like a nice house. It is not a remarkable 4 bed and may be overlooked by people wanting 5 beds and 2 ensuites or whatever.

I would say you need to do a bit of brainstorming and ask who would buy it. Some 4 beds are for status, some are for family space, they are not all the same and you need to understand who would want it, down to the numbers of kids, genders and ages - or is it better as a shared house or whatever - may be it has several different possibilities. You could also try putting yourself in the shoes of your viewers and ask why they didn't want it and see whether they were even people who should have been viewing your property

After you have done that, you might be a little wiser and you can start working out why the people who you think would want your house might not buy and whether you actually got those people as viewers. Then you might have some insight into what to do.

Consistently 'too small' suggests either that your viewers all have the wrong expectation or that they way you have the house set up is unintentionally disappointing their expectations. Don't just take the feedback at face value, try getting inside people's heads.

westv

Incisor wrote: »

Some consistency there, then. From the link it looks like a nice house. It is not a remarkable 4 bed and may be overlooked by people wanting 5 beds and 2 ensuites or whatever.

I would say you need to do a bit of brainstorming and ask who would buy it. Some 4 beds are for status, some are for family space, they are not all the same and you need to understand who would want it, down to the numbers of kids, genders and ages - or is it better as a shared house or whatever - may be it has several different possibilities. You could also try putting yourself in the shoes of your viewers and ask why they didn't want it and see whether they were even people who should have been viewing your property

After you have done that, you might be a little wiser and you can start working out why the people who you think would want your house might not buy and whether you actually got those people as viewers. Then you might have some insight into what to do.

Consistently 'too small' suggests either that your viewers all have the wrong expectation or that they way you have the house set up is unintentionally disappointing their expectations. Don't just take the feedback at face value, try getting inside people's heads.

I do think some of the viewers have had the wrong expectation. I feel they were hoping to get a "bargain" and ended up disappointed that they didn't get a £270,000 house for £229,995. I also think that perhaps some people are maybe put off because they think it will be too large. I'm sure that some people see "4 bed" and think that it will be too big for them. I see the people buying as being similar to us when we bought it. A younger couple (with perhaps a baby or young child) moving from a small 2 or 3 bed semi. It would not suite a larger family. With some of the viewings we have known from the moment they walked through the door that the house wouldn't suit them.
When you refer to the set up, do you mean the set up of the furniture or the way the rooms are laid out.

lincroft1710

Yes, I've had that problem with viewings, just knowing that the house wasn't really what the people wanted as soon as you saw them get out of their cars.

Incisor

westv wrote: »

I do think some of the viewers have had the wrong expectation. I feel they were hoping to get a "bargain" and ended up disappointed that they didn't get a £270,000 house for £229,995.

Never mind that

I also think that perhaps some people are maybe put off because they think it will be too large. I'm sure that some people see "4 bed" and think that it will be too big for them. I see the people buying as being similar to us when we bought it. A younger couple (with perhaps a baby or young child) moving from a small 2 or 3 bed semi. It would not suite a larger family. With some of the viewings we have known from the moment they walked through the door that the house wouldn't suit them.
When you refer to the set up, do you mean the set up of the furniture or the way the rooms are laid out.

I mean both. How does your house fare looked at as a 3bed+ rather than a 4bed? TBH, in the present climate I can't see a couple with just a baby or young child wanting a 4 bed. I would more envisage 3 kids and a need to get enough bedrooms, even if they are small.. Why aren't those people viewing?

westv

Incisor wrote: »

Never mind that


I mean both. How does your house fare looked at as a 3bed+ rather than a 4bed? TBH, in the present climate I can't see a couple with just a baby or young child wanting a 4 bed. I would more envisage 3 kids and a need to get enough bedrooms, even if they are small.. Why aren't those people viewing?

So you mean sell it as 3 bed plus study? At the moment I feel we are falling in between two types of buyer. The couple/baby as you say may not want a 4 bed - even though ours is priced similar to the 3 bed semis. The couple/3 kids will not find our 4 bed suitable because of the room sizes. It seems the people viewing need decent size rooms. Small rooms just don't seem to cut it. Why are others not viewing? I would love to know the answer to that myself. I think that's probably down to the lack of buyers generally.

lincroft1710

Even though the rooms are small it doesn't seem overpriced. What are Wickford prices like compared to Basildon, Billericay or even Southend?

westv

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Even though the rooms are small it doesn't seem overpriced. What are Wickford prices like compared to Basildon, Billericay or even Southend?

It's more under priced than anything. Here in Wickford there's 1 other 4 bed at 239,995. A couple of other 4 beds at 249,995 and then the rest are from roughly £260,000 upwards. Billericay is historically more expensive than Wickford. Not sure about Southend. Basildon is historically cheaper than either Wickford or Billericay mainly due to it's "new town" status and the large proportion of ex council housing.

PINGLEIST

PasturesNew got it in one, the main living room looks like a corridor and the photo put me off immediately, I,m sure better photo,s of that room would encourage more viewings.

I,m also sure there will be plenty of potential buyers out there watching your every move, at some point they will realise it,s a bargain and move-in.

I,ve no idea of your area but I would highlight the postives of your home strongly with double glazing, low running costs and cheap to maintain being top of the list.

Demand a floor plan from your EA, it,s the first thing I look for when assessing a house.

Good luck and keep your nerve, even in todays market there are plenty of buyers out there.

MrsE_2

I think three of your bedrooms are tiny, TBH I would class them all as almost box rooms & your living room looks pretty narrow.

SO if I were you I would paint every room ibn cream or white to maximise space & light, have all paintwork in white, unless its beautiful wood & use every create space trick in the book. Get all your knick-knacks put away & take that rug up in the living room, you don't need a rug & a carpet, it looks odd & it cuts the space up.
If by any chance you are thinking of replacing any flooring DO NOT USE CARPET.
Hard flooring & halogen lights, reflect of each other & make spaces appear larger, carpets absorb light (as do all soft finished) & so don't bounce light around.

westv

MrsE wrote: »

I think three of your bedrooms are tiny, TBH I would class them all as almost box rooms & your living room looks pretty narrow.

SO if I were you I would paint every room ibn cream or white to maximise space & light, have all paintwork in white, unless its beautiful wood & use every create space trick in the book. Get all your knick-knacks put away & take that rug up in the living room, you don't need a rug & a carpet, it looks odd & it cuts the space up.
If by any chance you are thinking of replacing any flooring DO NOT USE CARPET.
Hard flooring & halogen lights, reflect of each other & make spaces appear larger, carpets absorb light (as do all soft finished) & so don't bounce light around.

As I said earlier. I was considerimg removing the coffee table so the rug would go too. The bathroom and en suite both have carpet. I know this is usually a no no but none of the viewers have mentioned this as a problem. Also the bathroom suite isn't white (it's a peach colour). I have considered replacing it but didn't know if it would make much of a difference.