Selling house - Agent has sent no viewers

fredmila

googler wrote: »

Yes, we don't know the area, but I can tell from just the front photo on Rightmove that the external finish on your house isn't a match to the neighbour, and I find myself wondering what the general streetscape looks like, and how your house fits in. Google street view hasn't got as far as there yet.

Maybe forming a driveway instead of a sea of gravel won't add to the price, but it might help you acheive a sale. I can see from the photo that I could drive a car in off the street, but I'd then be heading straight for the front door. Is the gap in the wall intended as a driveway entrance? If so, why wasn't the driveway entrance formed in front of the garage? Maybe there's a separate entrance off-camera, but if there is it needs to be shown

Don't know about anyone else, but I get seasick walking on big spaces of gravel like this; it shifts under my feet as I walk, as I step forward, the gravel shifts under me and I feel like I'm walking through treacle. I'd suggest forming some defined footpaths and driveway. Give it more definition.

The drive entrance is offset relative to the garage because the dropped kerb did not reach the garage end of the house. With the driveway like this, it adds interest and it helps with driving in and out of the house in forward gear. This is the present requirement by the highways agency. When we plant the grass, it will add definition to the driveway.

This house is for posh people, they will drive straight to the garage, going into the house through the internal garage door, thus avoiding getting seasick walking on the gravel

poppysarah

googler wrote: »

Honestly, for an agency that claims to have been operating since 1835, you'd think they could do better than this.....

But you'd be a bit old and tired too if you were 175 years old

fredmila

googler wrote: »

...so, he shifted them, and moved on to the next project?

Isn't this what you want to do?

Which other agents can you choose from in your area? You say there's very little passing traffic, therefore you have to choose one that will get you considerable exposure in other areas - perhaps one that has a significant web presence over and above merely a listing on Rightmove; perhaps with a more prominent high-street presence than your current one.

Would it be realistic to use an EA based in Nottingham rather than Sleaford? Would this gain more exposure to more passers-by?

Now I have done a bit more homework, Looking in detail at the Rightmove site, I listed the EAs who have sold houses (3-5 beds) in the area, as indicated on the site (STC). This agent does not have one sold! others have 1 to 7 so I am talking to them.

I think I know what the problem may be. Because the largest proportion of enquiries come from Rightmove and other sites, I think that agents like this one think that Rightmove is going to do all the marketing, that is needed, for them so they concentrate their time on going around trying to convince people to put their house in the market with them rather than going around convincing people to view and buy the properties they already have in their books.

ET1976

I think you're on a hiding to nothing reducing £295k to £290k. I mean, who's going to think 'there's no point in viewing at 295, I can't afford that, wow, look it's only 290 now, let's get round there straight away'??? It's already under the £300k mark which may be a psychological (and search engine) barrier.

I'd be dumping the EA straight away without wasting any more time on them. They sound like utter jokers.

fredmila

Blackpool_saver:
"I am female, Mum to the child who thinks he knows it all !!
Me: 47 :hello:
Son 16 (knows everything) :wave:"

I get it

fredmila

ET1976 wrote: »

I think you're on a hiding to nothing reducing £295k to £290k. I mean, who's going to think 'there's no point in viewing at 295, I can't afford that, wow, look it's only 290 now, let's get round there straight away'??? It's already under the £300k mark which may be a psychological (and search engine) barrier.

I'd be dumping the EA straight away without wasting any more time on them. They sound like utter jokers.

I agree that £5000 reduction is not a lot but, when people search in Rightmove, this will put several houses with asking prices between £290 and £295 above rather than below ours in the price order.

camper_1982

OMG the photos are awful. i just took a look and i cant believe they have put those on their. They are too dark. and i liked the house !!! well (from what i could see of it), but what put me of was the garden, they took it showing 75% of it in the shade!

These agents need shooting, they have no idea, but then they are not photographers are they.

If you werent so far away from me id come round and take some pro photos for you with my camera.

Blackpool_Saver

fredmila wrote: »

Blackpool_saver:
"I am female, Mum to the child who thinks he knows it all !!
Me: 47 :hello:
Son 16 (knows everything) :wave:"

I get it

get what Fred?

slbhill

fredmila wrote: »

I took pictures and they are much better but I was not going to do the agent's job and give them my pictures.

This is cutting off your nose to spite your face! If it doesn't sell then you lose a lot more than your agent does - give them your pictures & insist they use them.

Have you asked how many particulars they have given out? That's a bit of information my EA insisted on giving me at every opportunity. Didn't see much point myself but I suppose it shows they are doing something.

Personally (not that it's anyway near my budget!) the photo of the front (the "estate agent view" I think it's called) would put me off before I got any further - it looks like the house is in a sand pit, probably unfinished. I'm sure it looks a load better in real life but I would definitely do something about that picture.

phlash

:eek: What kind of mindset are you in if you state you have better photos, but refuse to simply email them to the agent and tell them to put them up on your adverts?

All because... you think they should be doing that?!

Not exactly a bright move, and from reading your replies, you seem to be your own worst enemy.

BTW...It does not look like you have designed that house for the masses, it is currently marketed to a very small audience with a specific 'crisp' taste. It's not homely, and is more akin to a city centre 'pad', which unfortunately your location, bedroom number and price point do not match.

PS. Read the number of people who have replied to your thread - that is a representative sample of people, how many of them thought there was no problem with the photos/style? I bet your bottom dollar, that people on rightmove looking at this listing as a potential are thinking exactly the same, why would it be any different? Because you disagree?