Selling Houses! Help!

genuineplacebo

Hi Guys,

Our house has been on the market for 6 months at the end of July. We had probably 2 viewings a week at the begining, then it went down to one a week and now we haven't had any viewings in about a month.

Our house is on an ex-council estate in Surrey. Houses here sell quite regularly and as such is a 'popular' area. Our house is a lot bigger than many on the estate, as it has a 'proper' extension. Most others around here only have a portacabin type structure on the back that contains the bathroom. The estate agent thinks the house is priced realistically and that, in their words, 'It's a slow time for everyone, but houses are still selling'.

We don't know what to do. We were thinking about moving to a new estate agent but surely, as we're on rightmove and findaproperty buyers will see the property no matter what agent we're with?

The main feedback we've had from buyers is that they want three bedrooms rather than two or they want off street parking. We don't have a driveway and there's no possibility of a driveway as we front a green. However, there is plenty of on street parking available and permits aren't needed. We wanted a driveway when we bought our house but made the compromise of not having a driveway because the house was, and is, lovely.

We've also decluttered the house, redecorated and put lots of stuff into storage.

Any ideas what else we can do?! I would really like to be under offer by the end of the summer, to be in our new house by Xmas!

Thanks

CloudCuckooLand

post the rightmove link, plenty advice will follow...

genuineplacebo

Thanks!

-Sorry Guys, Link removed-

BeccaBell

Please don't think I am being a cow (as I know this will sound harsh and snobby) but as someone who has been looking in this area of Surrey IMHO you are overpriced. Its a nice looking property and has 2 good sized bedrooms but for an FTB (which is who I guess you're target market is) an ex council property, with no off street parking, only 2 beds and asking for 200k plus (also it is near an estate with a horrid reputation) I would not go anywhere near it. Also probably doesn't help you that there is a new "luxury apartment":p complex just up the road with ample parking, big bedrooms and selling for 180K for a two bed.
I think to get more viewers in you need to lower the price because it is a nice looking house! GOOD LUCK

Jen2girls

I think your house is lovely internally I really couldn't fault it, and its a good size too. I think the issue maybe the kirb appeal. One of the windows is a different unit to the others which stands out. Also do you think you could stretch to repainting the outside white to brighten it up? Some hanging baskets at the front or some pots would really help get people through the door. HTH X x x

Charliezoo

Maybe some new pictures would help, particularly of the kitchen.

Some of them have been taken at strange angles and picture 4 looks like you're trying to sell a mug tree not a house.

genuineplacebo

Thanks BeccaBell, I appreciate the comments.

I do think though that you can't compare this area to luxury apartments. They aren't in the same market. We would be aiming at FTB's who want a house and garden rather than a generic new build flat.

I know there are more desirable areas in Surrey, and I know that flats are cheaper than houses.

Houses around here, even being on or near the estate are selling and selling in excess of £200k. I just don't know why ours isn't selling and the others are.

Doozergirl

You're offering more downstairs space perhaps than most people require from a 2 bed and offering that at a premium price. It might match why people are saying they want a three bed - are you moving into a three bed price bracket but people are coming to view your attractive, nicely furnished two bed perhaps because it's pretty, but then opting for something more practical?

Feedback is so important. Does your agent know what your viewers went on to buy and at what price? Enough time has passed that most of your early viewers should have bought by now. Or even what else they were viewing and what price? That would be a really interesting excercise to undertake - see what it is that the buyers actually want.

I had a beautiful house a few years ago - it was much bigger downstairs than up and I think it put people off when they went upstairs and it didn't match. And it was an expensive house because it was an expensive area - and it didn't have a driveway. So it had a niche market. That was the longest it ever took us to sell a house but we did sell it for the right price because we found the right people. They were affluent and they didn't have kids. And interestingly, they were from London like me where off road parking is a luxury.

Inside is lovely, your kitchen is fab. I'd like to know what colour you painted it! I agree about the mismatched window, it's a little bit strange, I'd want them all to match as well.

genuineplacebo

Thanks Jen2girls, The porch was put on before we bought the house and I have no idea why it's a different window!! Good idea for the hanging baskets. The house is kind of a cream paint at the moment and goes with the area - white would stand out too much around here but def could consider freshening up the current paint.

Thanks Charliezoo. The Estate Agent updated half the pics and not the other half, which is why the lighting etc is different in some of them. I'm going to ring them tomorrow and ask them to sort the photos out - delete them all and take a brand new lot!!

genuineplacebo

Doozergirl, we get feedback after every viewing. Most have gone on to buy un-extended 3 beds on the estate with off street parking for the same price. Trouble is, the 3 bed houses around here are the same layout as ours, exactly the same house except the front bedroom has been partitioned to make it into two bedrooms! Considering most of the people that view are young couples I cannot understand why they'd want a three bed with no dining space at all and two tiny bedrooms over our house...

Charliezoo

genuineplacebo wrote: »

Thanks Charliezoo. The Estate Agent updated half the pics and not the other half, which is why the lighting etc is different in some of them. I'm going to ring them tomorrow and ask them to sort the photos out - delete them all and take a brand new lot!!

Best of luck with it, it is a tough time at the moment for sellers and I'm sure some new photos will help a lot when potential buyers are flicking through RightMove.