Selling Houses! Help!

McKneff

To be honest, i would get rid of that awful hedge and get some nice decorative fencing, pots with flowers in.
And yes, i think its overprice too. If you want to sell, it will have to be reduced. Houses are only worth what people are willing to pay for them.

Its a high price for first time buyers

tootsmyboots

Hi, the inside looks lovely, cant say much about price as I dont know the area. But in terms of photos, the things that stood out to me is that the throw on the main bed looks like it hasnt been put on properly and the duvet cover on the other bed could do with an iron to bring the bedroom photos up to the same standard as the rest of the house. But to me it's the outside pics that could do with some tweaking. The green wheely bin really stands out on the front, could you move it for the photo and in the back garden my eyes are drawn to the big plastic sheet and the rotary dryer. I would move the rotary and also move or reveal whatever is under the sheet. Is it a nice table or a BBQ? In fact there are quite a few hidden items so your eye goes to them and not the garden space. Also I would weed the patio and get that back garden re-photographed if you want to make the garden a feature to entice people to your house over the flats.

To sum up, the inside looks great with a few tweaks, but I would focus on the making the outside sell the garden lifestyle. Selling sucks doesnt it, I remember thinking we would never sell ours but it happened in the end, took us from May to December to sell so keep the faith.

genuineplacebo

Thanks Tootsmyboots. I specifically asked the Estate Agent to take new garden photos - these were taken back in January when the weather was pants. We've since weeded the patio, uncovered the table and barbeque and generally tidied up! I think you're right and some new photos, hopefully with the sun shining will make a world of difference!

Doozergirl

genuineplacebo wrote: »

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...

Well that makes sense then. They are opting for practicality. An extra two boxes ticked for the same price.

I'd say that young couple would be looking for a nursery and a spare room/office... and that they might expect the rooms to be small if it's the same price as a large two bed - that's what the money buys you... they could extend the house themselves if they wanted to... and there's just something nice about showing your three bed off to your friends. It's a bonus.

Hate to say it but you either stick it out and appreciate that you're trying to sell something niche (to childless couples who aren't concerned about having a drive) or you drop your price to match the two bedrooms that are selling. Your lovely extension has overdeveloped the house. I've been there and I sympathise!

PasturesNew

People are fixated on the number of bedrooms, but I notice one of yours could be split to make a 3rd. It might be worthwhile getting some quotes from builders to have that work done, then it's an option for viewers.

genuineplacebo

Thanks Doozergirl. 2 beds do go up to about £225k around here, ours was priced lower to reflect the fact we don't have a driveway. I don't know what we'll do. We want to buy a 3 bed outside of London, moving to Hampshire/Berkshire, but don't know how much we can realistically reduce the price for it to still be worth selling! Ah well!

genuineplacebo

Thanks PasturesNew. We were looking into that today. We'd need to put a new window in, radiator, electrics etc as well as the partition wall and door. It would cost more than we have at the moment and we'd still realistically only get the same price for the house afterwards. It's on the cards though if we can save enough cash!

ERICS_MUM

Having helped my mum sell her house, perhaps I can make some helpful suggestions. I'm assuming you and the E/A have got the asking price more or less right. The inside looks nice and bright, but the photos aren't very good. Please don't take my comments personally, I just hope they help you view your house with new eyes.

1. Has your estate agent given up in favour of newer sales with better opportunities for commission? Ask him to "re-launch" your house with new photos, a feature ad in the local paper, pride of place in their shop window etc. If he feels he could get enough people together what about an open day (well, couple of hours).

If he's not willing, find another estate agent.

2. I agree with the earlier comment about kerb appeal. Can you hide the bin (behind the hedge ?)and pretty the front of house up a bit, make it stand out for the right reasons.

3. If you are aiming the house at FTB who want their own outside space, you need to tidy up the garden a bit. It looks cluttered with things hidden under plastic tarpaulins and a washing line. It gives the impression of lack of storage, and people always want storage.

Weed and power wash the patio, dress it up with a patio table and chairs and some brightly coloured pots of flowers. Trim the edges of the lawn to make a couple of flower beds - you don't have to plant them up but just keep the edges straight and neat. Can you disguise the compost bin (do you really need one for a small garden without much to be composted ?).

I do sympathise, selling a house can be so stressful, especially in our current financial state.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.


Linda xx :beer:

CloudCuckooLand

genuineplacebo wrote: »

We were looking into that today. We'd need to put a new window in, radiator, electrics etc as well as the partition wall and door. It would cost more than we have at the moment and we'd still realistically only get the same price for the house afterwards. It's on the cards though if we can save enough cash!

genuineplacebo wrote: »

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...

Kind of answering your own questions here...

Its going to cost a lot of money to convert to 3-bed, you say.

OR

Someone can go for a ready-to-go 3 bed, if they plan on having a couple of kids in the next 5 years, for the same money and probably with parking.


With today's tight mortgage market, plus job worries etc, people are plumping for exactly what they need for the same price as something bigger but needing more money spent on it to make it fit their lives...Lenders are not being so free with re-mortgaging to fund home improvements, after all.

pmcx9

Apart from the usual tidy it up, better pictures etc it seems blindingly obvious to me. Put a bathroom in upstairs and create just a WC and utility room from the downstairs one and you will get the asking price!

I dont know the area so just took a look at streetview. Here are my initial thoughts so perhaps what others would think. Please do not take offence, this is meant as constructive help;

Why the hell is it rendered when no others are???? Hiding problems?
Really cheap and nasty looking porch extension with no matching window.....Is rear extension cheap and nasty too?
Bet its hellish parking at night???
Leaded windows look wrong on period/ type of house
Looks like the sort of neighbourhood where people are always improving extending houses so always builders vans, skips and noise in road.