Update - 5 viewers now. What to do next?

westlondonbuyer

gingertips wrote: »

Do not get quotes for any rework & do not show them to potential buyers...they will immediately see it as opportunity to take that off the asking price & the fact you are showing them is because you are happy to take lower offer than asking price.

A "lower offer than asking price" is better than no offer at all.

The vendor has to do something new now; people are coming through the door but they're not coming back for a second look. Plans may make them re-assess.

harz99

westlondonbuyer wrote: »

Your kitchen does look small for a family house. Is the dining area right next door? If it's just a question of knocking through, get a builder's quote and a sketch (ask a GCSE art student you know for some pocket money) so people can visualise it, and make sure the agent shows it to prospective buyers.

The fact that you've had five viewings suggest it's not the price that's a problem.

A simple look at the pics shows that the "dining area" is in fact a conservatory, which is off the lounge not the kitchen so "knocking through" is not an option.

The extension next door looks to have been done primarily to give more space upstairs, and in any case a building a similar extension would result in the loss of part of the conservatory/dining area unless the extension was much larger, and thus more expensive.

I also think the house is lovely! One, observation though - on a house of that age/type I would expect the hall to go from front door to Kitchen and back door - the description seems to indicate that you have to go through the lounge to access the kitchen and conservatory as in many new builds, and that may be where the problem is and also why the EA has not put a floorplan up.

My advise would be to sit tight, do nothing except declutter as much as you can, and wait for Mr/Mrs right to view. Your getting viewings, many people are not even seeing anyone.

System

Someone will see the house and want to buy it, just like you did once upon a time!

I wouldn't change anything. The house is what it is and has many great features which someone is bound to love.

PPPingu

I'd also advise against bricking up the side door. You never know what the buyer will want, so keep their options open rather than spending hundreds trying to second-guess them!
The idea of putting a tall fridge freezer in front of it might have some mileage though?

smcqis

Looking at your virtual tour theres a wall in the kitchen beside the door, what exactly is behind it? People buying could potential knock this down to have bigger kitchen, if its an option you could say it was something you were planning to do but never got round to it

buckfast67uk

I'm no expert by any means, just asking whetehr it would be worth applying for planning permission for an extension like house next door? I'm not sure how much that would cost but it might encourage buyers if they were looking at a house that came with planning permission

tyllwyd

smcqis wrote: »

Looking at your virtual tour theres a wall in the kitchen beside the door, what exactly is behind it? People buying could potential knock this down to have bigger kitchen, if its an option you could say it was something you were planning to do but never got round to it

Yes, I've looked at the tour and I'm really confused. It looks as if the kitchen is L-shaped? Has the kitchen maybe been extended into the hallway, so that the missing bit of the L is where the staircase is? I must say, it would put me off that the space is so narrow in that bit of the kitchen - to me that would be much more of an issue than the back door. Is there anything else you could do with that area? Could you make any use of the space underneath the stairs to grab a bit more room into the kitchen - if you could move the end wall back, you could get an area with a sloping roof and then make a recess for the dryer? Having said that, even if it is possible I'm not sure it would be worth spending the time and money if you are moving.


Edited to say - or maybe change the layout so that at the end of the galley part there are units on the end wall instead of having a single run of units along the side wall only, which might make that area appear less deep and narrow. Or is there less than 600mm floor space in that galley area?

Rubyspearl

cheers all
the kitchen is odd - it has an extra 1 x 3m section which isnt shown in the piccies which used to be the old pantry. The radiator wall could be knocked through into this space although part of this space has a sloping ceiling (stairs). The wall could be left and a tumble could be put in the space. The glass cabinet near the lounge/kitchen entrance could be removed and a full length FF put in. Or the door could be blocked up and radiator removed so extra cumboards/FF could be added. The entrance to the kitchen is at the side of the house or through lounge.
The bathroom is equally odd (corner ceiling beam/tiled seat/step up into) - but all the viewers have commented on how they like the "quirkiness" of it.
If i had my time again i would think long and hard about the kitchen layout as i think it could easily accomodate what is needed with a bit of careful planning.
After being a massive mavis, my other half rang the EA and reduced the price - but he did note they were not keen on doing that.

tyllwyd

It's definitely that narrow section that would bother me - can you even open cupboard doors sensibly in that area? Or bend down to look into them? Just my feeling, but I'd say that blocking up the door isn't going to solve the problem, so I personally wouldn't bother. It's a shame, because the quality of your kitchen looks lovely in the photos. I think you need to keep waiting for someone who is happy with it as it is, or do something more drastic to solve that problem.

I would make it more obvious in the EA's details that the kitchen is an L shape, though, because I would be expecting a small square kitchen, and I'd be a bit taken aback to see it in real life.

LandyAndy

You might find someone like me who hates the trend towards enormous kitchens. I like to cook not wander around when I'm in the kitchen. Personally I wouldn't brick up the back door. That would put me off.