On market for nearly 5 weeks but no viewings

googler

Pupnik wrote: »

It always winds me up on these property programmes when you see people viewing a house and come out with classics like 'it's nice, but I don't like the curtains' as if they would be forced to use those curtains forever.

Some people can see past 'stuff' but a lot of people can't.

I recall one of these property progs where the house had a single shelf partway up one wall in the lounge. It stood out, and the couple viewing for the cameras were minded to comment - "I wonder what we could put there..." - as if they just HAD to keep the shelf.

As was said - don't underestimate the general public's lack of imagination and foresight.

DianneB

Thefunkygibbons wrote: »

You can't make a statement like that without spilling the whole story

:eek:

It's true!! we had our offer accepted and I took my son and his girlfriend round to view. He started laughing and said "your buying the place where the old guy was found dead in the bath!" I thought he was kidding as we are that evil in this family so I went straight to the neighbour and asked, she confirmed that he had indeed been in the bath for three weeks over the christmas and new year. I only lived a short walk away and hadn't heard a thing. The sad thing was that nobody had missed him or thought to visit over christmas. I just couldn't buy it, but it sold very quickly once we withdrew our offer.

superted187

DPJames wrote: »

Rubbish. Knock £20K off and the bird cage and kids toys will become invisible all by themselves. And that glorified shed will become a summer house or work office.

This guy.

Don't listen to what people are saying about you pics too much. Everyone has different opinions on how a house should look.

ILW

Price, location and type of property are what a house sells on. Moving the furniture around for the photos will have minimal effect

Thefunkygibbons

ILW wrote: »

Price, location and type of property are what a house sells on. Moving the furniture around for the photos will have minimal effect

agree

But people get recruited based on skills, experience et al

But we all wear a suit for interviews, don't we

poppysarah

ILW wrote: »

Price, location and type of property are what a house sells on. Moving the furniture around for the photos will have minimal effect

Even if it does come down to price you need to encourage as many people to view it as possible.

If after having tidied the place up there are still no viewings then price has to be looked at.

Caveat_Mortgagor

I dont know your area, but as a first time buyer I am wary of overpaying in a falling market, so price is key for me.

From your link I clicked on the http://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-value.html?searchLocation=SN253DB&displayPropertyType=&bedrooms=&radius=0.0&sellersPriceGuide=Update+Results price comparison report.

Immediately I can see you bought for £128,500 in July 2006. My first question is why is it priced higher than you bought it for?

So I looked at the land registry to see what has happened to prices in Swindon since you bought. http://www.landreg.gov.uk/house-prices/house-price-index-custom-reports At the time you bought, the average semi in Swindon was selling for £143,173. The latest info available is for May 2011 which shows the average semi in Swindon went for £132,225.

Its reasonable to assume that your house would sell for 7.6% less then you paid. However, you have priced it at 5.8% above the price you paid.

You are in a difficult position, because most buyers expect the asking price to be about 10% more than the seller really wants. But the added twist in your circumstances is that you have priced higher than you paid, even though prices have fallen. There is a psychological barrier here. Buyers may think you are deluded. Anyone can see prices have fallen, there is a danger some buyers will be put off and dismiss you as one of the deluded vendors who value their house based on the rationale of 'it simply must be worth more than we paid'.

There thousands of properties available in every city that are priced are delusional levels. If you are not getting any viewings, then quite frankly I am not surprised because as you acknowledged those photos were awful.

I worry about the expertise of your agent advising you to go to market at the current price level and with those photos.

Get a professional agent, do the 'presentation' work (it seems you already know what needs to be done) and be prepared for the fact that price is going to be a huge factor in achieving a sale. To start with, in order to get around the possible psychological barrier, show you are flexible by stating 'offers around'.

Good luck.

Callie22

Charles Harding are known locally as one of the more 'unrealistic' agents. Never really heard much positive about them.

I know Swindon and being a bit brutal, you're overpriced and it's not the best area - the agent has said it's in 'Olive Grove' but it's more or less Pinehurst and in Swindon, you avoid anywhere that starts with a P. That'd put a lot of local people off, especially as it looks like the agent has tried to hide it.

KaratePigeon

Thanks for all the suggestions, I have followed most of them and now feel like i'm showing the house at it's best. Going to leave it a few more weeks but of course we will drop the price if we still don't have any interest (and change agents).

I've removed the link now as I don't want any prospective buyers to find this thread and be told it's overpriced or in a bad area (which it isn't!)

Doozergirl

What have you done? Are there new photos etc?