No viewers at all :(

mikey_bach

have had someone look at the link, pictures can be improved but talking to another agent today the market is in a slump around here.
will get the pictures redone.

Ulfar

Please post a link, you will get people's opinion of the property. It may not be all good, but it will represent to an extent what your potential market is thinking.

mikey_bach

ok will not let me post link but

Ulfar

Link : http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-22219158.html?premiumA=%20true

I don't see much wrong with your pictures apart from not all rooms are shown and the bathroom one needs retaking.

Could you swap your sofas round so that the two seater could go against the wall by the door, giving enough room for the door to open and people to come in. This would make your lounge look bigger.

I have to ask when you had valuations from estate agents, how many valuations did you get and was this the highest ?

Your property is overpriced. I searched on right move for properties within 3 miles of your house and there are a lot. Some are rubbish as expected. Unfortunatley for you there are some that are much cheaper, much larger and just as well decorated. They may not be detached, but for me semi or detached is not that important.

It is space, a couple of examples :

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36839552.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31091689.html

To make matters worse the next two listings on right move which are slightly more expensive than yours includes :

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32944879.html

mikey_bach

we had three they were all the same
,
but untill you do your home work you trust the EA

FireWyrm

It's a modern small brick box on a bland housing estate. This is a depressed Market. Thats what I got from the pictures. It's well decorated in the modern neutral style, but there's no getting around the fact that it lacks any pulling power. It looks tight in the living room and I'd be wondering if I could even swing a cat in there.

Unfortunately, the days of 'making a profit' from a house are well and truly gone. It's simply not worth what you are asking and even if I (pretending to be a buyer) had the money, I wouldn't look twice at it unless there was something in the pictures that made me go wow. I can get exactly the same brick box on any estate in the south for the same or less.

You're seriously better off sticking where you are and just accepting the fact that you cannot 'trade up' like we used to 5 years ago. A house is a home.

Better_Days

Thanks for posting the RM link.

Your house looks clean, tidy and well presented. You have clearly made an effort for selling. The floorplan is very good. As a buyer I would like to see more photo's, at least one of each room. A little tweaking could include the photo of the front of the house taken on a sunny day, and some colour at the front, seasonal flowers in pots. Your back garden will probably be looking a bit nicer now we are well into spring, so this photo could be re-taken too. (Although I do appreciate that atm getting a photo - around here at least - on a day that it isn't raining, is a mission in itself)

The large dark sofa's do dominate the living room somewhat and make it look small. Have you considered hiring or buying second hand (ebay, local charity shops like BHF) a smaller lighter sofa and chair, or two two seater sofa's?

Are there any amenities near to your property, or good schools in the catchment area which could be mentioned on the details to get the interest of buyers?

These suggestions are 'tweaks' which may help you get some viewers, but as others have said if the price is too high you will continue to struggle.

With regards to price I wouldn't tiddle around with 'offers over' or increments of £500. Your problem appears to be partly that although you have a detached property, the room sizes don't offer much, if anything over comparable, and cheaper, semi's.

You have said that you have seen a few houses you like. Can you afford them if you get say £125k-£130k for your house? If not then you may have to sit tight as FireWyrm has suggested, especially when you take into the account the cost of moving. Are you desperately unhappy where you are, or is there a pressing need to move for work?

If you have not had any viewers in 6 weeks, and you are serious about selling, I see no point in waiting another 6 weeks to drop the price. Consider dropping £5k, but first do have a look on RM in conjunction with property bee to get a good feel for the market and do some more research on sold prices too.

Good luck, you are in a tough position.

Better_Days

Also just occurred to me, you are unfortunate that you in the price range just above the stamp duty threshold (1% over £125k). This will be having a big impact on the prices between £125k and say £140k. When you start to get some interest do not be surprised if you get offers around £125k.

The stamp duty threshold does distort the market. Looking at the other end of the 1% stamp duty range (up to £250k) around here, those that are priced from £251k to £265/270k, if the vendors wont drop to £250k, and there is nothing special about the property, they just stick.

Davesnave

FireWyrm wrote: »

You're seriously better off sticking where you are and just accepting the fact that you cannot 'trade up' like we used to 5 years ago. A house is a home.

I agreed with your analysis up to here, but now your own agenda is starting to show.

The OP has been gracious enough to accept people's comments and admits not doing their homework, so there's no need to rub their nose in it.

You also have no knowledge of their ability to trade up. People have all kinds of reasons for wanting to move.

"A house is a home." What's that supposed to mean?

All other things being equal, I would be unlikely to view this house, because the aspect & slope of the garden would put me on show to so many windows every time I stepped into my private space. For that reason, I'd look at changing the garden photo.

DPJames

The word that sums it all up is 'realistic'. Don't trust estate agents, they're mercenaries.
We took three valuations this time last year, the lowest was £125K. We wanted to move quickly so opened at £119K. We eventually sold this month for £90K. Which, to be honest, is totally realistic for the market.
Put yours up for £110K and it'll soon get interest. You've got to face reality, no matter how much you want to ignore it, bite the bullit and take a loss.

There is good news though. The houses you're looking at now will all have to do the same. The house we've bought took our offer of £70K under AP, so it's swings and roundabouts really. The sooner you face facts, the sooner you'll move. I wish I had priced at £100k in the first place, because I could have been in my new house a year now.

Good luck