Trying to sell this country cottage, any advice?

johnnyredgate

girl_withno_name wrote: »

Just to note that you're providing a lot of additional information and explanations here, but potential buyers don't see / know this from listing... The listing needs to sell the property enough to get viewers through the door, when they'll start looking for more detail.

Keep the listing succinct - "bus service to Newtown and Knucklas" would suffice, potential buyers won't be expecting the listing to tell them whether the bus timings are aligned with train timings and this is something they can research themselves if important to them.

Yes thanks I won't but all that info in re bus timetables, was more really replying to bogof_babe's question about reaching the house by train. Most people who live out here would expect to own a car though so you are right no need for too much detail on public transport, its not like wanting to know how far from the nearest tube station a property is in London!

Elsewhere

I agree with everything J J Carter has said above.

The pictures really don't do it justice - especially the garden view. Take down the washing line and tidy it up - maybe stick a couple of garden chairs out there to make it look like a garden that's nice to sit out in. I expect you could hire a gardener for an afternoon for £100, who would be able to make a huge difference.

Also - no picture of the kitchen. Even if it's tatty, I like to get an idea of the size, layout etc - which it's not easy to imagine from floor plans.

StumpyPumpy

johnnyredgate wrote: »

Price - at this stage we will stick with the local agents valuation and feedback from locals, so have not asked for advice on this. Have lowered the price it a bit to allow that anyone buying is likely to spend further on the kitchen, woodburner etc, although the valuation of £165k is based on the current condition not on any further improvents and we have scope to consider lower offers , as I stated last year the value was at £187,000 just prior to the purchase, this is based on the previous selling price when the house was purchased in a more dilapadated condition

I genuinely wish you luck with selling the house, but what you are exhibiting here is a prime example of seller versus buyer logic with valuations.

The facts are a matter of public record. 1 year ago, the property was bought for £125k. I have no reason to doubt you when you say it was valued at £187k just before that. So as a seller, you think you got a bargain, bought for less than market value. As a buyer, I think the valuation was highly inflated and market value was exactly how much it sold for. So how do you square that circle?

In my view, it would be a mistake to mention the previous £187k valuation to a potential buyer. Why? Because you have already said it is valued now at £165k. Therefore, even your own valuations (and despite any improvements made) show a loss in 1 year of £22k. Still with my buyer's hat on, if I'm generous I think that is 12% down. Bearing in mind as a buyer I think the real value was realised when it was sold last year this means it is now only worth £110k to me.

So I'm now looking at a property worth at most £50k (or about 30%) below what you are asking. It wouldn't matter if you get Lord Lichfield to take the pictures and Charlie Dimmock to do the gardens, I wouldn't be viewing it.

I am not saying I am right and you are wrong. I am just giving you an idea of exactly how any savvy buyer will be thinking. It is a buyer's market so you need to have a very compelling argument to persuade me to even give a second glance at what you are offering.

A quick look around the area your are selling in gives these properties:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34015591.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36378482.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36378476.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34611886.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38244458.html

Some slightly more, some a lot less than yours. And obviously catering to slightly different sorts of buyers, but how do you think yours compares in presentation and price? Be honest with yourself and try and think like a buyer.

As I said at the beginning, I wish you luck in selling, it is your house to price and market at any value you wish and you want to maximise the income from its sale. I have no vested interest in you reducing the price - I would never want to live that close to a road, but you originally asked why you were not getting any viewings after a month and in my view the prime reason is obvious. Maybe you will find someone who will fall in love with the place and just buy it on impulse, but those people are few and far between so I'd plan for a long wait if I were you. I'm not trying to be mean. Just realistic.

SP

johnnyredgate

Bathroom and Kitchen pictures to be sorted asap, I asked the agents to add these a couple of weeks ago so have no really have idea why they havent done so.
Still a bit soon to address pricing, have had 3 EA values and all much higher than last years auction estate sale. Apparently my determined bidding approach put the one other bidder off, so could easily have gone higher at that time when it had more work needed!
Spent a lot of time prior to purchasing looking for property and could not get anything detached in a village location in this area for anything close to this price, so do have a reasonable idea. Knighton as I have already said and was confirmed by Rustyhead on here who is fairly local is going to be priced lower than the surrounding villages. Houses in the villages lower down the valley get a lot less sunlight due to being more tucked into the hills, I personally wouldn't want a house lacking in sunshine.
Lots of comments about improving pictures/details so will look at a review of price in due course if needbe, as said accept that it will have a limited audience out here and therefore some patience is needed.

Can't do much about the road, think it probably too much to add that it is a 30mph zone on the details, from the streetview it is obviously in the village though, it is not busy out here and probably a quieter road than a more urban housing estate road. It also has a footpath national trail run along the section of road past the house so quiet enough for this! Whilst some people will want it out of the village and not on the road if it is a weekend retreat, to be able to be in the village and it still just be a walk up to the open hills is a big bonus, also get the plus of the pub 2 doors away.



It is really more a finishing off to taste project than a major renovation project, unless someone wants to turn it into a major renovation project, change rooms and add on extension of course. Yes a shame that some features must have been removed in the past but all the same the rooms are bright, spacious and airy, if somewhat spartan until someone makes it theirs! Things would have been done a bit differently if it was purchased specifically to do up for resale. We also need to bear in mind the costs of purchase in the area in a village with doctors etc for parents so will need to sell at the going rate for an equivalent property really, and likely to need more funds for somewhere like Clun, if it is sold too low below what I have been told is the value then they wont be able to afford to move to the type of place they would accept living in unfortunately.

Will get some more pictures sorted out and it looks like we have someone interested in doing the garden in exchange for a holiday in the cottage.

Will also see if we can contact the owner of the land adjacent to the garden, if they are prepared to consider an agreement to allow access into the back of the garden, the top corner could easily be turned into additional parking space. Will also see what the situation is about the adjoining land, but these things take time around here..

Graham_Devon

I have some experience in this area....my parents moved very close and used to visit newtown frequently. They moved from Devon!

All I can say, is that they sold their much larger house, fully re-furbished, 3 bed, study, massive great stone built "conservatory", larger than double garage detached house for just 10k more.

I echo what the OP said about Devon vs Wales roads....what a joy to be abvle to actually drive without someone being in front of you all the time!

However, it's a relatively cheap area, and the house needs money spent on it....quite a lot. It's OK suggesting the new owners could do this and do that....but you are asking a price which reflects it all having been done. The price will seem cheap to many of us, but you can get a lot for your money in that area.

If this cottage was in a really good condition, then the price would suit...but people will look at it thinking it needs 10-20k spent on it.

That extra 10-20k on top of the 165k could get you much more house in the area, so really, with that price, and the type of property / location, you are looking for a really unique buyer who falls in love and parts with the cash.

It's also high maintanance and high running costs on a high price, (for it's current consdition). You may not be asking for advice on the price...but then price is what gets the potential viewers interest in the first place. If you do not wish to address the price, then I highly doube you will address the lack of viewings. If you feel like holding out, you may strike lucky.

For instance, if it was myself, looking to buy a unique cottage such as this, I wouldn't be wanting that conservatory thing. So instantly, I'd be looking at getting rid of it. It's ugly, and looks more like a greenhouse attached to the side of the house (just being honest). The carpet (the green one especially) looks like it's not fitted properly, but bodged. The cat flap (I assume it was this) looks to have simply been covered with a grey piece of "something". This is the sort of thing which makes the property look very much uncared for and bodged in places. If those are the botch jobs I can see in the photos, it makes me wonder what else is bodged together. It may suit a purpose for the previous owner, but to most new owners, it will create work....which is fine, if the price is right.

justjohn

johnnyredgate wrote: »

Will also see if we can contact the owner of the land adjacent to the garden, if they are prepared to consider an agreement to allow access into the back of the garden, the top corner could easily be turned into additional parking space. Will also see what the situation is about the adjoining land, but these things take time around here..

Is that a field around the garden?
If you are going too that hassle of access, then i would find out if there are any other options regarding it.

eg. purchase, grazing etc

As for value. You seem to be under the delusion just because someone says the value is X must mean its value is X. Its not true its a guide/guesstimate.

Your house is what i call a hard sell.(my opinion). Its directly on the road, so as soon as the buyers see the first photo you have lost 50% of them.

Secondly properties that go to auction go there for a reason. Even most repo's get marketed by an EA before being sold at auction(most go to auction because they can't sell them).

johnnyredgate

Yes it did go to auction for a reason, it was disposal of a deceased's estate rather than any specific problem with the house itself.

Yes if I can speak to the owner of the field behind then I will definately ask if there is any possiblity of the land being for sale through seperate negotiation directly with the landowner.
Access would not really affect the field owners area of land as it potentially would be possible to create this immediately through his field gate, would obviously require a bit of hardsurfacing works etc.
My parents were able to negotiate a similar arrangement with the landowner adjacent to them for a 3 acre paddock. This mean't that they got 2 offers at about 30k over the local EA valuation for their property even though I assume the landowner would have been asking an inflated price. So no harm in trying to make the enquires.

It is difficult re pictures of the property being offputting, parents didn't like it at all from the pictures last year, however once they viewed they totally fell in love with the house, it is a shame that things didn't work out.
At the moment we will stick with expert advice on the pricing for this specific property, would obviously consider any serious offers. It was mainly the other issues we were seeking opinions on. There is not currently a rush to sell, I think all that has happened over the last few months has left parents a bit too physically and emotionally exhausted to consider going through the selling and moving process for a while now. If it doesn't sell this summer it will just be relet on a short-term tenancy arrangement, and we will try and have it in a better condition for next spring/early summer selling season and review pricing etc then.

GDB2222

johnnyredgate wrote: »

also get the [STRIKE]plus[/STRIKE] MINUS of the pub 2 doors away.

I've corrected that for you. A pub in the village is a plus. A pub almost next door means disturbance from car doors being slammed late at night and beer deliveries early in the morning.

Owain_Moneysaver

johnnyredgate wrote: »

Still a bit soon to address pricing, have had 3 EA values and all much higher than last years auction estate sale.

Estate agents will give pretty much any value to try and get a property on their books.

Then they'll suggest reducing the price later ...

You also have to get the Map and Streetview sorted; going by centre of postcode location is useless for a rural area. When I click on Streetview I want to be looking at your house. Not something two miles away.

johnnyredgate

GDB2222 wrote: »

I've corrected that for you. A pub in the village is a plus. A pub almost next door means disturbance from car doors being slammed late at night and beer deliveries early in the morning.

Thank you will remember not to mention the pub!!

There is also the bridge, a large property, then the small village pub and a small car park the otherside of the pub, remember the location here, a small fairly remote village, will probably only be a small number of people in there, most of which will likely have walked. Apprarently the only disturbance in the village occurs once a year when the young farmers disco is held there, if it is bought as a holiday cottage then it should be possible to avoid staying there on this night of the year, unless of course you want to attend the disco.