30 viewings, no offers

Alanland

I have my lovely house on the market for 9 weeks now. We have had 30 viewings and the feedback from the estate agents has been 29 have said house is too small, one made a comment about the neighbours (!). I have a 7 month old baby so it's hard to keep clear of clutter but I can't help feeling that the estate agent is bringing around the wrong viewers.
Anyone got experience of this? Looking through other threads I've become even more depressed as every seems to sell after a few buyers.
We've dropped the price slightly and it's had no effect. Should we drop the agent or is there something else we should do?
We're aiming at first time buyers really, it is a SMALL house!
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-6671664.rsp?pa_n=2&tr_t=buy
Any advice welcome, I'm not enjoying this at all!

Have now switched agents so new property details. Obviously the house is still the same dimensions but some of the paintwork and clutter has changed.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-15545378.rsp?pa_n=3&tr_t=buy

cattie

It is a small house, but if prospective viewer's actually read the ea's blurb, then they should know that before they view.

Going from the pics the house looks quite well presented. Is this how it is when you are showing people around it or do you have lots of stuff lying around the place, giving the house the appearance of being smaller than it actually is & giving viewer's the idea that storage is a big problem in the house?

Although it's hard work, especially when you've a baby, it is important to present your house in the best light possible when trying to sell.

For one I'd take up the kiddie mat in front of the sofa, & also remove the patterned tablecloth from the table as these don't do the living room any favours in the picture.

The green walls in the kitchen may put some people off, it's not everybody's colour & can make the room feel even narrower than it is. Could you not paint it another colour, perhaps a soft yellow, which would tone nicely with the woodwork.

CLAPTON

the house looks very nice and would make a good starter home.
only comments then.. it seems that the bathroom only has a shower and not a bath (might put the ladies off) and maybe its overpriced for the area?

zipwen1

id do as cattie says. and if your aiming at ftb could you afford to offer to pay the stamp duty for them as an incentive

Addiscomber

Alanland wrote: »

but I can't help feeling that the estate agent is bringing around the wrong viewers.
Anyone got experience of this? Any advice welcome, I'm not enjoying this at all!

We felt the same when we sold our previous house. That had very narrow rooms, in fact next door had been knocked through into one, and the people who lived there described it as living in a railway carriage :rotfl: We were able to change to the agent that was selling the house we live in now, and because he didn't want to lose this sale he made sure he got the right sort of people in through the door, pronto. The people who bought it seemed very taken by the sight of toddler son fast asleep in the smallest bedroom when we tiptoed in! Perhaps you could try that

Is it possible that parking is perceived to be an issue?

Are buyers these days so fickle as to be put off by a child's rug, a tablecloth and the colour of the kichen walls? If so, those interminable property TV shows have an awful lot to answer for. (When I viewed the first flat that I bought the estate agent showed me round as the owner was out, and we were greeted by an oven ready duck sitting uncovered in a roasting tin when we went in the kitchen. It didn't look particularly appetising but I looked beyond it to see how the kitchen could be.)

fimonkey

Ultimately it's the price (IMHO anyway, I don;t know your area, but as FTB myself, it's whether the property i look at is fairly priced that gets my interest. Beleive me, a lot aren't fairly priced). What are other similar houses in your area going for? Is it a busy road? Parking an issue?

Also, there's been an influx of properties on to the market in my area (Bournemouth) as sellers try to beat the intorduction of the HIP, therefore buyers have more choice now. Is this happening in your area too?

manhattan

If you have had 30 viewings and no offers its easy, reduce the price. Its a buyers market these days i am afraid.

Good luck anyway!

Horasio

fimonkey wrote: »

Ultimately it's the price (IMHO anyway, I don;t know your area, but as FTB myself, it's whether the property i look at is fairly priced that gets my interest. Beleive me, a lot aren't fairly priced). What are other similar houses in your area going for? Is it a busy road? Parking an issue?

Also, there's been an influx of properties on to the market in my area (Bournemouth) as sellers try to beat the intorduction of the HIP, therefore buyers have more choice now. Is this happening in your area too?

That is interesting, I was in Bournemouth last week and thought there were a lot of places available. I live in Scotland just now but what does this HIP entail? I am looking to buy a place in England and Scotland just now having sold our place.

Back to the house - it seems a nice place and I don't know the area but it looks close to the centre but lack of parking can cause problems.

Also, the items that have been mentioned could help too. Is there room for a bath - simply get an inexpensive one and put a shower above.

I really feel for you - we sold after 9 weeks and 11 viewings - in that time you feel no-one will buy - very depressing.

Have you thought of reducing the price - has anyone made any offer at all?

If it was detached and in the country, I would buy it from you!:)

Horasio

Addiscomber wrote: »

We felt the same when we sold our previous house. That had very narrow rooms, in fact next door had been knocked through into one, and the people who lived there described it as living in a railway carriage :rotfl: We were able to change to the agent that was selling the house we live in now, and because he didn't want to lose this sale he made sure he got the right sort of people in through the door, pronto. The people who bought it seemed very taken by the sight of toddler son fast asleep in the smallest bedroom when we tiptoed in! Perhaps you could try that

Is it possible that parking is perceived to be an issue?

Are buyers these days so fickle as to be put off by a child's rug, a tablecloth and the colour of the kichen walls? If so, those interminable property TV shows have an awful lot to answer for. (When I viewed the first flat that I bought the estate agent showed me round as the owner was out, and we were greeted by an oven ready duck sitting uncovered in a roasting tin when we went in the kitchen. It didn't look particularly appetising but I looked beyond it to see how the kitchen could be.)

I hope wasn't alive:eek:

Yes a cute toddler does help:)

deanos

Maybe its the colour of next door putting them off

Doozergirl

There's no denying it's small. It probably looks bigger from outside.

You are up against it with only a shower room, two rooms barely doubles and a little courtyard garden.

There are bigger terraced houses on for the same money

Without a doubt it's price, I'm afraid. 30 viewings is good for 9 weeks; but people are expecting something a little different to what they are getting. People don't always understand dimensions given in the blurb, especially FTBs. I didn't for a long time.

I had a lovely little flat in London but it was just that; little with only a shower room. I had no option but to price it lower than every other 1 bed conversion because it was smaller than every other one bed conversion!