30 viewings, no offers

mouseymousey99

I think its a really nice house. I had/have a really small house but got an offer for the full price:-
Most buyers need a bit of a push (they can't see potential)
I would put everything not essential into short term storage (if you cant find friend/family with garage). You need to make it look like they could just move in..dress up the patio - a cheapo garden table & 2 fold up chairs & they get the idea they could sit out there (& I would move everything you dont need out of there). Be hard be ruthless.....good luck

joeblack066

I agree with all the posters who have said to move any non essential stuff out while you are trying to sell. The things are YOURS, and in a small house, make it very hard for potential buyers to envisage the house as THEIRS. If you can afford it, take down YOUR pictures and replace with those 'trendy' brown and beige block pics that are available very cheaply (Wilko's, Home Bargains etc), go for clean lines throughout, hide the kiddy stuff away (Your FTB might not be ready to be facing picturing themselves with kids!), and reduce ornaments etc to a minimum, to go for the modern 'clean' look. A bit clinical, I know, but it will let the viewers imagination have some space.........! Good luck!!

Rick62

Its a very pretty house, very nice architectral style in a good location, however it is very small and the price does not fully reflect that.

Some good friends of mine have just bought around there, they had a choice of 2 bed georgian cottage type or 3 bed victorian in less good street, both for £one eighty something. They actually went for the 3 bed, however the 2 bed they were thinking about, for £17k more (10%) than yours had a good sized kitchen, a dining room, a bathroom and a really nice walled patio garden.

The lack of dining room, combined with the small kitchen is a major negative, the yard is not very enticing and the lack of a bathroom is, I think, a major negative.

People will be expecting something small, as is the style for many of these Cheltenham cottages, but yours is particularly small. The fact you have had no offers also supports this. I suspect you might have to bring the price down another £10 to £20k.

wisbech_lad

Nice house, but yes, it is very small. The entire living area looks to be about 500 square feet, at a price of 340 GBP/ sq ft. I would guess that other places in the area are better value for money (in terms of price/ square foot)

Might be worth researching (or getting your EA to check) what price/ square foot is in your area for houses you are in "competition" with for buyers. Would give you an idea.

Having said all that, a "cute" house like this will just appeal very much to some people, and not at all to others. So it may just be a case waiting for someone to fall in love with it (less likely a FTB I would reckon, more likely someone downsizing/ empty nest/ suddenly single)

rammster

machofairy wrote: »

I would say that the house is priced fairly for the GL53 postcode. There are hardly any properties in Rightmove costing less than yours. In fact, I found that a 3 bed house starts from £260k upwards! I am glad I am not househunting in your area!

I think the problem you have is the unreallistic expectations of FTBs. An experienced house buyer will not go for your house while an FTB is expecting too much for his/her money in your area. If I was you, I'd just sit and wait... with the lack of properties in your price bracket in your area, someone will eventually snap it up.

My view is very similar to Machofairy. 169.9k is a major investement for a FTB. Cheltenham is one of the more pricier places to live in . this brings in two issues:

1- overbloated market
2- FTB needs a good deposit to buy in this price range. At 5% deposit- 8500 pounds , then add the 3k for conveyancin , add another 1-1.5k for arrangement fees + valuation, and you are looking at somebody with 13k of funds plus a security budget of 5-7k , so somebody having 20k liquid equity.

Then the next thing that comes in is room sizes. Well to that I would say "No house is unsellable" - you might have to tweak a few things. And that might include price/ added incentives if you are really desperate.

I would recommend dealing with all this in an emotionally detached kind of way. Easier said then done though.

Dont loose hope.:beer:

$$$_12

It is a very cute little house and beautifully presented (even the pink one next to it is kinda sweet).

Unfortunately I'd have to say that while the size is ideal for a FTB like me - the price might not be.

I could probably afford it - but I'm based in London, earning 50% above the national average wage and have getting on for £60K in savings.

If I was based in Gloucester in the same situation - it'd be on my consider list. But I doubt many FTB in Gloucester are on the same wage/have the same amount saved.

To be honest - I reckon the price really puts it into the second time buyer's bracket and that the prices in Gloucester mean that FTBs are probably now looking at flats.

I suppose the question is: If you were a first time buyer on your salary when you bought it (adjusted for inflation) - could you still afford to buy it?

bigjoe

First thing don't panic. A lot of those carpet treaders will be stooges from the EA to make it look like they are getting you lots of viewings.

nelly_2

Glazed windows?

Why the hell have they put that?

What else are windows made out of other than glass?

$$$_12

nelly wrote: »

Glazed windows?

Why the hell have they put that?

What else are windows made out of other than glass?

I guess some windows are boarded/bricked up (an advantage around here due to stone throwing yobs and also in the 18th century when you would pay extra tax for more than 6 windows).

I agree though it's hardly selling the place to me unless Gloucester is some mythical utopia where no yobs throw stones and unfair ridiculous taxes are not levied.

mrp45

This is clear cut. If your house isn't selling, you are too optimistic on the price you will get for it.

Estate agents often show a prospective buyer three properties or so at a time - generally the first two are not ideal: they are too small, overpriced or in a location that the buyer will clearly not go for. At this point the buyer is thinking 'we'll never get what we're after for our money'. Then the estate agent shows them the third one which has been competitively priced, and the buyer is relieved and puts in the offer.

Unfortunately from the number of viewings yours has received, the number of offers yours has received and the rather 'aspirational' asking price, I'm sorry to say that I believe your house is being used by the estate agent as a stooge. Unless you make a significant cut in the asking price, your house will only sell others.