What's wrong with my house?

littlesos

http://212.50.188.105/cgi-win/vebra.cgi?details1?src=vebra&PropertyCode=1516001/COTMA/12127/1

We were on the market for a little over 12 months before we accepted an offer. (not far of the asking price, and actually one of three offers made in one weekend!)

Now the chain has collapsed and we're on the market again. Please can someone tell me what is unappealing about this house as I'd really like to get moved into a bigger one!

Oh, and the fire in the lounge has been changed to a more modern one (need to get the EA to come and take another pic)

Thank you.

IainCMartin

Have you thougt about changing the estate agent ?

Do they use rightmove (it is my favourite evening entertainment).

What else is up for sale around you and at what price ? Have others sold in your area, if so, at what price and through which agent ?

Norma_Desmond

Nothing major that I can see, tho' I'd clear the children's toys from the bathroom and the shoes(?) from under the bed - trivial but important as it might show lack of storage.
On the other hand, the living room looks strangely bare - stage it with a pretty coffee table and a couple of nice lamps perhaps?

littlesos

IainCMartin wrote: »

Have you thougt about changing the estate agent ?

Do they use rightmove (it is my favourite evening entertainment).

What else is up for sale around you and at what price ? Have others sold in your area, if so, at what price and through which agent ?

Yes my estate agents do use rightmove, it should be uploaded soon. These are the third bunch we've had, and are the most proactive, so I'm quite happy sticking with them for a while longer.

There were a few more for sale around here, two were of an identical layout, but priced about 10k-15k higher than ours. Needless to say ours sold first, one has been withdrawn, the other sold last week. I'm of a mind to pop around and ask what they accepted, do you think that's too cheeky???

I agree about the lounge looking stark, I might move the furniture around a bit. The stuff under DD's bed are toys. We're moving her into the 2nd bedroom today which has lots of shelves, so they should disappear from under there. We've already started packing up stuff, ready to move, we were supposed to exchange on Friday. Everywhere does look a bit bare, and some of the furniture has already gone to storage!

Thanks

epz_2

given it looks pretty well priced(which given im in scotland says a lot) and its not even as though the rooms are that small like many newer properties are(bet you still cant get a nomal car in the garage though).

onlything i can think of is the local area has probs, is there a problem with large groups of youths or really bad schools.

IainCMartin

How about asking more if the others were asking more then ?

It might mean you couild then "negotiate" down to what you are actually wanting, and a prospective purchaser thinks they have negotiated a great deal. It works well enough for DFS etc - 40% off, 50% off. Might just be enough to do the trick.

Rebob

I would ask if you could look around the one that has sold. See if anything is better than yours and just ask, in converation, if they got anywhere near the asking price.

beachbeth

I don't think there is any problem with your house. It is a good price and has a good layout inside too. It also looks quite nicely decorated.

I know Hinckley quite well and your house is on a new little estate which is situated right next to a small council estate and I think this is the problem. I have relatives who live on that council estate and they don't have much trouble and really like where they live so it isn't as though there is a bad reputation. However, I think being so close to a council estate can put people off.

My husband works with someone who owns a semi-detached on your estate and he said he has hardly had any viewers at all and has had his house on the market for quite a while.

I can only suggest you talk to your estate agent and get them to really push your house by doing things such as putting a big feature in the paper as well as maybe a little price drop so that they can advertise it as "property of the week" and "reduced price". You could even offer to pay the buyers stamp duty instead which is the same as reducing it by £2000 (Ive seen houses for sale who advertise this). This may encourage new buyers to take a look. Also try putting it up with a second agent too.

Good luck!

TAG

Hi littlesos,

It does look a bit unlived in. Maybe even more so if you've packed stuff away since those pictures were taken. Where are the boxes stored? If they're in view of potential buyers then that's not a good thing.

Just a few simple touches would help like bowl of fruit in the kitchen.

Prehaps a couple of large/tall household plants for a corner of your living room and dining room. Or even those tall twig like bundles you can get.
A rug for the living room floor?

Maybe a runner for your dining table with candles or a vase of flowers in the middle.

A few cushions on the bed in the master bedroon.

A kids room is a kids room not much you need to do with them except keep them tidy.

Maybe a bath mat in the bathroom?

Can't see much else. Your garden looks really lovely.

Hope that helps.

xela_17

The office blinds in the dining room aren't doing the room any favours. Having them closed makes the room look quite dark. If you can't exchange them for nicer window dressings, can you have them open to show the garden and french doors and then take another pic? Otherwise, only echo what others have said about lounge. The other rooms are nice and all of a good size. Have the other two people that made offers in same weekend found other houses to buy?

littlesos

TAG wrote: »

Hi littlesos,

It does look a bit unlived in. Maybe even more so if you've packed stuff away since those pictures were taken. Where are the boxes stored? If they're in view of potential buyers then that's not a good thing.

Just a few simple touches would help like bowl of fruit in the kitchen.

Prehaps a couple of large/tall household plants for a corner of your living room and dining room. Or even those tall twig like bundles you can get.
A rug for the living room floor?

Maybe a runner for your dining table with candles or a vase of flowers in the middle.

A few cushions on the bed in the master bedroon.

A kids room is a kids room not much you need to do with them except keep them tidy.

Maybe a bath mat in the bathroom?

Can't see much else. Your garden looks really lovely.

Hope that helps.

Thanks

The boxes are in the garage, out of sight hopefully, someone already suggested I "hide" them so we have.

When we show people around the house looks a bit more lived in. The dining table has a tablecloth & runner on it with the fruit bowl (full of fruit!)

The bed has a lovely bedcover with extra pillows on, (not the one in the photo)

I might get the rug out of storage for the living room though.

I think it might be the council estate that is causing the problems. It did have a bad reputation, but is vastly improved and in the 11 years we've been here we've not had any trouble.

We live in a lovely little cul-de-sac and it's very quiet, our buyers said when they saw the house they dismissed it as they didn't think they could afford it! He said they were shocked when they found out the price.

I think I'm going to pop around to the one that's sold and find out what they accepted. I think they were advertised at £196k.

Thank you for all the advice I'll make the changes and keep my fingers crossed for a speedy sale this time.

Rachel