Help! No viewings after 3 weeks

RMBPS_2

Hoping someone might be able to offer advice.

Our house went on the market 3 weeks ago and the Rightmove stats report shows it has had a healthy number of viewers who have looked at the extra details aswell. We've had absolutely no viewings or enquiries though. It's on with Hatched (online estate agent) so I appreciate that they don't proactively contact buyers who are on their books but I'm still puzzled as to why no one has enquired/been to see it.

It's priced slightly high at £270k - we are hoping to get £250k for it and the reason we went for 270k was that an identical house next door went on the market very recently for 275k - only difference is it has a garage but in all other ways is not as nicely decorated as ours, has no double glazing at the front, was rented so in poor condition etc. We think (perhaps biasedly!) that ours is much nicer! Next door has now sold STC but we don't know how much for - not sure we can find out?

Not sure what to do - should we reduce the price to 250k? Change the pictures (we think they're good) or the blurb? The only thing we think lets it down is the front of the house needs painting which we are organising - we got let down by a friend who was going to do it for us.

I can't post the link as I've just registered but if anyone wants a nose it's postcode CT21 4JP and on for £270 (next door is STC and on for £275). Happy for people to be honest!

Thanks so much for your time,

RMBPS

~Beanie~

Is this it? http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41766941.html

LondonDreamer

Here's your link: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41766941.html

Overall, it looks presented nicely enough to me. A bit bland (no artwork, etc) but nothing jumping out as needing immediate attention. I think you could cut down the number of photos, e.g. don't really need to see the bathroom from two different angles when there's nothing that special about it. Personally I'd reorganise the furniture in the study as furniture across windows always looks like there's not enough room to put it on a proper wall, IMO.

Although you have dark patches on the front render which puts me off at first glance. Could you clean this up, as I'd assume it was damp without knowing better? The front in general looks a bit unloved, but your back garden is lovely. Also your listing seems to focus more on the benefits of the village rather than the house. Which could imply that it's a worst house in the nice area kind of purchase.

I'm guessing that it's coming down to price. Not at all familiar with the area but can see that you purchased in 2009 for 230k, so adding 40k to the asking when the market in general has dropped seems a bit much.

ETA... here is your neighbour's listing: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38611447.html?premiumA=true

From glancing just at the pictures, they look in similar condition to me. Might be different in person, but not coming across online. A few more dated elements in your neighbour's (much prefer your kitchen) but still nothing that couldn't be lived with until I could decorate to my own tastes. So if I was comparing the two houses, you're only asking 5k less than the house with a garage and what looks like a wider plot. Makes it seem overpriced.

RMBPS_2

Beanie - Yes, that's it!

mrsmchapman

Your house is presented well. I would update the front picture once the house has been painted.

The stamp duty threshold will be an issue, are you hoping to get above £250k or maybe £249950?? If the latter then I think pricing at £270k is to high, I'm sure many have but if I were looking for a property under the tramp duty threshold I'd expect maybe 10-15k reduction but no more. Maybe people are assuming you wouldn't reduce so much, in which I would think about altering your price.

I sold a house on at £250k purely because of the stamp duty and sold for £245k, this pleased us but again you need to decide what the lowest you would be willing to take.

monty-doggy

The kitchen is lovely, it's a shame you are not leaving a single appliance as that's a lot of money for someone to find if they don't already have them, it's not like a standard oven will fit, yours is a range style.

Better_Days

Neat, tidy and nicely presented.

Photo's are a bit muddled up which doesn't give any sense of the 'flow' of the rooms through the property. Have all the pics of one room together, and most rooms will only need one photo. Pic 18 of the garden is a nice one.

Real problem it seems to me is the price. Don't know the area but if no viewings after 3 weeks something is awry. In the current market for most of the country it is difficult to see how you can justify a £40k jump in value in 3/4 years and over the SDLT threshold to boot.

Ask your neighbours what they sold for, they may well tell you, ours did! Is Ascot House similar to yours? If so it will be a good benchmark - it went for £240k in March. Also don't underestimate the barrier of the SDLT threshold.

monty-doggy

mrsmchapman wrote: »

Your house is presented well. I would update the front picture once the house has been painted.

The stamp duty threshold will be an issue, are you hoping to get above £250k or maybe £249950?? If the latter then I think pricing at £270k is to high, I'm sure many have but if I were looking for a property under the tramp duty threshold I'd expect maybe 10-15k reduction but no more. Maybe people are assuming you wouldn't reduce so much, in which I would think about altering your price.

I sold a house on at £250k purely because of the stamp duty and sold for £245k, this pleased us but again you need to decide what the lowest you would be willing to take.

Tramp duty?

Lol

pmlindyloo

Personally I would stick it out.

You are extremely unlikely to get your asking price because of the stamp duty so will probably looking at £249,999!

House looks good - could be picky but nothing glaring at me.

if you start reducing it now people are likely to come in at under what you want.

For now, I would keep it at £270000 and let someone think they have a bargain at just under £250000! Any chance of asking next door what it was sold for or ringing their estate agent and asking? Don't think it will be on any stats yet.

Early days, in my opinion. In, say, another 3 weeks, you could knock off £10000.

Good luck!

mrsmchapman

Ok I meant stamp duty lol

monty-doggy

made me smile.