why do you think my house hasn't sold?

Dazedandconfused

getmore4less wrote: »

Maybe that's your problem your house is VERY close to that estate some would say part of it is so close

It's probably like my town the good bit and bad bit are very close together but if you are local you know!!!

pippin06

getmore4less wrote: »

Maybe that's your problem your house is VERY close to that estate some would say part of it is so close

No they wouldn't say that. You would have to know the area. It's only one road. And by no means the worst in town. Oh and we're talking rural dorset here I used to live in london, this is a completely different world!!

pippin06

Fraise wrote: »

I don't know the area, but it looks nice and green which is always a selling point. I can't see pictures of the dining room? Maybe I missed them.

I'm wondering if the viewers you've had have only looked at the pictures? It's just that looking at the measurements of the bedrooms they are very small. Two of them are singles, and the main bedroom just scrapes into a double.

The trouble with most new builds is that space is compromised, and whilst the house itself is fine, I personally think it looks very small for a family home. You can't change the size of it, I understand that, but I'd be inclined to declutter even more to give it a sense of more space.

I think you're looking at the wrong house.

vivatifosi

pippin06 wrote: »

That's an interesting comment. I park my people carrier comfortably in front of the bins, in fact I just drove it off the drive for that photo so the bins were in the same place. The drive goes beyond the length of the house so 1 behind the other fits 2-3 cars. That's where we keep the bins can't think of anywhere else to put them during viewings.

Would that stop someone viewing/buying the house?

By itself no. It's just lots of little things that could help but hopefully not cost much to change.

Old_Git

nothing wrong with the decor .You need curb appeal ,a few pot .
Bedrooms look small .You said you have two wardrobes in the main bedroom ,could you make do with one until you sell .
You need something in the bay window.
The layout is like my last house .I lived in it for 16 years

Fraise

I still can't see this dining room ? Please can someone tell me which picture it's on?

Or are you meaning the dining table in the kitchen ? Is that the dining room ?

I looked at the sizes of the rooms again, and the bedrooms are tiny. They're singles, and that's possibly why people are put off. Why do developers build such tiny houses these days? It's like they're squeezing them in with a tin opener....it's very claustrophobic.

Fraise

pippin06 wrote: »

I think you're looking at the wrong house.

Aaaaah that explains it! Someone put a link up to it a page or so back, and they probably put the wrong one on by mistake. Can you post the link again please?

pippin06

Old_Git wrote: »

nothing wrong with the decor .You need curb appeal ,a few pot .
Bedrooms look small .You said you have two wardrobes in the main bedroom ,could you make do with one until you sell .
You need something in the bay window.
The layout is like my last house .I lived in it for 16 years

I said about the wardrobes because it shows how much more storage space there is in there that you can't see in the picture. It's not a bad main room for a 3 bed semi.

pippin06

Fraise wrote: »

Aaaaah that explains it! Someone put a link up to it a page or so back, and they probably put the wrong one on by mistake. Can you post the link again please?

As above. Someone put another example on so hopefully that's what you're looking at. Although the kitchen and dining area are separated by an arch

lessonlearned

OK - here is a professional's point of view. 30 years selling properties, over 20 selling new builds and dressing show houses.

First of all over 20 viewings and no offers is a cause for concern. You must chase your EA for some proper feedback. Sorry but a "it's not what we are looking for" or "it's not for us" is not feedback.

The viewers were interested enough to visit your property so is putting them off and you need to know so that you can address the issues.

The big problem with a 12 year old property is that you will be competing with new builds.

Here's my take.

I think your house is very attractive, light and airy, the layout is good and flows nicely.

It just needs a few tweaks to bring it up to date so that you can compete with new builds.

Replacing the windows was a smart move.

The issue of wooden verses upvc is purely down to personal taste. UPVC are entirely in keeping with the style and age of your property. It is not a period building and it is not a "premium" build.

Sorry not being rude here - I'm just using technical language. Your house is a very nice mid-range property.

There is no mention of the boiler. Is it original or have you upgraded it. A 12 year old boiler is borderline.

Now let's get down to the aesthetics and how you can make your property more appealing.

What is your budget. How far are you prepared to go.

Discounting the boiler, if you have around £1k you can bring your property bang up to date to compete with new builds.

If your budget is more modest - say £200 there is still a great deal you can do.

1. The outside.
The front garden is bleak and lacks kerb appeal. A rectangular planter under the window and a tub by the door would work wonders.

The rear garden is dire - it looks completely unloved and unused. You need shrubs for structure and some seasonal colour.

Budget for garden £50. Shop at Aldi's, Wilkinsons, markets. Avoid expensive garden centres.

2. The Inside

Concentrate your efforts on the bathroom, kitchen, master bedroom, lounge and dining room.

The children's bedrooms are fine, just try and weed out a bit of the clutter (difficult with kids I know). Play the rotating toy box game - putting some of their toys away for now.

OK now the revamp.

I've given two options for the bathroom and kitchen. Option 1 is more expensive, Option 2 is the quick - very little money fix.

Bathroom

Option 1 - replace tiles, paint pine bath panel white, paint or replace bathroom cabinet, replace light pull, a new blind to add colour, a couple of plants on windowcill, towels and posh toiletries. Hide the scales.

Option 2 - As above but leave tiles as they are.

Kitchen

Which ever option you go for before you do anything else take the microwave down off the wall and put it in the right hand corner on the worktop. A microwave placed on a wall is a red flag, it screams "not enough space"

The units are good, a nice timeless classic style - they are fine as they are.

Option 1 - replace tiles. A cheaper alternative would be either one of those brightly coloured perspex splash backs, or some shaker style wall panelling to match your units. Replace worktops. A new blind, some nice accessories, herbs on the windowsill.

Option 2 - keep tiles and worktop. Just concentrate on some brightly coloured accessories as described above.

Master Bedroom

The drawer unit to the right hand side is too big, it makes the space look cramped. Replace it and the bookcase to the left with matching bedside cabinets.

Buy a couple of cushions for the bed and a throw, buy some new bedside lights, the ones you have are too small and too cheap. Add a couple of bits and bobs, a couple of well chosen accessories will work wonders.

Lounge

Your lounge looks sparse and empty. It needs furniture, a rug, a coffee table, plants, pictures and ornaments. As it is your TV unit dominates the room - it makes the room look a lad's pad not a family home. The unit to the side of the fireplace is also too large - the scale is wrong for the room.

The Dining Room - place the dining table in the centre of the room and not to the side. It will look better. Add a vase of flowers.

In general your house has been decluttered too far. Neutral walls etc are good but you now need to add some colour and life.

You need art on the walls, flowers, plants and a few well chosen ornaments throughout.

If you can afford it - replace the centre lights in the dining room and lounge - they are a bit "old lady trying to be modern"

If money is tight just go for those large round paper balls - only a couple of pounds each.

Your curtains are not really helping, they are a bit "cheap" looking and very old fashioned. If you cannot afford to replace them try not opening them so far back and "arranging" them into nice folds.

I can't comment on the price because I don't know the area, however my thoughts are you are asking nearly £220K - that's a lot of money in anyone's books. Nearly £1/4m.

It needs to look worth that price tag.

Try not to think in terms of "selling your home" - you are now trying to sell a product, hopefully a stylish one.

You need to remember that you are selling an aspirational lifestyle so you need to up your game and add a bit of style and class to your product so that it stands head and shoulders above the competition.

Good luck.