FTB - first house viewing. help?

MattinLondon

Hi,
We're looking at a house tonight - things are selling quick and over asking price so haven't been able to see any yet. However, it seems like it's been on the market for a while... when other houses are selling for £20k-£40k over asking price, why would this still be available? Any ideas?

Can't post a link, but it's Leader Avenue on Zoopla - offers around £245k.

Suspicious that there's something wrong with it!

justcat

Here's the house: http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/28280645?search_identifier=f8730a478a457dd42bd898e3ac8e0727

I would say that the kitchen is extremely small and the one reception room rather large. What is your intent with this purchase? Did you want to refurbish it? If so, I would definitely look into knocking through the kitchen into the reception room and putting up another wall so you have a lounge and the kitchen/diner. Then you can get a decent kitchen put in.

The bathroom also looks like it needs redecorating.

As far as why it is so cheap, they say it is priced "realistically" so I think they are looking for a quick sale. you should ask the EA when they show you around. Also, there are only 4 pictures. Some people won't even look at a house with so few. It also begs the question as to why there are only 4 pictures. Maybe the bedrooms are rubbish and need a lot of work. Remember that they always try to put a house in the best light so I think that a room would have to be really bad for them to not get a picture of it - EA's know that more pictures means more viewings.

Some tips for when you look around -

Look for storage. It may seem obvious but sometimes the house can make you forget that there is nowhere to put anything.
Check for any home DIY - look at skirting boards, whether the walls are painted or papered.
Find out why they are moving. What do they want that they don't have in this house.

I can't think of any
more but if someone told me these things when I was looking for my first house it would have helped a lot!

Good luck!

harrys_dad

Seems a bit desperate to try to sell a house by referring to a song from 1965 (but I am old enough to remember it). I would second the idea of checking the bedrooms, very odd not to have any pictures.

MattinLondon

It looks in much better condition than a lot of the others that we've seen online (and bigger). Guess we'll have a good look around tonight and see what it's like!

We would be looking to update after moving in. Modernising a little and opening up the kitchen area to make a better kitchen diner space. Just need something half decent to start off with!

cattie

Apart from the fact that it's odd not to have pics of the bedrooms & garden, I can't see much wrong with the house, other than it needs tarting up a bit & a new kitchen installed & possibly bathroom, though you could possibly get away with just retiling & putting in new handbasin.

There is always something you need to do to a house, unless it's been recently fully refurbished, or is a newish property.

It's a popular location & with the fast rising property market in London, usual to see anything listed under £250k & this does have the benefit of an upstairs bathroom.

All you can do is go & have a look at it & if you want to make an offer on it, get a survey booked in to ensure there are no major issues. There will be some issues, as there always are with older properties, but they could be quite minor.

MattinLondon

So, spent a good hour travelling to see the house and the vender didn't turn up. EA agent couldn't get a hold of them! maybe that's why the house hasn't sold...

At least it made us realise that a 25 minute walk from the tube line would be a little too much each day (especially when I'd have a 15 minute walk the other end and an hour long journey..)