Any advice? I cannot sell my house!!

lessonlearned

House is fine, and a great price.

The decor is a bit dated but nothing that's not fixable.

However heres the turn off for me.

All that vegetation. Confiers, whether they are trees or hedges are a nightmare and it looks as if both the hedges and the trees are out of control.

Who owns them.

If they are in your land and I was buying your house my first job would be to get rid of the lot. If they belonged to your neighbours I wouldn't buy your property, I simply walk away.

Conifers are the thugs of the plant world! Ok if you have a huge plot but not suitable for your average surburban garden

OnLy last wek I had to pass on a lovely house, perfect in every way except the neighbours hedge was getting out of hand. Within a couple of years it would be blocking most of the light and I would have ended up with a dark gloomy house.

I think that is the main issue with your property.

Other than that your house is fine and at the price you are asking, some £15k less than your neighbour, then that leaves plenty of money in the budget for restoration and refurbishment.

googler

Your pictures are terrible. With a capital 'T'.

Do you REALLY think it's appealling to show some plumbing where a washing machine should be?

Or the back of someone's head?

They're drab, flat, and have no 'zing' to them.

phoebe1989seb

Agree that lack of floorplan and really awful, dark pics are not helping.

Also - whilst I can see why you would want to list brand names and stuff such as *chrome sockets and switches* as an indication of finish quality - there is just too much information imho

The blurb just seems to go on.....and on.....and on!

Last year we sold our house that had been subject to a (relatively) high-end refurb with lots of V&B, Hans Grohe & Fired Earth products and whilst it was tempting we refrained from describing every product used as it just seemed unnecessary as the pics - good ones taken by a professional employed by our EA - spoke for themselves

For me though, the main issue were I looking for that style/size house in your location, would be those dreaded solar panels. Admittedly I think they are far less of an issue aesthetically on a modern house such as yours, but when looking for (period) properties to buy we always rule out the ones with solar panels. I wouldn't buy *any* house with them personally though, but that's just me.....

lessonlearned

I agree the pics are poor but they do not seem to be putting off potential viewers. It's not as if you are not getting any viewings.

You had 15 viewings so far and no offers. Something else is at work here. You really need some feedback. For me it's the overgrown hedges and trees making your house very gloomy.

Tbh given the house is a newish build on a surburban estate, then given its age, the inside is pretty much what I would expect to find. A bit tired and a little dated but I think the price reflects this. I know the area and I think the pricing is about right.

If it was refurbished to a high standard then you could add at least another £20k.

As for the solar panels, is there any advantage for the purchaser. Sorry I know very little about the financial schemes and how they work. Do they put the purchaser at a disadvantage in any way.

While I agree they might not be appropriate on a lists building I really don't think panels look out of place on a modern house. aesthetically I don't have a problem with them. Obviously they look better when not on the front elevation but then you have to site them where they will work best, so a side or real elevation isn't always going to be appropriate.

I think you need to either be print at viewings or insist that the EA gives you proper feedback.

When I viewed the house last week that I dcidc against because of the neighbours overge own hedges, I did explain mybreason to the EA. He tried to tell to just make a lower offer. He didn't seem to undrerstand why found the overgrown hedges unacceptable, so I doubt that he would have told the Vendor that they were a problem.

You need to find out whqt is putting people off.

nubbins

Is your house next to that alleyway? If it is that might be the cause. It would not put me off that much but if there were two identical houses in your street and the other was not on that alleyway I would choose the other. Some people may think the salt box is an ideal seat for kids to hang about. Maybe nothing to do with it but its the only potential problem I can see.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.15497,-1.175997,3a,75y,82.49h,86.75t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1suQczxIeVlHVBL2b-yOa2Ng!2e0

I_have_spoken

Is your house next to that alleyway?

Oh dear, that corner does look quite 'tatty', with the painted concrete fence and weeds facing you every time you open the front door. The salt box seems to be a recent-ish arrival and doesn't help.

At least that path is going to an estate of similar quality but it maybe the route to schools/shops for the kids.

The shrubbery has got OTT too...



Depending on when the pic was taken, OPs house seems to surrounded on all sides by rather too large trees.

Is there any access to back without going through the house/garage - it looks rather squeezed onto that end-plot.

ash28

A couple of thoughts.....house is nice. One or two things would put me off....the tree/shrubs/hedging makes the front look dark....is the back the same? There are no proper pictures of the front or back gardens......it seems a bit oppressive from the outside due to the trees etc.

CCTV? That would put me off.....to me it shouts trouble, whether you actually have any trouble or not is irrelevnnt.....it wouldn't instill me with confidence.

Something is definitely putting viewers off once they have seen the house, with 15 to 20 viewings it certainly isn't the pics or blurb....people want to see it.

bagpussbear

I really like your house, I think your kitchen is fab :-)

But I wouldn't buy your house for 2 reasons:

Firstly, the alleyway next to you. I would worry about teenagers hanging around, noise of people using it late at night, dog walkers that might not give damn if their dog messes in your front garden (as there's no driveway gate).

Secondly, the position of your house looks like its the safest bit for kids to play out. My childminders house was almost identical to the layout you have, and in the summer it had so many kids playing right outside her house, bikes and toys left out etc. Some people aren't bothered by that, but many are.

I'm not suggesting that you have a problem with any of the things I've mentioned. But as somebody viewing your house that might not know your street, those two things would possibly concern them.

Obviously, you can't change the position of the house, so maybe you need to state to viewers about how quiet a road it is?

Sorry OP, really just being honest, and it's just my opinion :-)

amandacat

I really like your house, if it was selling in my area in the south west you would be looking at a sale in a couple of weeks at c200k!

Shows a massive difference in demand in areas (and price)

Sorry I know that isn't particularly helpful but if your house was in my area, I would be definitely interested.

BobQ

I agree with bugpussbear. Your front and rear gardens look dark and gloomy due to all those bushes on three sides. I cannot tell if they are all in your property but I would get them cut down where I could to form neat boundaries. A neat hedge tells people that they have regular work to do to keep it tidy, all the bushes suggest a major project.

The bushes may be seen as providing so protection from intruders but it can also be a place to lurk. Add the CCTV and it might be seen as a security issue. Also bushes on that scale can attract dogs and cats, foxes.

You may like the bushes but many people prefer walls and fences in their busy lives.

How about visiting the people who bought the other house and ask them what they think? Did they view your house?