Struggling to Sell - Hints and Tips

Owain_Moneysaver

I couldn't live with the en-suite tiles. Migraine-inducing.

Do you have unnaturally green grass, plastic grass, or have the external photos been manipulated?

All the rooms do look very overlooked. I suppose that's typical for new build.

I don't think also listing separately for the over 60s is useful. I don't see them being the target market.

The show-home decor is a bit frilly, but this one is brand new, looks more spacious and homely, and £35k cheaper. (And it says it's been reduced.)

For the agent to get the floorplan and location wrong is just unacceptable.

And the listing leaves me wondering why you want to leave, apparently so soon after moving in. Is the area not as convenient as first thought, are the neighbours chavvy, etc? The agent's guff actually highlights the absence of anything actually, factually, positive to say about the house or the area.

Ozzuk

I'm with the majority, the agent write up is terrible - it reads like you are buying a georgian mansion until you get to the pictures. They are trying too hard, people just want facts.

Sure, if there is some outstanding feature highlight it, but drop the narrative.

Aside from that, sales drop this time of year and will pick up again around Feb/Mar (in my experience), no point in lowering price now, IMO, drop it in Feb with a new sales drive.

ognum

Your house is clean and tidy, that is a plus, the thing I dislike intensely is that from every window you can see other properties and the house is grossly overlooked.

What a shame you didn’t choose to plant some trees to give some privacy. I would retake photos so you can see all the other houses!

Mutton_Geoff

Post deleted to avoid criticism :-)

davidmcn

fiisch wrote: »

The fact a lot of you have picked up on location is interesting - the map is wrong

Including the street view link (though it shows a lovely other option!). I see your road hasn't been covered by street view yet anyway.

Surrey_EA

fiisch wrote: »

I agree re.: description - our comments are an out and out lie, but I was assured that guff sells houses.

As an estate agent of over 20 years, I can assure you it doesn't. puts people off if anything.

ciderboy2009

- Description is awful
- The photo's are clearly photoshopped (badly) to make the rooms look larger etc (is your microwave really that wide? or your grass that green? It's also amazing how the same clouds are in pics 2, 11, 12 & 13). I'd be wondering what else they've photoshopped out.
- Price is too high.

fiisch

Davesnave wrote: »

It's painfully obvious that you're either not gardeners or too rushed off your feet to care about the barren garden.

Ouch.... I fancy myself as a budding gardener!! In my defence, pictures were taken in Autumn after I’d emptied planters and put garden furniture away for winter...! We do like our garden a lot - in fact, arguably it’s a strong feature as it’s big for a new build house of that size.

Grass is natural.

Re.: nearby 4 bed at £390 - no garage, fully semi-detached (not one floor), and over three floors, but I take the point.

The area is not as nice as envisaged - too many people given houses who don’t care. In general, the town doesn’t have a great reputation- we’re locating to other side of London (Buckinghamshire) in search of better schools, friendlier locals and better located for our families.

Thanks for the comments on price - in my gut I think around £400k Mark is about right, but I don’t want to invite offers of £360-380k, and I know at the moment people will look for a bargain (as indeed our we).

Will be interesting to see what the developer suggests as a list price - if it’s unacceptably low to achieve a quick sale, as someone said February sounds sensible to drop another £25k.

AdrianC

Your location map problem is easy to diagnose...

Look at the downloadable PDF on the agent's site. The postcode they give on there comes up on Google maps as being the location they show. That postcode corresponds to the address on RM's postcode finder, so the problem lies in Google incorrectly mapping it. Since RM simply bases the map automatically on the postcode, that's why your map is wrong. Having said that, if you click the link to view similar properties, a different postcode comes up - which is also where the map goes to...

New-build properties have what many think is an unfair advantage, in that they're eligible for various purchase incentives that simply aren't there on "pre-owned". Add in the loss of the "new-new-shiny-bling" factor, and the ability to spec the extras, stir gently with "Why are they selling so quickly", and you have to accept a short-term price hit.

The details might put me off selling through that agent myself, but they aren't actively off-putting when it comes to the property itself.


So... PRICE!


Let's look at what your putative buyers are also going to be looking at...

Within half a mile of your actual postcode...
Why is your house worth £35k more than this new-build?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68422681.html

Why is it worth £25k more than this detached?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55989774.html


Within one mile...
Why is it worth £10k more than this detached?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-56818710.html


Within three miles...
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67022053.html
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-76909184.html
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77102147.html
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68606077.html

Surrey_EA

Not that it will make the blindest bit of difference, and Adrian has already clearly identified the issue preventing you from selling, but according to the floor plan you have no front door!