Selling home, no viewings

AdrianC

BrOz wrote: »

I was not that impressed with the EA knowledge of ... the home they were trying to sell eg: I asked when it was last rewired, was told 'don't know but if you look at the light switches they look ok' ... Hmmm, asked a bit more they said they would ring me back when they knew

I think you're being a bit optimistic about the EA role here.
Unless the vendor has explicitly volunteered that information (does the vendor even know?), that's as good an answer as you're going to get - except I'd have pointed you at the CU, not just a lightswitch...

...they never rang me back or asked for my feedback on the property.

That's poor, but maybe they picked up you didn't want the place?

Crashy_Time

AdrianC wrote: »

That URL is just a search that returns 18 properties.

This one was added on 23/12 - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-87730385.html
This one was added on 26/12 - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-87783131.html
Since it's entirely possible that there could be a delay before it goes live, can you confirm which is yours?

Assuming the 23/12 one... The photos are doing you no favours at all, for a start. OIEO is always a bit of a turn-off, it simply says "I'm really hoping..." - and being listed with a cheap online agent turns a lot of people off, too - they're usually awful to deal with.

The external photos, such as they are, make the place look like some kind of pre-fab hangover from the post-war period. I'm sure it isn't...

To find comparables, you're looking a bit wider.
Just going a couple of miles away, though, finds...
£5k more - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77122454.html or https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80900360.html
£5k more but gets you an extra bedroom - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-79237556.html

I'm sure there must be a wrinkle of location to explain this pair...
£15k less - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-87295376.html
£30k less - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83529554.html

But just look at a few of those, and then look dispassionately at your listing - honestly, which would you be calling when the EA's back at work after NY?

The 30k less one looks OK, don`t know the area though, and the asking price has been dropped 10k since September.

Crashy_Time

lincroft1710 wrote: »

I'm sorry but I'm going to have be a bit brutal!

There are 4 things about a property you cannot easily change, its appearance, its outside space, its layout and its surroundings. It is not an attractive house, the outside space is tiny and not inviting, the layout is not great - tiny kitchen and downstairs bedroom and finally all the surrounding houses are unattractive.

Also the bathroom decor is not to everyone's taste.

But the photos are not the best and if the 1st photo is an internal shot, you know the outside won't be great. Also a photo is needed of the other side of the house unless it is really hideous

Juggling photos may just extend the frustration of not getting a sale, the price drop lever is your most powerful and accessible tool for the job in most cases of lack of interest IMO.

ethank

Hi,

So this is a very difficult time of year to sell. However I imagine this is a lot to do with price as well.
You have two 3-beds houses within a few streets distance that on for less money than you, and have been on the market since Aug/Sept. This should give you the indication that it is price.

I read all of the work that you've done to the property? Are you expecting that work to give you a premium value? Because generally it won't, it will just open your market to more buyers and make your house more saleable - a buyer will appreciate the decor, but they won't pay a premium for it.

People do not look at houses over Christmas. I love the decor and it is really clean, but I would challenge you to walk in the front door and try to look as a new person if there are any little jobs which would make it look better. I've tried to do so below, don't want to cause offence - but you don't want to give anyone a reason to skip past your advert.

1st pic is an interior shot. Don't know what time of day it was - but when people have all the lights on - I generally skip past as my belief is that it will be a dark property.

Kitchen shot - Do the storage boxes on top of the units actually add anything - it makes it look like you have no where to store them.

Picture 3 - Who wants to see the front door? Why would they have taken the hallway from this angle. If the picture is staying then look at the the paintwork around the front door - and the pipework - could that be touched up. It may seem a tiny thing but it gives the impression that this is a project they are taking on.

Picture 4 - Do the guitars really need to be there right now. Try to give the impression of space. You need to make it look like a showhome.

Picture 5 - This looks good but would complement the colour with some nice towels. Could you put a larger mirror on the wall where the plants are now.

Picture 6 - Do the ladders need to be right outside the window - gives impression of no where to store them.

Picture 7 - I'm normally an advocate of less is more - but this room needs a little more to make it look pretty. Can you move some of the plants in here - and also add some other accessories - some nice handwash dispensers and towels?

Picture 8 - probably the most brutal. It is the worst time of year for weather, but this whole area needs a jet wash. Take the bins, hose and everything out of the picture. I think that it would probably be better taken from the other side of the current for sale board - and so you get the garden and beautiful olive tree in shot as well.

Picture 9 - Are the potted plants adding anything? A couple look dead.

Picture 10 - This area again needs a jetwash - I know it is the worst time of year for the weather but it looks dirty and will give people the wrong impression.

Picture 11 - Shed looks like the corners are eroding, but it could be a lick of paint? Are you planning to leave it? It would put me off, because it feels like another job to do.

You are trying to sell. Your husband needs to remove his boxing frame and spin bike. It makes your house look like you have no storage. I know its easy and we say the buyer won't mind or I can't be bothered, but these things are a turn off. Don't give any buyer a reason to skip on to the next one.

Tried to be honest rather than brutal here. Hope things start moving for you.

Carrot007

Lose the offers in excess of and tell people what you want.


While I have offered on such properties it is a penny over with a request asking what is expected, though I still expect to be messed around with the wording, it just sugests to just want as much money as possible, which is fine but it also sounds buyer unfriendly.


(although I believe it is common in some areas so ignore if you are one of them).
(and yes I expect it as standard on properties over a million (well ones not in london etc)).

Mickygg

Yes you are jumping the gun a bit, however I too would be disappointed not to get a viewing in that time. I have accepted offers on 2 houses over the Xmas holidays.

The property looks nice, new, my big drawback would be the lack of garden. I defo wouldn’t reduce price yet, as people can see desperation at such an early price decrease.

Crashy_Time

Mickygg wrote: »

Yes you are jumping the gun a bit, however I too would be disappointed not to get a viewing in that time. I have accepted offers on 2 houses over the Xmas holidays.

The property looks nice, new, my big drawback would be the lack of garden. I defo wouldn’t reduce price yet, as people can see desperation at such an early price decrease.

When would you reduce the price?

markin

I was also thinking 150, The plus being that its just a 5min walk from the coast, that to some may make it worth 165.


The living/diner just about works, I can't imagine what the layout would be if it was originally a 2bed, possibly the kitchen?

-Cheryl-

My freind put her home up for sale last year with Purple Bricks but didn't get ANY views and then decided to go to another agent where she got LOTS of views. To me Purple Bricks is only internet based not internet and going into the agent for more info based like others.

My opinion is ur home looks very small. I also belive it's a 2 bedroom not 3 as u have made the ground floor at the back a bedroom. Sorry but ur home looks boring
Need to clean it up abit and less pics so it makes the views to be more interested to see what they are missing... then they ask to view.
Please don't take afence to what I said...just trying to help x

Worked with my mates home so...?

warby68

You put it up for sale on the day the country closed down, more or less, for 2 weeks. Start counting from today (6th).

Your home has no obvious USP other than its proximity to the sea so you need to attract viewers with its price and presentation. Without knowing the area its hard to say on price yet but gut says a bit too much looking at comparables and ditch offers over, just a straight selling price. Presentation wise, the outside is terribly dingy. Get to work with a jet wash, paint brush and remove dead plants, bins etc for photos.

Inside, whilst I don't think faffing with photos forever is a magic fix, you have missed a trick or two. The rooms look small, so move stuff around, even if just for photos to create space, especially husband's big bits of kit.

I do actually think it might have always been a third bedroom, given the built in storage. However its nonetheless a 'disproportionate' house which does put me off, and may do others, although OP seems to know who buys them. What is parking like btw?

I agree it has a prefab look as well - is it all standard construction?

Unfortunately OP you put it up for sale on a very bad day, with arguably the wrong agent for slow moving houses, with an unattractive pricing strategy and poor photos and forgot to tart the outside up to match the inside. That is harsh and all my opinion of course but if nearby properties are struggling to sell and dropping prices you might need to be more proactive on all these aspects.

Leave the price for a few weeks but without offers over to test it properly but work on presentation immediately, especially outside.

Purplebricks says either easy house to sell or cheapskate so review this if you get no quick bites.