We really can't afford the house we want/need will things get better for us or just forget it?

purplebutterfly

Constructive criticism regarding the photos - they don't do the house any favours and make it look like student accommodation.  If you want people to spend a lot of money (over asking) on your house, don't insult them by not even bothering to make it look nice in the photos.  I'm sorry but, as a buyer, I find it rude.
 

Photo 2: move all the baby stuff; put up a cheap curtain or blind; take down the poster on the wall; move the mustard chair into a position where it faces into the room (because it looks bizarre facing a wall); put a vase of bright flowers on the piano (can be cheap fake ones from Poundland); tidy the paperwork off the couch.  Then get them to take a better angle photo with the couch in it so you can see there is room for seating.

Photos 3 & 4: move the dog bed and cheap plastic tablecloth. Clear the Conitreau and tequila bottles from the wall and the printer off the cupboard.  Again, a nice bright bunch of flowers or bowl of fruit on the table will really help.  You will be amazed by how a pile of shiny apples and some oranges change the whole feel of a kitchen/dining room photo.  You even HAVE a fruit bowl next to the printer, so use it! 

Photo 5:  clear all the clutter!!!  Especially the stuff on top of the kitchen cupboards.  Clear off the draining board and make it look clean.  Shine up the kitchen counters and cupboards 

Photo 6:  again, clutter!  Move the things from under the bed and on top of the wardrobe.  Clear off the top of baby change station and get rid of that hair band on the bedside table.

Photo 7:  WHY is there an ugly old cardboard box on a chair  in one of the main focal points of the photo? 

Photo 8:  I can't even imagine why there is an electrical cable coming out of a cupboard and trailing across the floor.  Also - CLUTTER on the shelves, bath and windowsill and move the bathmat off the floor (nobody likes the thought of wet feet). 

Photo 9: make the toilet seat sit properly on the bowl. 

Photo 11:  wind up the hosepipe - there is a reel right next to it. 


We sold my grandad's house in 2019 and had to stage it from top to bottom.  New pictures on the walls, new bedding, curtains, cushions, lights, mirrors and we painted the garage and some interior walls. 
It cost about £100 to do the whole house (the mirrors were a lot more but we want them for our new house) buying things from FB marketplace and charity shops.  It completely changed the photos from an "old person house in need of modernisation" to a fresh family home, ready to move into.  We may not have increased the value massively but it got more people interested and an offer of full asking price after 3 days. 

In your case, you don't even need to do that (although some cheap curtains and mirrors would help a lot) you just need to tidy up.

mrsmortgage

@purplebutterfly thank you so much, I really appreciate it!  TBH at that moment in time I was still fighting with my husband about putting the house on the market, we only got those pics done because he didn't have a choice!

Anyanka1

Is that link the correct one, OP?  If it is, the kitchen is a complete no-no for anyone who does not like what I call "Size Zero" kitchens.  In other words, you are so thin because you never eat because you cannot fit into your kitchen to get any food.

If this link is not to your house, I apologise.

Expecting people to sit on chairs on the top of stairs is also, IMHO, impractical unless you want to risk injury.  In case you are wondering, no, I am not one of those morbidly obese people you see on Channel 5 or wherever; I just like being able to take a deep breath in my own kitchen without touching the walls.  I can actually open all the drawers and cupboard doors on both sides in mine and still walk between them without turning sideways.  That is what I require but I appreciate others may have different perspectives and that desirable locations come at a premium.  This is just a few compromises too far for me, FWIW.

mrsmortgage

Anyanka1 said:

Is that link the correct one, OP?  If it is, the kitchen is a complete no-no for anyone who does not like what I call "Size Zero" kitchens.  In other words, you are so thin because you never eat because you cannot fit into your kitchen to get any food.

If this link is not to your house, I apologise.

Expecting people to sit on chairs on the top of stairs is also, IMHO, impractical unless you want to risk injury.  In case you are wondering, no, I am not one of those morbidly obese people you see on Channel 5 or wherever; I just like being able to take a deep breath in my own kitchen without touching the walls.  I can actually open all the drawers and cupboard doors on both sides in mine and still walk between them without turning sideways.  That is what I require but I appreciate others may have different perspectives and that desirable locations come at a premium.  This is just a few compromises too far for me, FWIW.

The kitchen is what it is, and our biggest bug bear with the house. It's impossible for two people to be there/cook at the same time.  What do you mean by sit on chairs on top of stairs? 

purplebutterfly

Anyanka1 said:

Is that link the correct one, OP?  If it is, the kitchen is a complete no-no for anyone who does not like what I call "Size Zero" kitchens.  In other words, you are so thin because you never eat because you cannot fit into your kitchen to get any food.

OMG that kitchen is HUGE compared to my current one.  The only worktop space we have is a moveable butcher's block!  That kitchen would be a joy for me.

Also, I must point out that I am a hoarder AND incredibly untidy AND could not care less about the state of my home - they could probably do a Channel 5 documentary on me.  So when I talk about clearing clutter, I speak from the point of view of someone who has spent 18 months looking at house listings online as well as trying to sell a house that needed help. 

theoretica

mrsmortgage said:

Anyanka1 said:

Is that link the correct one, OP?  If it is, the kitchen is a complete no-no for anyone who does not like what I call "Size Zero" kitchens.  In other words, you are so thin because you never eat because you cannot fit into your kitchen to get any food.

If this link is not to your house, I apologise.

Expecting people to sit on chairs on the top of stairs is also, IMHO, impractical unless you want to risk injury.  In case you are wondering, no, I am not one of those morbidly obese people you see on Channel 5 or wherever; I just like being able to take a deep breath in my own kitchen without touching the walls.  I can actually open all the drawers and cupboard doors on both sides in mine and still walk between them without turning sideways.  That is what I require but I appreciate others may have different perspectives and that desirable locations come at a premium.  This is just a few compromises too far for me, FWIW.

The kitchen is what it is, and our biggest bug bear with the house. It's impossible for two people to be there/cook at the same time.  What do you mean by sit on chairs on top of stairs? 

The chairs outside, I think - just need rearrangement and maybe fewer in the picture.  Also take the radiator drying racks out of the pictures.

You have a lot of stuff it would be best not to have in the images (I sympathise...) which maybe means you want to think about taking the images yourselves so you can take longer and shuffle stuff around and not have everywhere picture perfect at once.

mrsmortgage

Thank you both! I do think that if we end up re-listing I'll take the photographs myself and stage the house properly. Fingers crossed I don't have to! 

Anyanka1

I mean those... decking-type steps?  I would not sit up there from what I can see in the pictures because it looks as if you could just fall down those steps at any time.  If the area at the top where the chairs are is actually bigger than it looks in the photos, that might be another picture to take to better convey what is on offer.  As it is, I would factor out drinking alcohol while sitting so precariously, were I ever to take such a risk in the first place.

getmore4less

Crashy_Time said:

JGB1955 said:

MaiTai said:

Care to share a link? 

I think it's 3 bedroom end of terrace house for sale in Richmond Hill, Truro, TR1 (rightmove.co.uk)

Not worth a quarter of a million IMO.

That's what that sort of place fetches around there.

did a sold table for 3 beds about a month ago

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78349534/#Comment_78349534


more cuurent
there are a few SSTC that are a bit cheaper but smaller 

220-270 3beds 1mile  for sale 5/13 SSTC

sold prices last 2 years 1mile


That is before the crash the day after tomorrow or is it the day after that  do let us know when its going to be.

RelievedSheff

If you genuinely have a £250k offer on that house I would be biting their hand off!!

It isn't exactly presented to sell and if you lose that buyer then you will have a lot of work to make it presentable for another agent to take pictures and sell it at it's best.