Overlooked house - will we sell?!

lincroft1710

pinkteapot said:

It’s definitely an issue with new builds as they’re allowed to cram so many in these days. For example, here’s one near me (get to pic 17): 

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123365051#/?channel=RES_BUY

. 

What a depressing, soulless, clinical interior! The garden isn't much better.

housebuyer143

lincroft1710 said:

pinkteapot said:

It’s definitely an issue with new builds as they’re allowed to cram so many in these days. For example, here’s one near me (get to pic 17): 

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123365051#/?channel=RES_BUY

. 

What a depressing, soulless, clinical interior! The garden isn't much better.

In case you couldn't be seen enough, even the fence is see through 🤣

HRH_MUngo

lincroft1710 said:

pinkteapot said:

It’s definitely an issue with new builds as they’re allowed to cram so many in these days. For example, here’s one near me (get to pic 17): 

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123365051#/?channel=RES_BUY

. 

What a depressing, soulless, clinical interior! The garden isn't much better.

There is no way I would even view that house.  Not due to the interior, it's bland but it can be made less bland, but no way would I want a row of houses like that looking into my garden.

Having said that, someone I know bought a one million Euro house in Marbella and there was a five-story block of flats overlooking the back garden, including the pool.  I wouldn't have viewed that either (even if I had the money).

My 1930s bungalow has bungalows at each side and at the back and high hedges, so the only place it is overlooked is from the bungalow across the road at the front.  Even the terrace house I had before that wasn't as overlooked as the one in the link (or the one in Marbella).

Having said that, it won't put everyone off.  I would say the reason the OP's house has had no viewings is that the price is too high.

diystarter7

OP, you can sell any property at the right price.

Before we had a drive, I thought noting about parking the car on the road but since we've had a drive I would not buy another house without one.

You may get a buyer that is living in a rubbish area, awful next door, or want to be closer to family/school, love the house or just could not careless re overlooked - but as you know it slightly limits the market I would not buy it. 

However, everything sells at the right price.

Bendy_House

Karenmrks said:

Bendy_House said:

Is your house part of a new estate? Do other houses on there have a similar issue?
I 'suspect' there are other reasons why you haven't had viewings, as surely folk wouldn't know 'how' overlooked it is 'before' viewing?
On that point, just how bad is it, and could a screening tree be planted? (You wouldn't necessarily have to do this yourself, but if it 'can' be done, then it's something that can be pointed out to potential buyers.

The house is on a new estate, been around for 2 years and still building. As far as I can see we are the only ones that have houses that close overlooking our garden, and that being 2 3 storey houses. The other houses on the estate don't seem that bad. Its because it is 3 storey houses that make it worse I think. We have planted lots of shrubs which have grown quite tall and also an olive tree so far. The estate agent put photos on where you can see we are clearly overlooked. I do think it is good to include this so people aren't shocked when they see it. 

How tall would a tree have to grow to give a sense of privacy? (I say 'sense', because it's rarely necessary to fully shield off other houses, just provide a dappled 'blurring').

Relatively few gardens are fully private in that sense, and it's usually enough to just not have a fully exposed window bearing down on you. A lightly-foliaged tree or shrub can do this. If that can be done in your garden, then it's something that the EA should be primed to drop into the conversation as they show folk around, in the sense that 'if' it bothers some folk, then there IS a solution.

trakky14

We had a new build that had 2 houses behind it that looked into our garden. We were in a popular area of the town and had no problems selling it, it was priced fairly and sold in a week to a young couple much like we were. I would suggest it's the price. 

Slinky

Somebody I knew took 10 years trying on and off to sell their house on a site where the developer was still building new houses. Unless you are prepared to sell for less than what the equivaluent new build is up for, people will buy a new house not your second hand one. My friend only managed to sell once the majority of the new builds were no longer available, although their ambitious pricing was probably the reason for never managing to shift it previously, as other more realistic priced places did sell.

No interest in 3 weeks means the price is too high.  I'd drop the price and remove the photo showing the overlooking. Once you get some viewers through the door, somebody may be prepared to make the compromise. They may not even see it as the big issue that you do.

jonnydeppiwish!

JReacher1 said:

0 viewers in three weeks would worry me. Would assume it’s massively overpriced as otherwise would expect at least one. 

Don’t think the overlooked garden would be a problem if people don’t come and see the house. 

I’d agree with this post - 0 viewings in 3 weeks, albeit at a quiet time of year, indicates it’s overpriced.

pinkteapot

Skiddaw1 said:

pinkteapot said:

It’s definitely an issue with new builds as they’re allowed to cram so many in these days. For example, here’s one near me (get to pic 17): 

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123365051#/?channel=RES_BUY

To be honest, it would put me off and the house would need to be quite a bit cheaper than a similar house that’s more spaced out from its neighbours. 

Look critically at where you sit in the Rightmove list - why are people viewing other things for sale at the same price before yours?

Depending on the market in your area, a new build may not be worth what you paid for it if you’re selling within just two years. In some parts of the country the market has shot up in recent years so sellers of recent new builds would be ok, but not everywhere. 

Agree EA should include the garden pic, otherwise you’ll waste your time having people view and immediately be put off. 

Mind you, to be fair, Story homes are very well built. We live in one (on a small estate in a village) and whilst there's houses to either side there's plenty of space and the gardens are a decent size. I love our house and I never thought I'd fall for a new build (or nearly- we're only the second occupants). They seem to sell on easily too (or at least around Penrith).

Re the OP, to have no viewings at all in the space of 3 weeks would suggest to me that there's another factor at play (most likely price I would imagine).

I didn't mean to pick on Story in particular - they do build solid houses, and actually they don't stock them as densely as Persimmon/Taylor Wimpey! Just an example of recent houses (last 10-20 years) being more overlooked than older ones. I've previously lived in 1980s-90s houses and they were more spaced out, so I'm just not used to being this close to neighbours and I notice it. Thing is, if you get buyers who have lived in recent houses then they probably wouldn't bat an eyelid. As this thread has shown, there are buyers out there who don't mind this.

As everyone's said, it all comes down to price. Anything will sell at the right price. OP's house would sell instantly if it was listed for £100. It's not attracting interest at the current price. The 'right' answer is somewhere in between. OP - I'd have a serious conversation with the EA about what's going on - are people just not viewing in your area, so do you need to wait, or are other houses selling in which case it's that your price is putting people off. 

buythedip

Being overlooked is only an issue at your current asking price.