Help with selling a bungalow - advice needed

Sunnyday65

Hi All,

My mother-in-law is selling her bungalow and moving to be closer to family.

Her bungalow has been up for sale for a few months and she's only had 1 viewing despite dropping the price etc.        I can see from other posts that if I post a link to it on here then some posters may have some advice for us as to what to change in the listing or anything etc.

I can't post a link as I'm a new user but if you go on rightmove and search for YO16 7HU it's the one that is currently up for £260,000

I really appreciate any help.

Thanks

Steve

youth_leader

It must be location or price, I'm 66 and in a bungalow, I'll have a look for you. 

moneysaver1978

Sunnyday65 said:

Hi All,

My mother-in-law is selling her bungalow and moving to be closer to family.

Her bungalow has been up for sale for a few months and she's only had 1 viewing despite dropping the price etc.        I can see from other posts that if I post a link to it on here then some posters may have some advice for us as to what to change in the listing or anything etc.

I can't post a link as I'm a new user but if you go on rightmove and search for YO16 7HU it's the one that is currently up for £260,000

I really appreciate any help.

Thanks

Steve

This one? https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131668334#/?channel=RES_BUY

The property looks great and other than EPC rating, I cannot see anything wrong with the listing. I don't know the area but I see a lot of bungalows for a lot less - what did your estate agent say? How did they come to the figure of £260K when others within half a mile are on the market for £210-220K.

Sunnyday65

Hi youth_leader, thanks it would be great if you could have a look.

Hi moneysaver1978, yes, that's the one, thanks for putting up a link.

The figure seems to be about right for the estate. The estate was built in around 2000 and is quite nice - the next door bungalow has been put up for sale for around £270,000 and sold practically straight away.      My MIL's bungalow was originally put up for £300,000 and then brought down but still no viewings.  

youth_leader

Very well presented, great you have the essential floor plan and EPC. 

Kitchen is dated but I assume it is wood, not MDF.  People seem to be painting these in modern colours/having them sprayed nowadays to 'upcycle', but someone might 'deduct' this cost in their mind and want to negotiate. Most vendors will not negotiate on cosmetic work.

 I've had a google for sold prices and see a 3 bed detached with a fantastic garden up the road went in May 2022 for £267K - the market was very different then.   House Prices in YO16 7HU (rightmove.co.uk)

Can you do anything about the EPC being D?  With energy costs this will definitely be a consideration for most.  What changes were recommended to improve to C/B? My vendor didn't have her EPC done when I viewed here, and I hadn't realised halogen spotlights were to be phased out.  I had to have all 17 of the spotlight transformers changed to take LEDs, I was also upset the smoke alarm/heat detector were out of date.  A thousand quid before I'd even unpacked.

I had to settle for a lot less when I sold my family home, it was very hard and caused me great anxiety and sleepless nights.  My husband had died and I couldn't afford the maintenance/running costs of the house and as a listed grade II, it's a criminal offence to allow it to fall into disrepair.  

 I do think the lack of viewings will be due to the price and EPC rating.

It would be good if your MIL could work out the minimum she could accept to allow her the freedom and happiness of moving near to family.  

Sunnyday65

Thanks for the reply youth_leader.    We didn't consider the EPC so we'll have a look at that.     Sorry to hear about the problems selling yours, it is very stressful doing things like this.   

RelievedSheff

That looks like a nice property for someone but the price is probably still a bit keen for the current market conditions.

You could stand firm for another few months. It might catch someone's attention.

If you are after a quicker sale though it does look as though a further price reduction may be in order.

UnderOffer

Lovely looking property and nicely presented, so seems odd only 1 viewing so must be price. 

I’m not a fan of “offers over” listings but wondering if this might help you get viewings if you drop to £250k offers in excess off? This will ensure that anyone who uses the maximum price search tool on Rightmove and puts £250k max will see your listing, they then may like the property enough to stretch a bit more and meet nearer your wanted value. Whereas at the moment it falls outside that max price and your listing is then omitted. 

CSI_Yorkshire

Sunnyday65 said:

Thanks for the reply youth_leader.    We didn't consider the EPC so we'll have a look at that.     Sorry to hear about the problems selling yours, it is very stressful doing things like this.   

EPC is pretty poor - quick glance says:

Electric room heaters
Less than half low-energy lighting
No wall insulation
Poor hot water cylinder insulation
Old non-condensing boiler
No TRVs

To some people that will mean "we need to spend thousands or bills will be massive".

EPC was done in 2014 though - has nothing been updated since then?

Sunnyday65

UnderOffer said:

Lovely looking property and nicely presented, so seems odd only 1 viewing so must be price. 

I’m not a fan of “offers over” listings but wondering if this might help you get viewings if you drop to £250k offers in excess off? This will ensure that anyone who uses the maximum price search tool on Rightmove and puts £250k max will see your listing, they then may like the property enough to stretch a bit more and meet nearer your wanted value. Whereas at the moment it falls outside that max price and your listing is then omitted. 

Thanks for that.   We've not thought of that before so we'll put it to the MIL.

LHW99

Hot water cylinder insulation and low energy (LED) bulbs are quick and easy to do yourself, and may improve the EPC a bit. Thermostatic radiator valves could also be fitted, fairly easily by a qualified person - but if there are radiators + boiler, what are the electric room heaters for?