Unable to sell house

housebuyer143

As others have said, putting in new carpets probably won't get you anymore money. People will look past carpets if the price is right. Every house I go into I just look at the big jobs and things like carpets, painting etc don't even phase me. Taking them up though actually might make me think it's more of a doer upper funnily enough. 
I struggle to think all of your viewers need it to be staged, or have new carpets. I think it's likely that for the price point you have it at, viewers are not expecting to do as much as they feel it needs and it full extent isn't obvious until they see it.

Please don't put in hand towels and mats etc. The house is empty and it will be odd having these random things there. 

If you have to go carpet I would still say grey. Enough people have it that it's not out of fashion and it shows less dirt than white, is nicer than brown and basically goes with every colour. 

RAS

My earlier attempt to respond went AWOL and the re-write was supposed to Save rather than post.

Regardless of how some MSE members assess properties, lots of threads on MSE indicate the people respond to visuals and some leave their critical thinking skills at the door. Because your house is empty and neutral every last glitch sings out. All the stuff that normally deflates buyers when they move in is visible on the first visit.

Nothing you do will resolve a price issue but attention to detail will make the place more attractive. Basics like touching up the chips on the shelf in the bathroom?

The hall lets the house down and there'll be a big contrast with the new lobby. You need to sort out that radiator properly because the rusty corner is currently the highlight; scrape off the loose paint, wire wool, undercoat. Since the patch will look odd, sand down the whole thing and top coat the lot. 

The stair carpet is worn and looks grubby. Did you get all the carpets cleaned before you left? If not, book a rug doctor. And trim back the pulled thread on the lower step. 

One comment you made make me think. You cleared all the furniture because you thought it was easier to paint/re-decorate? So people are seeing pristine white walls in the photos? What are they seeing when they look round? A couple of folk have already suggested that given the number of bookings against nil offers that in some way the reality doesn't match up with the pictures. 

If you have a couple of good contacts still in the area, ask them to come round and critique your work. A fresh coat on underprepared walls, or irregular application can leave things looking streaky. We already know the white paint on the walls is highlighting the unpainted radiators, what about the window surrounds? 

Go up ready for a busy weekend. And start working out how to keep that lawn looking good from March onwards. Maybe arrange for someone to give it the once over every fortnight?
 

strawb_shortcake

We've recently started to look at moving, I don't think you'll get a consensus on colours. I really don't like grey and glad we are starting to see less and less of it in the houses we are looking at.
Brand new grey carpets are really off-putting for myself as I'd want to pull them up but realise that's really wasteful so leaves me in a bit of a predicament. 
We are however planning on replacing our stairs and hallway carpet only as it's the first thing they'll see when they come in and it should have been replaced years ago.

Also on the pet side, I'm probably being fussy but I get put off by seeing a cat flap in the door, not only would I want to replace the door but I don't want a house that smells of pets.

Bailey1980

RHemmings said:

I personally like to see a neat and tidy garden. I was actually put off one house because it had too fabulous designer-ish garden and there was no way my family and I would keep all that. A plain garden is good for me. But, from what I saw of yours there seems to be patchy grass and I'm not sure of that bit at the end. (Sorry). 

No need to apologise as everyone's honest objective comments are what is needed. 

Bailey1980

housebuyer143 said:

As others have said, putting in new carpets probably won't get you anymore money. People will look past carpets if the price is right. Every house I go into I just look at the big jobs and things like carpets, painting etc don't even phase me. Taking them up though actually might make me think it's more of a doer upper funnily enough. 
I struggle to think all of your viewers need it to be staged, or have new carpets. I think it's likely that for the price point you have it at, viewers are not expecting to do as much as they feel it needs and it full extent isn't obvious until they see it.

Please don't put in hand towels and mats etc. The house is empty and it will be odd having these random things there. 

If you have to go carpet I would still say grey. Enough people have it that it's not out of fashion and it shows less dirt than white, is nicer than brown and basically goes with every colour. 

It may not necessairly get us more money per se, but maybe would justify the price point and get it shifted sooner rather than later. 

our_des

I'm buying an ex rental, the rooms have been measured up by a carpet fitter to replace whats currently down as soon as we get the keys. Don't waste your money replacing what's already down or adding plants/towels (seems odd IMO in an empty house)

I found your listing from the images and my biggest concern isn't the house, its the outside view on streetview...do the neighbours always have that many grotty caravans outside? Could this be what's putting people off??

BobT36

Fully disagree with "staging" besides touching / patching up. Sorting radiator etc. is good as makes it look better, and one less job for buyers to do (and they won't wonder what else might be a problem..). 

A dabble of paint is fine to patch up any tatty bits (fill & patch up holes might help present better), but don't go "redecorating" or anything. 

Carpets, although I'd normally say not bothered, if 'a' problem is PET SMELL, then these are likely to be one of the culprits. Replace with cheap ones. Brown, grey or some sort of dark red (if walls are very white). 
This way they're cheap enough that it doesn't feel "wasteful" to replace, but at the same time better than bare floors for those who don't have much extra money to spend on/before move-in. They can make do for a while then replace with what they want later. 
Pet smell can put a lot of people off though. Really try and sort that, if you've had more than one comment. You probably won't notice yourself as it's just like smoking, you get used to it / treat it as "normal". 

Garden will probably be fine, just make sure it's not gone completely wild and gives an "oh god I'd have to spend x weeks / £y sorting this out" feeling. If so, tidy it up a bit, but don't go crazy with it. 


So again, rectify existing problems, tidy / patch up, then focus on the price. Don't bother about "improvements" or "staging" stuff, silly bath mats etc. The usual issue for me when the price is high and I get there and the reality doesn't match up, is simply "this isn't worth the price", or "I'd have to spend £x to get it to a point where it would be". 

You need to present the house AS IT IS, but AT IT'S BEST, for a FAIR PRICE (reflecting current environment). If there were just minor niggles, you'd have got lots of offers and attempts at negotiation already. If NO offers then it's either a waiting game or you're tens of thousands off what people feel it's "worth" compare to what they "could/should" get for that money elsewhere.

Bailey1980

RAS said:

My earlier attempt to respond went AWOL and the re-write was supposed to Save rather than post.

Regardless of how some MSE members assess properties, lots of threads on MSE indicate the people respond to visuals and some leave their critical thinking skills at the door. Because your house is empty and neutral every last glitch sings out. All the stuff that normally deflates buyers when they move in is visible on the first visit.

Nothing you do will resolve a price issue but attention to detail will make the place more attractive. Basics like touching up the chips on the shelf in the bathroom?

The hall lets the house down and there'll be a big contrast with the new lobby. You need to sort out that radiator properly because the rusty corner is currently the highlight; scrape off the loose paint, wire wool, undercoat. Since the patch will look odd, sand down the whole thing and top coat the lot. 

The stair carpet is worn and looks grubby. Did you get all the carpets cleaned before you left? If not, book a rug doctor. And trim back the pulled thread on the lower step. 

One comment you made make me think. You cleared all the furniture because you thought it was easier to paint/re-decorate? So people are seeing pristine white walls in the photos? What are they seeing when they look round? A couple of folk have already suggested that given the number of bookings against nil offers that in some way the reality doesn't match up with the pictures. 

If you have a couple of good contacts still in the area, ask them to come round and critique your work. A fresh coat on underprepared walls, or irregular application can leave things looking streaky. We already know the white paint on the walls is highlighting the unpainted radiators, what about the window surrounds? 

Go up ready for a busy weekend. And start working out how to keep that lawn looking good from March onwards. Maybe arrange for someone to give it the once over every fortnight?
 

I think you are right about the visuals and making it more attractive. 

I'm not sure if I am being thick, but I can't see the chips on the shelf in the bathroom and the pulled thread on the lower step. 

Definitely agree with the radiator and will be turning our attention to that. 

Carpets were cleaned but doesn't appear that it's been to a high enough standard. 

The painting/re-decorating was done professionally by tradespeople we've had do work over the last 10 years which we have always been happy with and has been previously done to a high standard but given my eye hasn't been critical enough with the photos, I'm wondering whether the same is true when I did a walk through after it was painted. The window surrounds were painted the same off-white as the walls, save for the window sills themselves which were left with their natural wood. 

I can't get back to the house until next Wednesday and that's when I'm having people come out to quote for all of the potential work/big jobs. 

Bailey1980

annabanana82 said:

We've recently started to look at moving, I don't think you'll get a consensus on colours. I really don't like grey and glad we are starting to see less and less of it in the houses we are looking at.
Brand new grey carpets are really off-putting for myself as I'd want to pull them up but realise that's really wasteful so leaves me in a bit of a predicament. 
We are however planning on replacing our stairs and hallway carpet only as it's the first thing they'll see when they come in and it should have been replaced years ago.

Also on the pet side, I'm probably being fussy but I get put off by seeing a cat flap in the door, not only would I want to replace the door but I don't want a house that smells of pets.

What colour carpet do you think would be better especially with the walls being off-white? 

There's no cat flap and neither me or my other half who is super sensitive to smells noticed the pet smell after the house had been cleaned throughout and painted but again we might not have been alert enough and we will be putting in some plug in air -freshners and possibly getting another company in to do a deep clean. 

cymruchris

RHemmings said:

The carpets in the house I'm buying (exchange has already happened) are cream coloured. At least the ones I noticed last time. So, exactly what others don't want. I much prefer carpets to laminate flooring in all rooms other than kitchen/bathroom. I think it's cream coloured carpets throughout the house. Though, I'm not sure as I mentally filed away 'good enough' and didn't remember the actual colour. 

While I'm not fussy, when I see houses with bare floors, I'm mentally taking the price of new carpets off any offer I might make. 

It's better that the 'offer' the OP receives takes into account that it needs new carpets rather than the OP splashing out on carpets that might not be to everyone's taste, and then an offer being such that they make it anyway including replacement carpets as they don't like the colour. As has also been mentioned, that generic grey carpet is falling out of favour as it's everywhere. Bare floors will take away the 'look' of an old carpet, and potentially any pet smell, and any viewer is going to know that their first job will be to get a fresh carpet down in the colour of their choosing. There are many properties with the carpets ripped up that sell easily - so don't think that it's 'more work needed' - if anything it's 'less work needed' as the new buyer can put down a new carpet without having to rip up the old one.