Problems selling and best plan

EssexHebridean

First up - general point - please people, if someone asks whether they are allowed to post a link to their property - don't tell them to go ahead! Us regulars all KNOW it's against the rules, please don't encourage others to do it! 


OP - how "cheap" is your deal with the current agents? Does it literally just include them bunking it on Rightmove and Onthemarket and then doing nothing more unless someone contacts them, or are they proactively marketing it as well?

From the other comments here I'd suggest that terminating the contract with your current agent now, and looking to relist in the spring is probably a good idea. Make sure you have screenshots of the current photos, then put on your objectivity glasses and have a really good look at them - imagine YOU were looking to buy somewhere right now, and saw those pictures - what would you be thinking? In the property itself, go into each room - does anything immediately draw your eye? If so, assuming that is a negative you're seeing, think what you can do to either remove that issue or at the least mask it. So - a patch that ALWAYS photographs with a shadow and so could look damp in photos - can you move furniture about to deal with the issue? The layout currently in various rooms - it might work for you, but is there a way of arranging things to make the place look or feel more spacious, light or airy? 

When relisting, get three agents round for valuations and quotes on selling costs - let them all know they are in competition with others but personally I wouldn't tell them WHICH others. Going with a "cheap" agent is a false economy if they can't then sell the place. 

If it's a bright day when you have your new photos taken, make sure that lights aren't left switched on - to me this immediately suggests to me that a place might be dark without them - and unless somewhere looks other than that absolutely spot on I probably wouldn't waste time viewing. (Also a tip for viewings - if you get in there and the lights are all on, assuming daylight hours, immediately switch them off to see what the house is like without them!) 

ReadySteadyPop

Good photos might get viewers over to your house, maybe, if they like size and location etc. but they won`t sell it, only a very sensible price will do that in this market.

diggingdude

Another tip, ask the estate agent what they charge the potential buyer before an offer is accepted. Some of the agents where I'm "supposedly buying" are charging £75 - £100 per person to check their ID to try and buy. I know in the grand scheme it's not a lot but it automatically makes me think the seller is selling on the cheap and if they were cheap on this what else were they cheap on?

ReadySteadyPop

BACKTOBACK said:

Albermarle said:

If you read back through the forum over the last two weeks, there have been many similar questions posed.
So worth reading those threads, if you have not done already.

Thank you, will do. Reassuring to know its not just me.

Just seen a similar discussion from three days ago was some good advice given then. Seems to be remove from the market now and relist March 

Can`t think of many reasons for why things will be better in March? The only good advice is to set the price so that you attract serious interest, advice on photos, "staging" etc. tends to just ignore the reality of the market, demand has fallen by a LOT.

https://thenegotiator.co.uk/news/land-new-homes/new-build-property-sales-drop-to-lowest-in-over-15-years/

BACKTOBACK

Just to update, the property has been valued by 3 agents all £220 - £230. I reduced the property by £5k to £225 just before the budget. Still no viewings.
I originally chose the small independent agent as i bought it from them, they already had a floor plan and it was 1% instead of 1.5% fees so a saving of £1k roughly

Looking at the photos most of the rooms look dark. They are not at all dark. The photos have been taken with bright daylight coming in through the windows, which makes his camera compensate for the bright area by making the room look much darker.
The living room looks much thinner than it really is. Maybe he could of used a wide angle lens.
Looking at other agents photos they have room lights on while taking photos which looks better.
The original agent only uses Rightmove and Onthemarket (not Zoopla).

Any further advise would be appreciated. I have someone interested but needs to sell there property that has already been on the market almost one year. I could use this to my advantage by marking my listing as Sold, giving them 14 weeks to find a buyer. And if not can place a new listing on Rightmove (would this need to be the old agent as he would need to inform Rightmove of a failed sale? is this right ?) 

Should i just remove it now, change agent and relist now (this would mean it stays low in Rightmove lists).
Or remove it now, wait the 14 weeks and start fresh with a new agent which would be in March (maybe better weather for photos)

Any more helpful advice would be appreciated. Everyone's previous comments were really helpful and i reduced the property with a plan to remove it now. But dont know weather to mark as sold with same agent, change agent now, or wait 14 weeks and change agent?

Herzlos

ReadySteadyPop said:

BACKTOBACK said:

Albermarle said:

If you read back through the forum over the last two weeks, there have been many similar questions posed.
So worth reading those threads, if you have not done already.

Thank you, will do. Reassuring to know its not just me.

Just seen a similar discussion from three days ago was some good advice given then. Seems to be remove from the market now and relist March 

Can`t think of many reasons for why things will be better in March? The only good advice is to set the price so that you attract serious interest, advice on photos, "staging" etc. tends to just ignore the reality of the market, demand has fallen by a LOT.

https://thenegotiator.co.uk/news/land-new-homes/new-build-property-sales-drop-to-lowest-in-over-15-years/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/monthly-property-transactions-completed-in-the-uk-with-value-40000-or-above/uk-monthly-property-transactions-commentary--2

You'll notice that sales drop around December and increase around February, even accounting for the stamp duty spike.


It's open to debate as to how effective removing and re-listing is though, it'll show as a new listing but it means anyone looking in the interim won't see it. 


OP is going to be better off getting new pictures taken and doing a bit of dressing/staging, because if the house looks bad then people won't look at it for any price. 




(I don't understand why you keep bringing up new build sales figures when we're talking about an older house). 

BACKTOBACK

Sorry if this sounds silly but its my first time selling. Is there companies that will do the staging and also take new pictures. Otherwise i will be buying things to display which will be thrown away afterwards

GDB2222

BACKTOBACK said:

Sorry if this sounds silly but it’s my first time selling. Is there companies that will do the staging and also take new pictures. Otherwise i will be buying things to display which will be thrown away afterwards

I don’t think I would spend a lot on staging. Maybe buy some flowers, particularly if you will enjoy them anyway. 

It’s more about making everything tidy and putting the clutter away in cupboards. 

Estate agents just take pictures of whatever is there, whereas you should arrange everything and only then snap away. 

Do you have a suitable camera or phone? 

BACKTOBACK

GDB2222 said:

BACKTOBACK said:

Sorry if this sounds silly but it’s my first time selling. Is there companies that will do the staging and also take new pictures. Otherwise i will be buying things to display which will be thrown away afterwards

I don’t think I would spend a lot on staging. Maybe buy some flowers, particularly if you will enjoy them anyway. 

It’s more about making everything tidy and putting the clutter away in cupboards. 

Estate agents just take pictures of whatever is there, whereas you should arrange everything and only then snap away. 

Do you have a suitable camera or phone? 

I have been using a Samsung s24 and i think my pictures are better. I have decluttered. I can change the phone lens to wide angle which makes the living room look its true size.

I am struggling with the outside pictures a bit just due to the weather, low sun giving long shadows etc

Bigphil1474

From what you've said, I don't think price is the big issue. You are in the ball park, and most people looking at it would consider viewing a £225k property even if they could only afford £200k. Sounds more like a demand/supply type problem in your area, where the sorts of buyer you need isn't looking at the moment. It's generally a buyers market. Maybe now the budget is out of the way, and once Christmas is done, the market will pick up.

When we were house hunting, we didn't use Zoopla, or any other site to be honest other than Right Move, so I wouldn't have worried about that.

Agree with GDB about the pics.

I wouldn't consider an offer from someone who hasn't sold. We got an early offer for ours at asking price but they guy was waiting to sell his house. We acknowledged it but said come back when you can proceed and he never did, and it was nearly 6 months before we actually sold.