Some honest advice please...

KevinM2k_2

Hi,

I have a property has been on the market since December 06, and i've had like 1 viewing who loved it, telling me they wanted a second viewing then pulled out saying it was too small (its biggest in area for price), another 2 have pulled out, its also up for rent and no one has been interested at all.

The property isn't the most desirable property in the world and it is a private flat in a council building although its pretty cheap for the area and I have reduced it by £10,000 but can someone give me some advice about what to do.

The link is http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-10039209.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy

I have thought about taking it off the market for the time being until the market picks up again, and spending a couple of thousand putting a new kitchen in and making the kitchen/lounge open plan, but just found out i'd have to apply for building regs, so its becoming a pain as well.

Any comments would be great, including ones saying how ugly the building is, as its the only way to improve it.

Thanks
Kev

Generali

Looks like a nice place to me. Presumably it's overpriced if hardly anybody's come to look at it in all that time.

KevinM2k_2

To be honest, nothing in the area has sold for sometime now, in fact I know a lot of houses that aren't getting any attention.

Im not just not sure what to do next, I have had a couple of people saying they don't like the outside, but there ain't much I can do about that unfortunately.

Does anyone have any information regarding building regulations? I think the moving back in route might be on the cards for now.

beecher

Looks nice enough to me, and is the cheapest within half a mile. What's the communal entrance like? Does it seem secure to people coming in? Do you know why the other 2 pulled out?

I wouldn't bother making the kitchen/lounge open plan - to be honest that'd put me off it a bit. Not sure about putting a new kitchen in either - would it be worth the money? The one you've got looks servicable enough, and I doubt that's what's putting people off.

good luck.

Guy_Montag

Pics are dingy - open the blinds on a sunny day & take some new pics. The sofa blocks most of the room in pic 2. Move it a bit to give a better view of the lounge.

Garden looks wintery - get a new pic on a sunny day with spring flowers, even if you have to buy a few bunches of daffs & stick them into the ground.

Lots of stuff about the area in the description; sod all about the property. Get your estate agent back on the case to sell the house, not the area. You have to assume most people looking will be familiar(ish) with the area.

dopester

I've got the identical glass table and chairs.... the boutique seller told me it was shipped in from Holland. Mind telling me what you paid for it? I think we paid £60 delivered - and probably got ripped off.

Good luck with the sale - although it's been on the market a long time so I'm another in the reduce again for sale camp.

neas

Sack your estate agent. PHotos are very very dark. Get them lightnened up a bit with natural lighting and some photoshop.

Prices seems alright, not sure what the average is for the area but thats pretty low for a 2 bedroom flat. You could reduce it another 10k for a quick sale... saving the money you'd spend on a kitcehn... its gonna take the economy years to recover and confidence to recover... so if you prepared to wait 5-7 years to sell at a good price then thats up to you.

KevinM2k_2

dopester wrote: »

I've got the identical glass table and chairs.... the boutique seller told me it was shipped in from Holland. Mind telling me what you paid for it? I think we paid £60 delivered - and probably got ripped off.

Good luck with the sale - although it's been on the market a long time so I'm another in the reduce again for sale camp.

I think I got mine from argos to be honest with ya, don't think they stock it anymore but it was defo cheaper than £60.

Can someone give more info in to why they wouldn't have open plan? I was thinking of a breakfast bar which would give me the option of moving the dining table out thus making lounge look larger, plus extra window would bring more light in, I know it'll cost around £2000 to get done, but believe that would put extra on the value anyway.

The 2 bed flats in the area are valued around £85k-£95k, so ive dropped mine so its cheaper than a 1 bedrooms flat round the corner (which is £79,995). Reducing again isnt' really an option to be honest.

Kev

RoxieW

Hi kevin

I was pleasantly suprised actually when i saw the details. From your description I was expecting an awful council block but its really not that bad.

I dont think I'd bother with the time, money and expense involved in making the space open plan, as you already have a pretty decent space with room for a table.

I would replace the kitchen - the doors and the tops - its a small kitchen so if you could do the work yourself it wouldnt cost that much. At least I'd paint the cupboard doors, handles etc. I'd also replace the fireplace with something abit more modern, and just have a general paint around, get some new bed linen, stick some flowers in vases etc. I'd take the desk out of the second bedroom as it makes it look v small, and take some brighter pics. Mabe put a few pot plants outside and around the entrance.

It may sound like trivial stuff but I think you have a good little flat on at a good price which should appeal to a first time buyer. I know its the kind of thing my little sister in law was looking with her boyfriend. I think if you can just make it abit lighter, brighter and updated you should find a buyer.

beecher

KevinM2k wrote: »

Can someone give more info in to why they wouldn't have open plan? I was thinking of a breakfast bar which would give me the option of moving the dining table out thus making lounge look larger, plus extra window would bring more light in, I know it'll cost around £2000 to get done, but believe that would put extra on the value anyway.

I would pay less for open plan, because I like having the cooking smells/noise of washing machine in a separate room. My old flat was open plan, and having separate rooms is one of the things I like best about the flat I'm in now. Also good when people are staying over and sleeping in the living room, but that'd be less of an issue in a 2 bed flat I suppose.

dopester

KevinM2k wrote: »

I think I got mine from argos to be honest with ya, don't think they stock it anymore but it was defo cheaper than £60.

Grr.. we only went in for some £2 item and my gf persuaded me to get it... I suspected it was too good to be true. Hate shopping. Thanks for the info.

GL with the sale and hope you get some gems of useful help from other members.