unsellable house?!

angelavdavis

PasturesNew wrote: »

The two properties are completely different beasts. Your limited back garden space is mostly in the shade; they have a huge sunny back garden + huge front garden + lots of parking/driveway and privacy. You're right on the road.

I think it would be unusual for people to want either yours or theirs. As they are completely different properties they need to stand not against each other, but against comparables within a 5-10 mile radius.

I completely agree with PasturesNew, although agents are likely to send details for both houses to the same buyer as they are similar price range, they are very different properties. Personally, I prefer older style houses so yours would appeal far more as it has so much character - even with the land.

Here are my comments:

I think you have done right by lowering the price under the stamp duty threshold.

I think you should get more photos done - at least of master bedroom and a bathroom.

Is the road side the main entrance? If not, I would be inclined to take the photo from another angle missing as much of the road out as possible - I don't think it does your lovely house justice. I personally would also add some more colour outside with baskets or pots.

Keep the neutral decor is good, but I also think dressing rooms the size of yours is always tough (I have a 7 bedroomed victorian monster of a house and the rooms are big!!!). I think you should think about injecting colour to link rooms together - for example, put a runner along the dining room table, buy a bunch of flowers in the same colour and position a vase of them on the piano behind to tie the room together. Recover the piano stool in a fabric of the same colour and position in front of the piano (its a huge room, I can't think you are stinted for space!).

Why are there no chairs around the kitchen table? I would position the chairs around the table and place a lovely vase of spring flowers (only short) on the table, make up the table with mats and pale green coloured napkins (or pick a colour from your curtains) and position in the placesettings. Clear kitchen tops and buy a few storage jars in the same colour as the napkins on the worktops, plus leave any nice appliances - such as shiny toasters and kettles out (make sure they are buffed up). You need to tie spaces together when its open plan.

The garden shots are fab but I would also put more colour near the door so it is clear that is the front door.

Then get the agent to take new photos.

I don't think you should consider any structural changes, just make more of what you already have. I agree with the comment about the annexe - as it is clearly a confusing space for some buyers - ensure it is neutrally decorated and position it either as a granny annexe or home office space. Stage accordingly. At least, it should have the word "potential" removed, because to someone just reading the ad, I would assume this was EA talk for "with a bit of work".

Have you had a HIP done? Apparently, there is some thinking that houses without them have "something to hide"! I agree its nonsense, but it was a comment someone made to me before OH put his on the market.

It might be worth pressuring the agent for the house to be featured as a "house of the week" in the local paper. Sometimes if you have a buyer lined up (even one that needs to sell) the agent gets a bit complacent. They don't care how long a house takes to sell - they get their commission. Ensure you make your feelings known to the agent - if they don't react, go elsewhere.

Hope my comments help!

stressedmumof4

YOur comments do help - thank you. I have done many of the things you mentioned eg. all the kitchen bits and bobs, colour in the garden etc - It probably didn't click with me to get the photo's updated though (severe mummy-brain, 4 kids under 6!) and it definately needs ot be done.

I agree also with the 'potential' granny annexe as that does sound like it needs work when in fact it has a brand new kitchen and it is totally self contained and fab. It would make a good office for someone wanting to work from home or for teenagers who want more space etc and I try to push that to viewers but I don't think the EA pushes.

are there any benefits with swapping branch of the EA? I know the son of the man who the EA is named after manages another branch - the man himself visits his other son 2 doors down from here, perhaps I should ask him to kick some butt?! I agree wtih the complacency - it feels like they aren't troo interested in selling ours while they have 6 figure houses on their books.

The manager at the EA has just told us that they will have to increase our 1.25% if we go dual agency as they "have spent a lot of money on us already" - what do you make of that? does that sound right?!

barnabybear - only facilities are a pub which is just over a mile away (unmade up road but nice walk) shop is about one and a half miles and school is 2 miles (very good school though - amazing ofsted report)

stressedmumof4

please excuse typos - delete button has just died and I'm just too tired and dense to work out another way of correcting them

angelavdavis

stressedmumof4 wrote: »

The manager at the EA has just told us that they will have to increase our 1.25% if we go dual agency as they "have spent a lot of money on us already" - what do you make of that? does that sound right?!

What is your feel for how much the agent has invested in you already? Do you feel this is true? Has your property been sufficiently marketed in your view? How many times has it been advertised in the local paper for example?

Honestly, I think they are stringing you a line! It is a threat. Start seriously speaking to other agents and see what they come up with. Get them round and ask for honest opinions about the house, market and price - don't get swayed by their sales schpeel.

See if you can get two agents on board who won't hike up the price of you going dual agent.

When you feel in a stronger position and have found another potential agent(s), tell the agent that you feel you have given them sufficient time as a sole agent to sell the property and have lowered your price. If they are not prepared to allow you to go dual agent without the price hike, then you will take your business elsewhere.

Then followup if they show little interest - it will just prove your hunch that they have bigger fish to fry.

Jazz up the house ready for new photos and bring on the new agent(s).

PasturesNew

If there is any work that could be done to separate the annexe (if it isn't already), then it's worth getting some quotes together just so viewers would know how much it would cost if they sound like that's what they're interested in doing. Same for any other changes, get quotes so you've done the legwork for them.

Re charging more for multi-agency, that is common, but you could always say to them "No, you've done the work so if I just pull it from you you've lost everything you've done" although you'd use better words (I am a poor person/verbal communicator).

As suggested above, to ditch the external shot showing your house on the road, I'd say that was a good idea.

You've got more time to take photos than the agent, so why not keep your camera handy and take lots of shots, out of which you can pick good ones. Then see what the agent produces and if yours are better put them forward. You've got lots of chances throughout the day/weather to really make every angle look special.

glitterygert

Wow, what a beautiful house (yours), definitley needs a bit of staging, can I come and do it, lol, I'd love to live in a house like yours. Hope everything goes ok, get a new agent

gfplux

To put my comment in context. I am British born and bread but live outside the UK. I am well read and (think!) I have a good vocabulary.
My comment concerns only the word Annexe.
This sounds very "industrial" ie at the Hotel reception you are told "your room is in the annexe" BUT "it is cheaper"
Is this a separate flat with its own entrance?
I would never use the word annexe in domestic property context.
Good luck

PasturesNew

gfplux wrote: »

To put my comment in context. I am British born and bread but live outside the UK. I am well read and (think!) I have a good vocabulary.
My comment concerns only the word Annexe.
This sounds very "industrial" ie at the Hotel reception you are told "your room is in the annexe" BUT "it is cheaper"
Is this a separate flat with its own entrance?
I would never use the word annexe in domestic property context.
Good luck

In my experience it is the single most used word to express a part of the house which is already separately divided or can easily be separated, to provide separate accommodation with its own entrance.

davsidipp

stressedmumof4 i think the problem is with a slowing market your house is quite individual so will only cater for those looking at a period property although it very beautiful.maybe putting an ad in a country magazine might catch the right market.still keep your house advertised as the buyer has not sold second property good luck.

full-time-mum

I haven't read all the posts but I have just looked at your details and my spur of the moment feelings are
(and don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful house and I'd love afford to live in it but)

• Its a bit clinical - maybe in need of some soft furnishings. Maybe it works when you are actually viewing but on-line, it doesn't look lived in. All you can see is wood. Initially, it feels like a show house and not a home.
• Get some more photos - bedrooms/bathroom/kitchen etc
• Update the garden photos - preferably adding a garden table and some pots with colourful bedding plants in (beg and borrow from friends if necessary). Pick a sunny day. Make a feature of the courtyard area,. You need to sell the outdoor space too.
  
• The first line details say :"Beautifully Crafted Barn Conversion of Great Character Offering A Versatile Layout With Self Contained Annexe" and then says "Potential for Annexe if required - Hall, Sitting Room, Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom"What does that mean? Does it have an annexe or not, I find that a bit off-putting. Not an estate agent but maybe something more explanitory "The property currently has a self-contained annexe which could be re-incorportated into the main living space with minimal effort or rented out as an independant living area" - you get the idea. Is there a potential for the annexe to be rented out?
• Its not clear from the photos whether you are looking at the main house or the annexe.

Its a tricky house to describe but I don't think that the photos or descriptions do it justice. I think that it almost needs to separate sets of details. One for the main house and one for the annexe.

Just seen this comment

It probably didn't click with me to get the photo's updated though (severe mummy-brain, 4 kids under 6!)

You would never know from the photos. If you are trying to sell it as a family home then you really do need some evidence of the children.