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Why won't our house sell?

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  • Mrsburg
    Mrsburg Posts: 22 Forumite
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    quantumlobster wrote: »
    That is a good point - OP, could you reassure a buyer that they could, if they wanted to, rip up the drive and do as they choose with the ground - e.g. turn it into a lawn?


    Yes I guess we could do that. Would you word that on the advert or just make the point at viewings do you think? Thank you.
  • Mrsburg
    Mrsburg Posts: 22 Forumite
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    davidmcn wrote: »
    But you appear to be hiding the fact it's leasehold in your listing (though not mentioning the tenure tends to be a clue in itself!) Why aren't you giving buyers any clues about the terms of the lease? Could be 60 years left with a billionty pounds of ground rent/management charges for all we know.


    Thanks. This wasn't a conscious decision - to be honest we just left the advert up to the EA. I will have a chat with them and see if they feel it's worth putting the detail on. This type of feedback is very helpful thank you - as 'first time sellers' we wouldn't have thought of this. Cheers.
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
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    Mrsburg wrote: »
    Yes I guess we could do that. Would you word that on the advert or just make the point at viewings do you think? Thank you.


    I would make it clear at viewings that these spaces are all part of the drive and that if they wanted, the front garden landscaping could be removed and hard standing put down. So you could actually park 4 cars in that space. (unlike the houses to the left for example).


    The problem with saying something in the text about parking is that people will look at the pictures first and some will undoubtedly decide "allocated parking" and move on without reading. So get that fixed first. You could even remove the tubs and park a car on the gravel, for a picture making it clear its all drive from road to the house.
  • SallyDucati
    SallyDucati Posts: 560 Forumite
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    AnotherJoe wrote: »
    I would make it clear at viewings that these spaces are all part of the drive and that if they wanted, the front garden landscaping could be removed and hard standing put down. So you could actually park 4 cars in that space. (unlike the houses to the left for example).
    .

    I would check the lease before stating hard standing can be put down - there may be covenants restricting what can and can't be done to ensure a uniform 'look' to the development.
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
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    Good point worth checking but worse case could have gravel as is already there in those plastic or metal mess frames to retain it.
  • Mrsburg
    Mrsburg Posts: 22 Forumite
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    AnotherJoe wrote: »
    Good point worth checking but worse case could have gravel as is already there in those plastic or metal mess frames to retain it.
    ]


    Thanks I think we have free reign to change the front because we sorted out the front garden.


    What are plastic or metal mess frames? Thank you.
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
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    edited 12 July 2018 at 11:02AM
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    Mrsburg wrote: »
    ]


    Thanks I think we have free reign to change the front because we sorted out the front garden.

    What are plastic or metal mess frames? Thank you.


    This sort of thing https://www.matsgrids.co.uk/59-gravel-grids


    Note, thats just the result of a google search, not a recommendation from using that specific company. The idea is that it prevents the gravel moving around too much. You can get similar buried in a lawn so from a distance it just looks like grass, the grass grows through it and you can mow over it.


    I had a gravel drive that didn't have this and the gravel tracked everywhere (not helped by me getting gravel too small as well) Live and learn.


    p.s. that should have been "mesh" not "mess" not sure if that was my c**p typing or an autocorrect :D
  • Cakeguts
    Cakeguts Posts: 7,627 Forumite
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    An area in Greater Manchester. Much further out than Salford but people do commute to Manchester from here by train.


    https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54408606.html This house sold in about 2 days. It is freehold and has a real driveway.



    This one miles from the station has been on the market since January. Allocated parking not a drive although the parking spaces go with the house and it is leasehold. It is newer than the other one and other houses on this same estate have sold for about the same price but people just don't like this one.

    https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63571645.html





    If the Shopwood Way house had been freehold and with a drive in Brookway it would have sold overnight for the original asking price. No one is going to buy that house in Shopwood Way if they can get a better one in an area nearer to the train station for less. Buyers are not stupid.
  • _CC_
    _CC_ Posts: 362 Forumite
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    AnotherJoe wrote: »
    You wouldn't even need stupid people. What is it about those two spaces that makes them look allocated to the house in front?

    There's white lines (as someone else said who paints white lines on their own drive?) no numbers on the ground, and the front garden has a definite edge and is clearly separated from those spaces with no clue it's all owned by the same house They could quite easily be communal parking spaces. That alone would put me off.


    It certainly doesn't strike me as a driveway, but equally I wouldn't think they were communal /general parking bays if I was looking for somewhere to park.


    The spaces are bordered by the OP's and neighbour's path and the pavement runs in front of the spaces opposed to between the spaces and the OP's front garden.


    The appearance of them (white lines like you say) make them appear part of the estate but allocated to the property.


    But yes, some stupid people will no doubt think they're there to be used which would put me off.



    Hope that clears it up for you.
  • _CC_
    _CC_ Posts: 362 Forumite
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    Mrsburg wrote: »
    ]


    Thanks I think we have free reign to change the front because we sorted out the front garden.


    What are plastic or metal mess frames? Thank you.


    You really need to check covenants, hopefully you can change but estates like these often have restrictions to ensure a uniform appearance.
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