Why is this house not selling? Constructive criticism needed
Discussion
RichB said:
I notice you ignored my point about why it may be something other than snobbery.
I did ignore this point because it is valid in that people have an affinity to where they grew up. However, I referenced snobbery because, as a northerner I have experienced a huge amount of insulting behavior based on my place of birth. Misplaced, because there are some beautiful places both North and South of Watford Gap. London does attract higher salaries, but not for everyone 
Thanks very much everyone, pretty much every point I agree with, and have been trying to get this across to the vendor.
I feel like the 'bad guy' for being so brutally honest about it hence this post, I'm hoping now that although she may find it difficult to hear, hearing it from strangers might be an easier pill to swallow.
After all, the people viewing her house and potentially buying are strangers also.
To answer a few questions;
House was instructed for sale in June, an offer of £370,000 (asking price was at £379,950 at the time) came in, but fell through. Since then, there has been a handful of viewings, one second viewing, but nothing in the way of an offer.
House valuation, they were advised by three or four agents to market at between £365,000 and £380,000. Also one advised to market at Offers above £370,000. They have gone with be highest valuation.
Viewings are practically non existent now. Agent saying 'it's the time of year'.
Price was dropped from £379,950 to £375,000 a couple of months ago. Price now dropped to £369,950.
Feedback from viewings is very minimal, agent has told vendor that they are making follow up calls, but the viewers are just giving minimal feedback saying "we just don't like it really".
Agents have given sod all in the way of guidance for photos etc. nothing mentioned about the clutter, tree in garden etc, wheelie bins literally next to front door. Amazingly bad decor in master bedroom.
I have said to the vendor, to request help from her daughters, and me and Mrs Hythan, and to book in a Saturday or something where will we are all free, to spend just a day, making an effort to present the house for a sale. Trying to maximise the appeal in photographs and make best use of space.
Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that she probably doesn't want to sell. I have the exact same impression.
As for the price of housing down here, I can't say I don't agree. I'll be looking to buy myself in the next few years so it would be lovely if the prices came down! But for whatever reason, whether it's snobbery, higher wages (are they even that higher?) or whatever, the SE is pricey.
I was born and raised in Windsor, now live in Fifield, a small village close to Windsor and Maidenhead, and the prices around here are crazy.
I don't stay here because I am a snob, I have tried to stay here as long as I can because it's my home, and my family and friends live here. But the way the prices are now, it looks like I'll have to lay my hat somewhere else.
All feedback hugely appreciated and will hopefully go someway into helping my friend realise how she can improve the saleability of her property. She is very reluctant to drop the price further as she needs 50% of the selling price to go towards her next purchase, and is trying to get as much as she can. But she has to be careful that by doing this, she's not pricing herself out of the market, which to be honest I think she already has. I think she also has a lack of understanding as to how a house valuation really works as she keeps reminding me what the agents valued the house at back in June. She doesn't seem to comprehend that the house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. No more.
Edited for numerous iPhone typos. Of which there are probably more.
I feel like the 'bad guy' for being so brutally honest about it hence this post, I'm hoping now that although she may find it difficult to hear, hearing it from strangers might be an easier pill to swallow.
After all, the people viewing her house and potentially buying are strangers also.
To answer a few questions;
House was instructed for sale in June, an offer of £370,000 (asking price was at £379,950 at the time) came in, but fell through. Since then, there has been a handful of viewings, one second viewing, but nothing in the way of an offer.
House valuation, they were advised by three or four agents to market at between £365,000 and £380,000. Also one advised to market at Offers above £370,000. They have gone with be highest valuation.
Viewings are practically non existent now. Agent saying 'it's the time of year'.
Price was dropped from £379,950 to £375,000 a couple of months ago. Price now dropped to £369,950.
Feedback from viewings is very minimal, agent has told vendor that they are making follow up calls, but the viewers are just giving minimal feedback saying "we just don't like it really".
Agents have given sod all in the way of guidance for photos etc. nothing mentioned about the clutter, tree in garden etc, wheelie bins literally next to front door. Amazingly bad decor in master bedroom.
I have said to the vendor, to request help from her daughters, and me and Mrs Hythan, and to book in a Saturday or something where will we are all free, to spend just a day, making an effort to present the house for a sale. Trying to maximise the appeal in photographs and make best use of space.
Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that she probably doesn't want to sell. I have the exact same impression.
As for the price of housing down here, I can't say I don't agree. I'll be looking to buy myself in the next few years so it would be lovely if the prices came down! But for whatever reason, whether it's snobbery, higher wages (are they even that higher?) or whatever, the SE is pricey.
I was born and raised in Windsor, now live in Fifield, a small village close to Windsor and Maidenhead, and the prices around here are crazy.
I don't stay here because I am a snob, I have tried to stay here as long as I can because it's my home, and my family and friends live here. But the way the prices are now, it looks like I'll have to lay my hat somewhere else.
All feedback hugely appreciated and will hopefully go someway into helping my friend realise how she can improve the saleability of her property. She is very reluctant to drop the price further as she needs 50% of the selling price to go towards her next purchase, and is trying to get as much as she can. But she has to be careful that by doing this, she's not pricing herself out of the market, which to be honest I think she already has. I think she also has a lack of understanding as to how a house valuation really works as she keeps reminding me what the agents valued the house at back in June. She doesn't seem to comprehend that the house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. No more.
Edited for numerous iPhone typos. Of which there are probably more.
Edited by Hythan on Tuesday 23 December 08:05
Edited by Hythan on Tuesday 23 December 08:06
I know prices throughout the UK vary widely, but that house is of a very similar design to what we sold in Cambridge a year ago for near 200k less!
Three viewings-through our agent -what they charged a fee for, lord only knows.They were not present at the selling viewing, apart from a few pictures and a bit of web space, still not convinced of thier worth! Hey ho.
I myself would have thought that asking price to have still been too high.Ideal world non of us want to have a mortgage so we ask for the highest possible price but sometimes its best to be realistic!
Three viewings-through our agent -what they charged a fee for, lord only knows.They were not present at the selling viewing, apart from a few pictures and a bit of web space, still not convinced of thier worth! Hey ho.
I myself would have thought that asking price to have still been too high.Ideal world non of us want to have a mortgage so we ask for the highest possible price but sometimes its best to be realistic!
May I suggest that she considers changing agent. Roger Platt are pretty bland as an agent, not particularly known as one of the best in the area and clearly are not marketing it as well as they could.
Try this lady http://www.kirkwoodea.co.uk/home she is a new independent agent, not a big agent with lots of offices. She recently sold a neighbour's house and I was very impressed by what I saw. She personally came and "dressed" the rooms for photos. She was present for every viewing and she seemed to take a lit of time over what she did. I have no idea what here fees are but if you want to try something a little different to the generic estate agent it's worth a try.
Try this lady http://www.kirkwoodea.co.uk/home she is a new independent agent, not a big agent with lots of offices. She recently sold a neighbour's house and I was very impressed by what I saw. She personally came and "dressed" the rooms for photos. She was present for every viewing and she seemed to take a lit of time over what she did. I have no idea what here fees are but if you want to try something a little different to the generic estate agent it's worth a try.
You sound like a frustrated interior designer. You may prefer the second property, but it hasn't sold either. You sound like you are getting way too involved and need to step back a little.
Price may be a bit toppy, but Christmas is quiet anyway so I would leave it to see how it goes in jan. Any re-decoration should be minimal (lick of paint) but I don't think it really needs it TBH if the price is right. Idea of getting another agent to take a look is a good one. There are an awful lot of houses like that for sale in maidenhead and the market has cooled a bit recently so I wouldn't expect miracles.
Price may be a bit toppy, but Christmas is quiet anyway so I would leave it to see how it goes in jan. Any re-decoration should be minimal (lick of paint) but I don't think it really needs it TBH if the price is right. Idea of getting another agent to take a look is a good one. There are an awful lot of houses like that for sale in maidenhead and the market has cooled a bit recently so I wouldn't expect miracles.
panholio said:
Not really any help to you OP but it is depressing that nearly £400k buys you that.
Just to put it in perspective even at a 10% deposit you would be looking at £1600 a month on a 25 year mortgage. Affordability on that would be looking at a fairly hefty income. (80k-100k). Mental, it looks nice inside but it's a miserable looking house, and you need to have done pretty bloody well for yourself if you are under about 35 to even afford it.
My advice is drop the price.
This is exactly what I thought. Absolutely mental amounts of money for a little box, but if it's close to the going rate in the area then so be it. Maybe needs to be more like £350k?Just to put it in perspective even at a 10% deposit you would be looking at £1600 a month on a 25 year mortgage. Affordability on that would be looking at a fairly hefty income. (80k-100k). Mental, it looks nice inside but it's a miserable looking house, and you need to have done pretty bloody well for yourself if you are under about 35 to even afford it.
My advice is drop the price.
ETA: Although the decor in the 2nd property is better, the decor in the house is really not that bad. I assume most people expect to do at least a little painting when they move. The crap wallpaper in the bedroom wouldn't even begin to put me off, things like the road outside or pylons or something else I can't do anything about would put me off.
Edited by Esseesse on Tuesday 23 December 09:59
I really can't understand the potential buyers who say things like "bed linen looks old fashioned" and similar. Surely only things which are being left in the sale are of importance?
Having said that 10 years ago when we last sold I said to my wife "If we got one of those big flat TV's for a few weeks people would come in, say 'wow we like the TV' and buy the place"
Having said that 10 years ago when we last sold I said to my wife "If we got one of those big flat TV's for a few weeks people would come in, say 'wow we like the TV' and buy the place"
Fastpedeller said:
I really can't understand the potential buyers who say things like "bed linen looks old fashioned" and similar. Surely only things which are being left in the sale are of importance?
I totally agree, but when we tried to sell our first house with some "imaginative" paintwork in our bedroom we didn't get any offers for 9 months. It wasn't an offensive colour scheme but it wasn't to everybody's taste. Within a month of painting over it we had our first offer through.Many buyers sadly have no imagination and will judge a house based on the impression given by the existing owner's tastes rather than seeing the house's potential.
If it's been up for sale since June then it should have been taken off the market a few weeks ago, spruced up and decluttered then re marketed in the new year, it's gone stale now. As others have mentioned try a different agent who can take decent photos and help your friend present the house to a better standard. Many on here may disagree but many buyers have zero imagination and are put off by decor/carpets, they need to see a house exactly the way they would want it if they lived there, especially at close to £400k. If she wants top money I'd still recommend spending a few quid on new worktops/tiles and oven.
Bluebarge said:
You sound like a frustrated interior designer. You may prefer the second property, but it hasn't sold either. You sound like you are getting way too involved and need to step back a little.
Price may be a bit toppy, but Christmas is quiet anyway so I would leave it to see how it goes in jan. Any re-decoration should be minimal (lick of paint) but I don't think it really needs it TBH if the price is right. Idea of getting another agent to take a look is a good one. There are an awful lot of houses like that for sale in maidenhead and the market has cooled a bit recently so I wouldn't expect miracles.
A frustrated interior designer? Strange conclusion, I am merely attempting to help someone present a house to market in the best way possible in order to appeal to buyers. Sounds more like common sense to me.Price may be a bit toppy, but Christmas is quiet anyway so I would leave it to see how it goes in jan. Any re-decoration should be minimal (lick of paint) but I don't think it really needs it TBH if the price is right. Idea of getting another agent to take a look is a good one. There are an awful lot of houses like that for sale in maidenhead and the market has cooled a bit recently so I wouldn't expect miracles.
Too involved? You don't know my friends situation, and my involvement up to now, so I would say to you, with respect, that your opinion on that front is slightly uninformed. I'm the ONLY person who will help her. And why wouldn't someone help a friend? She has no experience of selling houses, and is emotionally attached to the house and it's style. I'm not, which is a huge benefit in this situation.
Completely agree on your second point. I too believe the price to be too high, and yes it is a quiet period. Any redecoration does need to be minimal. As you say, it's the price that will have the most effect here.
Edited by Hythan on Tuesday 23 December 16:49
The asking price looks about 80k-100k too high,
The description is terrible (unoverlooked, what does that even mean) and the photos are dire.
New estate agent time I would think.
When selling goods you need to consider Price, Quality and Customer Service.
On quality, houses need to be presented in a neutral manner as a blank canvas, people like to do their own thing in their home, ops friend needs to take the emotion out the sale and just get it sold, do what it takes, buy a load of white bedding, white paint and box up and hide all the clutter.
The description is terrible (unoverlooked, what does that even mean) and the photos are dire.
New estate agent time I would think.
When selling goods you need to consider Price, Quality and Customer Service.
On quality, houses need to be presented in a neutral manner as a blank canvas, people like to do their own thing in their home, ops friend needs to take the emotion out the sale and just get it sold, do what it takes, buy a load of white bedding, white paint and box up and hide all the clutter.
Edited by Foliage on Tuesday 23 December 11:28
It would definitely benefit from a minor tidy up and some better pictures, they are afterall the only thing people will base their first impression on when scanning through Rightmove and the like, just like when you're looking for a new car.
Pic 1 - Exterior shot - probably not the best time of year to re-take a photo but makesure the grass is cut and tidy, hedge and the tree are trimmed. It needs to be from a better angle to show the whole of the front of the house but also include the front garden etc.
Pic 2- Kitchen - looks smart and presentable to me, just cluttered. Give it a good scrub including the hob and inside the oven, ditch all the clutter and take photo from a better angle.
Pic 3 - Sitting / dining room - very messy layout, trying too hard to be too many rooms. Could the furniture be moved around, perhaps the dining table could go out in the extension room? Then re-jig the TV position and sofas to make it a more inviting and cosy room. At the moment it looks like some random chairs with a TV on one wall that wouldn't be viewable from the main sofa with a dining table thrown in the mix.
Pic 4 - extension - again de-clutter, why is there a random chair on one wall? Move the dining table out here and make it more presentable, emphasis the inside / outside connection.
Pic 5 - bathroom - get rid of all the towels and those horrible pink bacteria collectors on the floor. Nobody likes them.
Pic 6 - bedroom - ditch the pink wall, paint it magnolia. Get all that junk off the top of the wardrobes, clean neutral bedding. Sorted.
Pic 7 - master bedroom - jeez. Paint the walls, over the wallpaper to save time, new neutral carpet if the budget allows. Clean neutral bedding and de-clutter, this would improve it x100.
Pic 8/9/10 - ditch as many pots and planters as possible and de-weed the patio and borders, makes the garden seem bigger and less cluttered by doing so. The roof felt on the shed looks ragged, it's less than £20 a roll, replace it if you can. Re-paint the shed to match the other one and the fence / gates. Get the trees trimmed, as nice as trees are, they look a bit big for the garden at the moment and could be encroaching into the feeling of space.
A couple of days work and a few hundred quid would make that house many times more presentable but I'd still say the price is high too.
Pic 1 - Exterior shot - probably not the best time of year to re-take a photo but makesure the grass is cut and tidy, hedge and the tree are trimmed. It needs to be from a better angle to show the whole of the front of the house but also include the front garden etc.
Pic 2- Kitchen - looks smart and presentable to me, just cluttered. Give it a good scrub including the hob and inside the oven, ditch all the clutter and take photo from a better angle.
Pic 3 - Sitting / dining room - very messy layout, trying too hard to be too many rooms. Could the furniture be moved around, perhaps the dining table could go out in the extension room? Then re-jig the TV position and sofas to make it a more inviting and cosy room. At the moment it looks like some random chairs with a TV on one wall that wouldn't be viewable from the main sofa with a dining table thrown in the mix.
Pic 4 - extension - again de-clutter, why is there a random chair on one wall? Move the dining table out here and make it more presentable, emphasis the inside / outside connection.
Pic 5 - bathroom - get rid of all the towels and those horrible pink bacteria collectors on the floor. Nobody likes them.
Pic 6 - bedroom - ditch the pink wall, paint it magnolia. Get all that junk off the top of the wardrobes, clean neutral bedding. Sorted.
Pic 7 - master bedroom - jeez. Paint the walls, over the wallpaper to save time, new neutral carpet if the budget allows. Clean neutral bedding and de-clutter, this would improve it x100.
Pic 8/9/10 - ditch as many pots and planters as possible and de-weed the patio and borders, makes the garden seem bigger and less cluttered by doing so. The roof felt on the shed looks ragged, it's less than £20 a roll, replace it if you can. Re-paint the shed to match the other one and the fence / gates. Get the trees trimmed, as nice as trees are, they look a bit big for the garden at the moment and could be encroaching into the feeling of space.
A couple of days work and a few hundred quid would make that house many times more presentable but I'd still say the price is high too.
Esseesse said:
panholio said:
Not really any help to you OP but it is depressing that nearly £400k buys you that.
Just to put it in perspective even at a 10% deposit you would be looking at £1600 a month on a 25 year mortgage. Affordability on that would be looking at a fairly hefty income. (80k-100k). Mental, it looks nice inside but it's a miserable looking house, and you need to have done pretty bloody well for yourself if you are under about 35 to even afford it.
My advice is drop the price.
This is exactly what I thought. Absolutely mental amounts of money for a little box, but if it's close to the going rate in the area then so be it. Maybe needs to be more like £350k?Just to put it in perspective even at a 10% deposit you would be looking at £1600 a month on a 25 year mortgage. Affordability on that would be looking at a fairly hefty income. (80k-100k). Mental, it looks nice inside but it's a miserable looking house, and you need to have done pretty bloody well for yourself if you are under about 35 to even afford it.
My advice is drop the price.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatc...
I know which one I find most appeaking....
Best wishes all,
Dave.
Fastpedeller said:
I really can't understand the potential buyers who say things like "bed linen looks old fashioned" and similar. Surely only things which are being left in the sale are of importance?
Many years ago when we were viewing a property, I looked at it with my elderly aunt. After we left, she said to me "I didn't care for Mrs x." "No", I replied, "but we're not thinking of buying Mrs x."One can get distracted by things that don't matter.
p1esk said:
Esseesse said:
panholio said:
Not really any help to you OP but it is depressing that nearly £400k buys you that.
Just to put it in perspective even at a 10% deposit you would be looking at £1600 a month on a 25 year mortgage. Affordability on that would be looking at a fairly hefty income. (80k-100k). Mental, it looks nice inside but it's a miserable looking house, and you need to have done pretty bloody well for yourself if you are under about 35 to even afford it.
My advice is drop the price.
This is exactly what I thought. Absolutely mental amounts of money for a little box, but if it's close to the going rate in the area then so be it. Maybe needs to be more like £350k?Just to put it in perspective even at a 10% deposit you would be looking at £1600 a month on a 25 year mortgage. Affordability on that would be looking at a fairly hefty income. (80k-100k). Mental, it looks nice inside but it's a miserable looking house, and you need to have done pretty bloody well for yourself if you are under about 35 to even afford it.
My advice is drop the price.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatc...
I know which one I find most appeaking....
Best wishes all,
Dave.
If we're doing comparisons like that, then please add in the links which detail opportunity and value by earnings in the area. Doing that I think you'll find that the house in N. Yorks is more expensive in regards to affordability.
Ollerton57 said:
Who does this help? Adding a link for a house in North Yorkshire about 250 miles away... Not exactly a fair comparison.
If we're doing comparisons like that, then please add in the links which detail opportunity and value by earnings in the area. Doing that I think you'll find that the house in N. Yorks is more expensive in regards to affordability.
I don't think he meant it like that - it could have been any price - it's simply how it's presented. We're all different though and when I clicked that link the first thing that I thought was "oh no, an ugly flat roof extension."If we're doing comparisons like that, then please add in the links which detail opportunity and value by earnings in the area. Doing that I think you'll find that the house in N. Yorks is more expensive in regards to affordability.
TA14 said:
I don't think he meant it like that - it could have been any price - it's simply how it's presented. We're all different though and when I clicked that link the first thing that I thought was "oh no, an ugly flat roof extension."
Yes flat roofs are the devils work and she be bannedIt's an ex-council house with the M4 at the bottom of the garden. It's overpriced, even for the current market.
Having said that, a new free school partly set up and financed by Eton College is opening in Holyport, and this may well drive prices up if the school turns out to be a good 'un. I'd be wanting to hold on to property in Holyport if I had any.
Having said that, a new free school partly set up and financed by Eton College is opening in Holyport, and this may well drive prices up if the school turns out to be a good 'un. I'd be wanting to hold on to property in Holyport if I had any.
TA14 said:
Ollerton57 said:
Who does this help? Adding a link for a house in North Yorkshire about 250 miles away... Not exactly a fair comparison.
If we're doing comparisons like that, then please add in the links which detail opportunity and value by earnings in the area. Doing that I think you'll find that the house in N. Yorks is more expensive in regards to affordability.
I don't think he meant it like that - it could have been any price - it's simply how it's presented. We're all different though and when I clicked that link the first thing that I thought was "oh no, an ugly flat roof extension."If we're doing comparisons like that, then please add in the links which detail opportunity and value by earnings in the area. Doing that I think you'll find that the house in N. Yorks is more expensive in regards to affordability.
With regard to the flat roof, I know they can be troublesome, but looking at what 'my property' offers, the location, the setting, the views, large secluded garden, garage arrangement etc., it seems to me infinitely more appealing; but to each his own, as they say.
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