My house won't sell

[babycakes5]

I live in a popular location where all the houses of the same type have sold around me but I haven't had a viewing in a year! I've cleaned the front of the house and made it look appealing with pot plants and hanging baskets, we've also painted the facia. I've changed estate agents three times and have it advertised on the internet. The price has been dropped by �10,000 so we are now the cheapest house for sale of our type. Even though I have done everything possible, there has still been no viewings. The house is only 5 years old! Have you got any ideas?
Vicky

[lizwizz]

The fact that you've had no viewings suggests that the estate agents aren't trying very hard. Ask them why there are no viewings, what you need to do to make the house more appealing, make a nuisance of yourself. Is the front garden tidy? Ask the estate agent to get feedback from other people as to why they're not interested. At he end of the day, they stand to get a lot of money out of you if they sell the house, so you need to make them work for it.

[Ethel]

Have you got a 'blight' next door, in some way?

[jennifer_cro]

Have you had a look round any of your neighbours houses that have recently sold - give you some ideas?

[mimififi]

Are you in West Sussex, babycakes5?

[sense4all]

What reasons did the agents give you for no one being interested? Was it the same reason three times or three different ones? if you honestly cannot work out what the reason is ask a friend who is sensible and not harsh what their opinion is - sometimes the old adage can't see the wood for the trees is very true, there may be something that does not bother you - but puts others right off! Schools, Pubs, Students or even next door not caring what their house looks like are all potential pit falls. Tell us a bit more please!

[babycakes5]

Thanks for the advice and tips. The same house type 5 doors down has just sold for more money than I'm asking and isn't as well presented. The estate agent just keeps telling me that there is no interest and can't understand why the house hasn't sold. I keep hitting brick walls with no-one able to help with the answer.
Vicky

[babycakes5]

The street and next door neighbours houses are all presentable. We are in Doncaster, but I originally come from Hove East Sussex.
Vicky

[goldfish1]

I've just sold mine after it being on the market for ages. I asked the estate agent round for some advice and he suggested a new hall carpet - the previous one was "tired" - and some new photos for the internet. Got the carpet and the first person to view after that actually bought the house. It's really a case of if the right person comes to view and likes what you've got for sale. We also did all the things that they say you should do when selling - neutral colours, decluttering, getting rid of the pets, etc.
Apparently people make up their minds about a property in the first few seconds so first impressions and all that....
The more exposure the property has the better - could it be advertised on other web sites or papers? Good luck.

[Scarlett]

Could you give us the link to where it is online? We may then be able to give you opinions about the way it is presented?

[Binky]

Maybe some people have driven past and your house just hasn't got kerb appeal so they haven't bothered to contact the estate agent.

Why don't you get a really good friend to do an independent assessment on the outside of your house and internally, rather like the House Doctor and give you a honest opinion as to what is wrong. Sometimes we houseowners can't see for ourselves what the problem is as we have lived with it for so long or have very individual taste.

Often the problem is too much clutter, furniture or personal items, that prevent a viewer from seeing how the space should be lived in and how their own furniture would fit.

Anything that makes a house lighter and brighter will help. Also, make it smell nice.

Give the Estate Agent a deadline - such as three weeks - to get some viewers round or change your agent. You could try advertising yourself, or have an open day event, make up your own flyers, lay on some drinks, smarten the house up and through open the doors.

[Binky]

Have just read Scarlett's answer! Yes - if you could provide a link to some interior shots of your house or exterior, then you might get some positive criticism that you could work on. You could also send it to some designers for comments.

[babycakes5]

It would be great if you could give me your opinions, thanks. I've asked my friends who say that they can't understand why no-one has been to view the property.

I've just put it on a private selling website to get more exposure. Its on www.eureka247.com . Put in europe, england, south yorkshire on the drop down menu and its the house with the red MIcra outside, in Rossington.

I've spoken to my estate agent today (a large national company), who has told me that they can't do any more than they have already. She has advised me to try another agent.

This time i have decided to go with the local agent in the village instead of the larger ones in town. He's coming Friday. What do you think?
Thanks again
Vicky

[Scarlett]

You should get the house on Rightmove. It is the only site people go to- not the strange Eureka one! Also, take some pics of your bathroom, kitchen and bedroom. You have 2 pics of basically the same room, so it does not give us much info. The whole house looks a bit plain- neutral is good, but characterless is not. Could you dress it in a slightly more creative way?

[babycakes5]

It's also on rightmove but we don't get many people viewing on that. I thought it would be easier to look at the eureka site.

Could you suggest a different way to dress the room then? I've tried turning the settee the other way and that didn't work. I've thought about putting a fire place in but my friends say that it wouldn't make any difference. Young people apparently don't want fire places, they take them out!

[Scarlett]

If it was me, there are a few things I would add.
The general appearance is beige. Neutral is good, but can lack character, and character is popular right now! I would take down the pictures on the wall and replace them with one large original piece of "abstract" art. This will instantly attract younger or more "arty" people to consider the house. I would remove the bear (!) from the sofa and instead add a couple of hippy, velvet or ethnic cushions. This will have the same effect as above. Then I would put a big bunch of flowers on the table- something bright like Lillies, just nothing like grandma would have!
This may not be "you" but it will be other people.

I would take more photos- of the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Put big green leafy plants in every room (or the same one for the photo!!) as this softens the look.
Your house is very grown-up, and young people might be intimidated by this.

The front of the house looks great. Try and take photos using a wide angle lens so you can see the whole room rather than just the front portion.

That's what I would do, anyway!

[Gandy]

As a current buyer I can't recommend Rightmove at all. Have arranged in excess of 25 viewings using their "arrange viewing" function and only 2 agents have ever responded to me.

I think it goes to show that a proactive estate agent is the key. I have submitted my buying criteria to numerous agents and nine times out of ten I have seen their boards up outside houses and had to contact them to arrange viewings. They have a customer base yet they do not market your property.

What do they do for their fees?

[babycakes5]

I quite agree. Agents do very little for their money. I had a new agent visit me today and got the first honest answer from an agent in over a year. He said that he would charge me less than 1% as he could not justify any more as he does very little. He was that honest he got my business!

My pictures and agent will be changing on Rightmove very soon, I've made a few changes and would be grateful of feedback. I'll let you know when it is going to be posted.

Gandy, your not looking for a house in South Yorkshire by any chance? I know a lovely place and you won't have to deal with any estate agents.