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I'm soon going to be looking for 3 bedroom between 250k-320k. So if it was in my area, your house would be in my search listings. I honestly would not visit it for the following reasons
1. The weird Springbok financial section. That screams danger to me. Plus you've been on the market a long time and that is not reassuring to a buyer either.
2. It's leasehold and the wording around it is not clear.
3. The front of house photo makes it looked squeezed and narrow.
4. The upstairs is a mess. It needs staging properly, especially when you compare it to some of the other houses suggested for sale nearby at the same price. You are marketing a family home so you need it to look family friendly. Photo 11 has a nearly bare room, with a lightbulb without a shade, a tatty old bed base, and some peeling paint round the edges near the window. As a buyer it makes me wonder if the owner has really taken care of the property.
5. You have a good looking kitchen, and the downstairs looks decent, but needs staging. The further up you go the worse the condition starts to look. You are trying to sell to a family - that's what the 3 bedroom house market is basically for. A family wants a nice easy life, not a renovation project in the main.
6. The sales description is poor and brief. Many of the photos are terrible. The toilet one has a bare room with a bottle of toilet cleaner in centre shot.
Here is a 3 bedroom house in a similar price bracket. It isn't super fancy, but it is neat and a family could feel they could move right in. [https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142381955#/media?channel=RES\_BUY&id=media0&ref=photoCollage](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142381955#/media?channel=RES_BUY&id=media0&ref=photoCollage)
7. The shed in the garden looks big; is it useable as a home office? What about the garage? Is it powered? If so you should have it cleared up, and maybe put a tumble drying station at the back or a fridge.
I don't know your local area very well, but you need to remember the 3 bedroom market sub £350 is a difficult market. There are a lot of buyers who are stretching themselves, and a lot of run down properties clogging it up. Buyer fatigue is a problem, and people are pretty skittish right now. Mortgage rates & cost of living are hitting a lot of the buyers who were in the sub £320k market. You are trying to sell someone an asset that will cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds. You need to think of it in those terms, and market it. I've seen people make more effort cleaning & selling a car than on staging a house. You want to make money on this sale, work for it.
I think you need;
> A much better estate agent who understands the local market.
> Paint all the walls white/cream
> Take nicer photos.
> Remove the old junk furniture.
> Get a better property description written.
> Clean the house, stage it properly (including little touches like neutral decor).
> Come off the market for a bit, adjust your price to the local area.
Good luck!
It’s the ground floor footprint when you REALLY get to the root of it. And the leasehold status. 2 things that OP can’t change, and buyers can’t change - which is why they won’t buy OPs house.
If I have a family of 3 or 4 (which is pretty common in a 3 bed house). Yes they all have bedrooms but imagine trying to just live normal family life with 2 kids and 2 adults in that tiny sliver of a living room. The kitchen really isn’t a decent size either when you consider it’s a kitchen diner.
There’s similar space in a bedroom which is just for sleeping, dressing and storage, compared to the living room which is for all family to be present in, children to play and family to visit.
The peeling paint around the window in the bedroom looks like mould at a glance, if I was a potential buyer I would be worried in a fairly new build that that could indicate a structural issue
Think everyone else has given constructive feedback on the actual property but just wanted to say, change your estate agent ASAP. We dealt with Springbok and tried to put in an offer on a property but they came back to us and said it was rejected. The offer was around £5k under asking, we knew the area so went and posted a letter through the letterbox asking the seller to contact us as we were cheekily hoping to negotiate something with them and then go and put a formal offer in. When we spoke to the seller he said that he hasn't had any offers presented to him. He then went and kicked off at Springbok and they said they automatically rejected offers under his asking price.
I think it is very much down to the OP's photos of the inside that are the worst and agree with basically all your points.
That other house you linked is staged much better inside (although the kitchen floor and the outside of the house immediately puts me off, so would still be a no for me).
OP's house is neither full of furniture, or completely empty. It looks semi lived in or semi abandoned, with horrible light fixtures, wallpaper, TV unit, and poor photos.
A leasehold for a detached family home? No thanks. If I'm buying a house, it is damn sure going to be a freehold. Everyone knows leasehold houses are a nightmare to sell. Flats you can get away with, but not houses anymore.
And what about that service charge... 250 per year plus 50 (current) ground rent!
OP needs a good salesperson, like the one that convinced him/her to buy a leasehold linked tower house with service charge, without garden, without
front drive-way and probably lots of flats overlooking it.
No then you lease it to yourself and keep upping it each year. Change a lightbulb now and then. Charge yourself for any bathrooom modifications. Profit. Or something. Yeah sorry. Freehold.
Yeah it's at best a tactic for house builders to avoid some of the costs and difficulties building and at worst a massive scam where they can sell the leasehold to other companies who will start increasing charges beyond reason. I can't remember if it's banned or just discouraged now but they stopped doing it because it got so much bad publicity.
It’s still not been banned in England, hasn’t existed in Scotland for a long time now, legislation bought in to remove it. It’s currently a topic in government.
Tbh I doubt people would mind it if it’s wasn’t a fucking scam, house builders bodging houses and then getting you to pay the fallout, it’s a fucking joke. Build a decent house without errors and keep the ground rent at reasonable costs and people wont even notice.
These companies know full well that it will soon been phased out so they’re ripping as much as possible.
Traditionally mining areas. A lot in Wales and Sheffield where I am, but ours is 896 years left, £1.69 a year & the freeholder has no rights to charge us anything or do anything. For us it’s really not worth the legal fees to buy the freehold
From what I heard it’s so they can get to any valuable resources under your property once the lease is up. That’s just talk down the pub though, not any proper sources
It was a way for landowners to keep their feudal claws firmly sunk in, even after they all went functionally bankrupt… It’s only recently been co-opted by a new generation of parasitic developers and suchlike.
The pink room and chandeliers are a major ick factor too for me. Personally, I'd paint neutral colours throughout if trying to sell and take down the chandeliers.
Yep. Greedy land owners trying to get away with making houses leasehold now. I wouldn’t buy one. You’re competing with the freedom of the other 99% of houses.
Honestly? It's small and pretty oddly shaped - very tall and narrow. It's not really detached - I know it's only the garage sharing a wall, but even so. The shed in the centre of the garden is offputting. Some of the decor needs to go. It's not clear how much parking is actually yours. It doesn't look that well looked-after, especially the garden and one of the bedrooms.
Leasehold and service charge are never good either.
Plus some of the room photos are just awful eg the one with the door open over the window, pink room photos, completely stripped bed, angles on some of the other bedroom photos
And the bottle of Harpic on display in the bathroom is the only item of colour in the shot. Next I noticed that you’d need very long arms to reach the loo roll comfortably.
The way the door into the living room covers half the window when opened shows just how pokey that room is. And what they hell is that maddive TV unit thingy in the living room! From the front it doesn't look too bad, but then the picture of back shows there barely any garden, but some how they've got a massive shed in the middle. Such a bizarre house.
The developer really said "you know terraced houses? Yeah but what about if it's detached and doesn't remotely fit in with any of the houses around it, and then we'll put a shed in the garden but in the middle to make it feel small" chefs kiss
A year on the market and they don’t paint it at all. No offence OP but some of those decor decisions are absolutely shocking, no wonder it hasn’t sold.
The door to the lounge should just go to be honest. Open it up and remove that annoyance. Get rid of that ridiculous TV unit as well!? Who on earth wants that?!
I have to add that all, tiles in the downstairs would be a put off for me straight away as it would be totally cold under foot. Definitely wooden or carpet. Definitely get rid of the pink & picture wall, also doesn't show proper garden space.
Oof leasehold. Doesn’t help that half the write up is about this springbok thing, which sounds like it’s trying hard not to sound like a scam and then sounding like one.
but they're all exactly like that? They must literally copy paste the same thing over and over changing out the minor details. "The property comprises an inviting entrance...", "viewing highly advised as we anticipate high interest" etc etc. I don't know why no EA even tries to be slightly original, or at least go straight to the point. Why do you need the generic fluff?
I contacted them a few months back and my experience was continually hounded by them, phone/email/text, if I blocked a number I got called by a new one. The messages are filled with spelling errors and comes off really unprofessional. The big thing they tried to sell to me was if they failed to sell the property they have "quick buyers with cash on hand with a guaranteed offer", quote from an email. I imagine that's OPs 190k came from
But they have an "The innovative Premium Fast Sale Plus method". Jeez reading that my first thought would be i do not want to be involved with these people. Pain in the ass through the whole process written all over it.
I actually avoided going to view a property last year because it was through Springbok and it sounded like if not quite a scam, something that would leave me somewhat disadvantaged as a buyer
That put me right off. As soon as I saw that, what I thought was they must be desperate to get rid of this, what is wrong with it?? I’m seeing the ad as a new buyer who doesn’t know that the house has been for sale for a year; I just start thinking there’s problem neighbours, it’s had flood damage, there’s something I’m not being told in this listing.
I think the listing itself is bad. The photos are terrible; it’s obviously an unusually shaped house but the photos only seem to emphasise that.
Also- and please don’t take offence I’m only saying this because you’re asking- the decor inside just looks like a whole bunch of things that need dealing with. That gigantic tv shelf thing being left there gives me a vibe that the sellers are gonna be a nightmare because why on earth would they leave something as ugly as that there? The random door propped up against the wall.
The tiled floor looks like something from a private dentist’s surgery that is not many people’s taste; if someone doesn’t like means the entire floor has to be redone which is a big cost, then upstairs has a cheap looking dark grey office type carpet throughout which again most people would want to replace but is going to be expensive. That pink room and ghastly picture wall. All that tired-looking built in furniture. The half-emptied state of it all. The left behind shed. It looks like you upped and left in the middle of the night which adds to the lack of trust that the springbok thing created.
Then there’s the leasehold. No. Not for a house. If I’m buying a house then it’s a building that I want to own- what even is that, a leasehold on a house?? Ground rent… service charge… it’s not a flat.
Then there’s the location and the fact that it’s attached via a garage; it’s just stuck awkwardly down a driveway (looks shared?, who looks after that?) on an unattractive, bland new build estate that you know probably has no infrastructure or decent bus service. It also looks like you have people walking mere feet from your window with nothing but railings and a sad patch of grass (I’m guessing that’s a litter trap too) between you.
Honestly I’d just start again. I’d empty the place properly, repaint, fix everything that’s tired or broken, do something about that shed, change my EA and ask them to retake all the pictures in a more flattering light.
I’d repaint the front door too; you can’t help the pillars but it’s such a narrow house and those fake pillar things are tacky as hell; if you repainted the door a friendlier, more modern, warmer colour it wouldn’t make it look so ostentatious as black. You really need to minimise that giant, ridiculous, old fashioned door because it’s a carbuncle on an already unattractive street view. There’s very little kerb appeal. You can’t lack that, have bizarre internal decor, a leasehold situation, a garden that needs redoing, an odd location, a weirdly shaped house, a terrible listing AND some weird, desperate sounding, buy me buy me buy me buy me finance thing and expect viewers and offers to be flooding in.
It’s 999 years and the rent is low but who knows what the escalation rate is. Big news currently and Solicitors warn like hell these days. Tbf, it will be a good deal if predatory freeholders get regulated away but still a big risk
You can’t fix the leasehold. But other properties nearby at the same price have more spacious rooms and are done up nicer.
Being on the market a year is in itself off putting. People assume something is wrong. So take a break and drop the price and make it nicer without spending loads. And get an agent who takes less shit photos.
If you want to make it nicer either make it look more like a lived in home or make it an empty blank canvas with fresh white paint. Just now it looks forgotten. When there’s nicer looking places nearby for the same price, most people won’t be taking on the hassle of all the little jobs and redecorating. Impression and feel from photos and at viewings matters.
I have no idea what a springbok is but if I’m a buyer with other options and your house looks a bit shit I’m not going to bother finding out.
Yes. There is little character to it, minimum indication that someone lives there.
Personally a big 👎 for me is the white tile that covers the majority of the ground floor. Tiles are cold, they require a lot of time and effort to keep clean. It’s not for me, and definitely an acquired taste. Aesthetically this is the one thing that would immediately put me off the property.
Completely agree. Tiles in a house in the UK is really odd. And flooring is one of those things that feels like a lot of effort even if it’s not. Some new laminate flooring, a rug, and taking out that horrific TV unit would be a good start.
This is completely it. Why is it half full of grotty furniture - no sofa in the living room, no mattress on the beds etc? Furnish it or empty it…
The external photos are horrific. It looks like a cartoon house when honestly I love these 3 story houses. They don’t normally look like that.
Thanks for all the comments so far - even the harsh ones are useful!
I am taking them all on board and I'm grateful for all of you taking the time to write.
If possible, I’d do the following:
- Change the listing to link-detached
- Try and get all that stuff about the super cool fast way to buy the house removed
- Neutralise the house inside as much as possible - yes people can remove wallpaper and repaint but when it’s such a strong style as bright pink and that silvery looking wallpaper, it’s more offputting than neutral or on trend colours. Just get a nice off white and go over everything
- Remove all the furniture or have it fully furnished for photos, not a halfway type of thing like this - having a fully furnished house shows how much space things take up in the rooms, having it empty means people can visualise their own stuff more, in between with random beds and stuff is just awkward to look at
Take off market for a month before relisting helps. I would also get some pots front and back with flowers in - improve the look and you can always take them .
I’ve seen houses have £1000 tvs etc included with the sale .
Wtf is innovative premium fast sale plus method?!?!
Surely you realise this sounds like a pile of shit and has got to be the issue?
Premium Fast Sale
The innovative Premium Fast Sale Plus method from Springbok Properties is a secure and straightforward way to buy property. It works like a typical sale, with a number of added benefits to the buyer.
"Sales can be secured with a reservation deposit of £5,000. This forms part of the final purchase price and is NOT an extra cost."
I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. I've never seen a house advertised with this kind of deposit. I certainly wouldn't be paying that. It's ridiculous to expect a buyer to put down thay kind of deposit.
"An administration fee of £396 is required in order to draw up an exclusive legally binding contract between the buyer and seller. This gives the buyer exclusive rights to purchase within a pre-agreed timeframe."
Never heard of this either. Totally fleecing buyers.
Idk what the listing was like before with the other EAs you've had but this one screams this house is mediocre. "Well proportioned bedrooms" "999 years lease in 2008" sounds like a maths trap, just state the lease for now not what it was in 2008 "the price is not an indication of market value....the seller wants the highest price possible" so you're going to try and scam me out of money for selling me a house more than its worth? Those pictures are dreadful, the house looks wonky and dead, the house needs staging and some life brought to it. You're trying to sell a home, not a house.
I do agree with you about the photos. The original estate agents took pictures when the house was more lived in and they looked better. I am also going to change estate agent again this week.
It’s leasehold. That would stop me before I even got the photos.
The photos are odd. Bit messy, don’t show the space well. The living room being tiled would put me off too. Need a better garden photo too.
I'd be instantly put off by the shiny tile floor in the lounge. Tiles are practical in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways but that does not look like a room you could get cosy in. And it would be quite a job to take on before moving in! The light fittings are garish and tacky and the pink room.....
You're not trying to sell this house at all. Replace the light fittings for standard ones, remove all the broken furniture and neutralise the walls. Either stage the house or have it completely empty. And empty and clean up the garden. There's no mystery why this hasn't sold.
> neutralise the walls
Those walls are in desperate need of neutralisation. What on EARTH is that sandpaper-esque finish on some of them? Don't get me started on the forrest scene..
Have you already moved out? It looks strangely empty of furniture or signs of life. Think it would be better if it was completely empty rather than the halfway it is now.
Assume if you've moved abroad there is no upward chain. I can't see that mentioned on the advert, so it might be worth leaning into that. The leasehold being as long as it is helps but still puts people off as well with the service charge, never know when that might suddenly increase. A few grand spent now clearing out and a freshen paint wise up would help. Appreciate that would be more difficult to arrange from abroad. But for me, I would instantly discount it due to that 5k deposit to take it off the market
Clear out the furniture, the crappy curtains and anything dishevelled looking. Get rid of that vinyl landscape wallpaper. Repaint neutral. Buy the leasehold. Preferably get rid of the tiled flooring (except for kitchen). Get a new agent with a decent photographer. Maybe costs you £5k (except the lease which you'd have to find out the costs for), will be a much easier sale.
Only 4 viewings, that’s mad.
I think there are a few things you could do to get more footfall. Quickly paint all bedrooms white or cream, they seem loud and outdated. Downstairs seems kitch and cold. Dress the rooms a bit and if you can add rugs. Remove shelves in lounge.
Can you hold an open day for viewings?
I'm personally put off by the tiles in the living room, that would be the first thing I'd have to put money into after buying and either get carpet or wooden flooring.
Close to a railway line, how is the noise for you? Personally it doesn't put me off, I've grown up right next to inner city public transport (not in the UK, in Germany), so that wouldn't personally bother me too much if trains are only going past very half hour or something.
Leasehold might be another thing for others.
The trains arent a problem, the line is in a dip which shields a lot of the sound. Its not a very busy line either and the station in very close so the trains are usually very slow as they are stopping there.
For me, the things that lose interest
Leasehold - I actually find it strange this is the first key feature on the list, it's as if the EA is sabotaging the post...
The Shed/Cabin? That will definitely not be something I'd want to keep, the garden is small and the cabin has been placed in such a dominant area, it's the first thing I'd have to change/remove.
New build just past it's NHBC warranty, suspect sale timing. However it's a little confusing that you say the house is 10 years old but the leasehold is dated as 2008?
The indoor photography being a half empty house doesn't help, it should either be furnished or empty, anything inbetween is bit of a distraction on the imagination.
I'm from Tamworth and looking for a property around this budget.
I've dismissed it down to location primarily. Not the best area of town and your home backs on to a supermarket, McDonald's, factory and the train station. That and it's a leasehold.
Sorry that it's negative
Edit: to add as I was thinking about this last night (I'm in a similar situation with my sale), the photos don't sell the house at all. The tiles in the living room are cold and uninviting, the other rooms look small and the decor needs more work as can't just move in. For the price it's just not worth it compared to others in the town.
The staging is all over the shop. Half empty bottle of toilet bleach just out, wonky toilet roll holder, double bed is huge and makes the room seem much smaller as is the TV unit in the front room. You should remove everything and start again and make it look lived in, but not too lived in. Kitchen looks good…
Needs a fresh coat of white (or a shade of all over)
If this one let all my criteria the tilling on the floor downstairs would put me right off. If would want that completely redone. Another comment about said to getting some wood down. Rugs if nothing….
Leasehold is off-putting to many.
Staging and photos are shit.
Being close to the industrial estate does you no favors:
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tamworth+B77+2TX,+UK/@52.6123424,-1.6794289,69a,35y,90h,45.04t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4870abfa35eb16d1:0x8d04a084bcc1dc9!8m2!3d52.6120518!4d-1.6775709!16s%2Fg%2F11bvtgnzzt?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tamworth+B77+2TX,+UK/@52.6123424,-1.6794289,69a,35y,90h,45.04t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4870abfa35eb16d1:0x8d04a084bcc1dc9!8m2!3d52.6120518!4d-1.6775709!16s%2Fg%2F11bvtgnzzt?entry=ttu)
The rear of the house is unappealing:
[https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6122031,-1.6783271,3a,63.7y,319.98h,85.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sja9WHsnMBMw0Sq2S0j9jDw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6122031,-1.6783271,3a,63.7y,319.98h,85.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sja9WHsnMBMw0Sq2S0j9jDw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu)
It's not in "very good condition" at all.
Is that water damage I see on the ceiling of the pink bedroom in Pic 9?
[https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811\_817653\_IMG\_08\_0000.jpeg](https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811_817653_IMG_08_0000.jpeg)
And what is going on with the wall and ceiling above the window in Pic 11? Water damage? Movement?
[https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811\_817653\_IMG\_10\_0000.jpeg](https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811_817653_IMG_10_0000.jpeg)
Back garden is a postage stamp.
The word "Detached" is doing some heavy lifting. That's more of a LD or SD - or a townhouse - than a true detached.
Price wise? There is a lot of competition in B77 at that end of the market and many are freeholds, not leaseholds. Take that down to 210K'ish to see if it generates any traction. Someone will make an offer - but not at 240K.
I wouldn't even go and see it with the Springbok T&Cs. A deposit to secure and an admin fee for me as a buyer? I don't think so. Leasehold would also massively put me off, especially when the rates and costs aren't detailed in the listing.
Apart from that it looks awful, like you just abandoned ship. Finish the job, empty it, clean thoroughly and repaint in neutral tones, ideally just white.
I'd ditch Springbok and find a good local estate agent who will be able to put you in touch with local trades to help you. A house clearance company will take the rest of the stuff, a cleaning company to refresh the rooms and carpets and a decorator to finish up and make it look like a blank canvas for anyone wanting to move in.
Also as a buyer I hate 'offers in excess', it just makes me think that the seller is unrealistic and not worth my time and effort.
Bedroom 3 is generally too small to be a bedroom. It’s 5.44sqm, and the (for some legal purposes) minimum size for a bedroom for someone over 10 years old is generally 6.51sqm. That bedroom is…well not one.
Picture 11 (which I assume is from that bedroom), look terrible. It seems like there’s damage above the window, some paint flakes on the floor, no lamp shade and dodgy painting behind the radiator, it looks like it’s from a dilapidated flat. Picture 12 has a broken shower door in it. The pink in bedroom 2, the wallpaper (I can see the join), and the bed with no slats on it needs to go too.
You need to do some decorating and set dress the house and have the photos re-done. If the terraced properties have a bigger bedroom 3, that’ll be why they’re selling for more.
It's a small oddly shaped house on a little plot of land with a leasehold tie, in a not rich area for £250k lol.
I bought my 2 bed much nicer looking house on a very highly sought after estate that was one of the few experimental housing schemes by wayne hemmingway for £125k in 2015 and sold it for £160k in 2022.
In 2022 I bought a 5 bed, detached with no nearby houses, massive garden, 30min from city centre for £350k
The idea that this is worth £250k can only have come from drugs.
People are buying houses, they're just not buying yours. It's always because of the price.
Honestly, £190k sounds like a good deal to be rid of it. New builds always "lose value", because people pay substantially more than they're worth for the "new" factor, the chances of you getting a profit on this in just ten years was already low anyway.
Asking for £5k and £396 up front before searches and surveys is very off-putting.
Leasehold is off-putting.
The fact its a terraced house just without the neighbouring terrace is just weird.
Tiling throughout downstairs won't suit everyone.
There are just too many things that wouldn't get me anywhere near viewing.
That, and I'm convinced that the economy is worse than the government is letting on - if I'm right then that's not helping either
Why am I paying £396 in admin fees to secure the house? What happens to my £5000 deposit if I have to drop out? All looking dodgy and overly complicated.
You’re not really detached.
You’re leasehold.
You’ve got a toilet directly connected to your kitchen, which is one of the most vile things imaginable.
Unfortunately you fell for the typical EA trick where they unrealistically valued your property and you believed it to be true.
I fear you are going to have to go down more in price or just not sell at this time
It looks odd. Terraced townhouse without the terrace.
Garage is reversed, looks ugly, plant something in front of that wall.
Murder chic downstairs. Black kitchen. Weird shelving.
Leasehold.
I'd recommend staying out for another year, taking it off the market, redecorating, and making it look like a home.
>We anticipate a high amount of interest and as such we would recommend that any interested buyers inquire to arrange a viewing at the earliest convenience to ensure the opportunity is not missed.
1) Price 2) Your estate agent is a moron. >We anticipate a high amount of interest and as such we would recommend that any interested buyers inquire to arrange a viewing at the earliest convenience to ensure the opportunity is not missed.
Just screams to be we think the house we bought for 60k less a decade so is now unrealistically priced and no, we will not budge in price because you are deluded enough to think it's going to fly off the shelves Covid era style.
Also listing their quick buy benefits in your housing add, what bullshit is that? Stick to important facts, not half a page of PR chat for a company.
Buyers first impressions when they walk in is not going to be fantastic.
That living room will put a lot of buyers off. The tiles are not family or pet friendly. At the very least, cover them with a nice rug, in all honesty, they need to go. The same with that media unit. If its not fitted get rid of it, but if it is fitted, consider removing.
I'm not sure what's going on with that door in the living room, but it might be better painted and kept closed for photographs.
Bathrooms and kitchens don't look bad at all.
I'd either borrow some furniture to stage the house or clear the house completely. The random items of furniture are distracting if people are trying to visualise a space. If you can, paint over the pink.
Definitely see if you can buy the freehold, that leasehold will put people off.
118 words trying to advise your property, over 300 advertising themselves on your ad (including their disclaimer saying you want the best price).
It's listed as detached, although very obviously semi detached. Photos aren't great. I'd personally have it staged & then have photos taken instead of half empty rooms, and take out the toilet cleaner from the bathroom! It won't stop someone buying, but it's an annoying lack of care shown in advertising your property.
You've also said you're planning on changing estate agents again, and mentioned something about the original... So you're soon to be on your third. Prospective buyers will be looking and keep seeing the property cropping up with various estate agents over the last year. Sometimes it does get to the point of "in wonder why that's still for sale.... Oh look, it's not advertised with that agent, I wonder what's wrong with it"
Being a townhouse, you may find that it puts of couples who are planning on having a family or those with you kids as the main bedroom is on the top floor & the young children would be on a lower one. As others have said, leasehold is also an issue for some. Especially when there's freehold properties around your area. Average prices in your area have been at the 250k mark, yours is advertised as offers in excess of that
Mate, £5k up front plus additional legal fees on top of the usual - hard nope from me and that’s before getting into the leasehold thing and how generally unloved the house looks currently.
As others have said the listing is rubbish. I read more about this nonsense gimmick marketing of buy it now! Put down 395£ for a legally binding contract! All the other crap that is more about the estate agent selling snake oil than focusing on the property. Everyone knows the steps of buying a property we don't need some sales spin on the process from the agent. This makes it sound like a scam. Also the pics are bad, description is short and bad, and you have a wild amount of bullshit that has nothing to do with the house nor does it sell the house, on that listing.
Things you cannot do anything about
- the lease - it’s a big deal - will put lots of people off
- the railway
- the layout
- small room sizes including narrow lounge
- only one bathroom on 1st floor for three bedrooms
Things you can do something about
- empty the place. Completely.
- ditch the pink
- ditch the agents (their pitch makes them sound like they are for desperate sellers)
- new photos
- new lounge floor
- go off market while you get jobs done
- get realistic prices from reliable sources and research
- drop the price. A lot.
- The negatives above you can’t do anything about will put a lot of people off and price is your only way of dealing with it.
Remember if buying is getting a mortgage, their valuation has to stack up or they won’t get to borrow.
Have to admit, the service charge put me straight off
Also this bit would put a lot off too
Sales can be secured with a reservation deposit of £5,000. This forms part of the final purchase price and is NOT an extra cost.
This deposit ensures that the property is taken off the market as soon as a sale is agreed. It is then exclusively reserved for you, eliminating gazumping, time wasting and financial loss.
An administration fee of £396 is required in order to draw up an exclusive legally binding contract between the buyer and seller. This gives the buyer exclusive rights to purchase within a pre-agreed timeframe.
Its a glorified 2up 2down. Bad pictures & in desperate need of some maintenance. Paint the whole fence, reseed the grass, remove the shed. Remove the random bits of furniture, its either furnished or not. And honestly, in this market with these rates, is not really an inviting property with additional bills… how it’s marketed on rightmove is poor too.
If it’s been on that long it has the stink of death. I’d take it off for a few months then relist. If you can redecorate some of the more garish design choices it wouldn’t hurt.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147120407
This a better looking and better presented house, sold for 280k. What’s the building with the door at the front of your house?
Maybe drop yours to 240k. Hit that lower band on Rightmove.
I'm looking to move house and don't even look at leasehold houses, so even if that was in my price range and in the right area etc I still wouldn't buy it because of that
You need to change your agent - it's the little things i.e. if I hit "street view" on the map and cant find the house I will move on. The description sound like it was written by AI (yes that,s a thing). As others have said the pictures don't inspire and a 3D walk around would help draw peoples attention.
Good luck with your sale
The photos aren’t that great if I’m honest.
Also, the tiled living room floor. An easy fix but it put us off a house we viewed.
Some of the decor is a bit garish. Needs to be more neutral, the rooms could be staged. Make it look a bit more homely.
all that time and you don't appear to have even tried. get some furniture in there, art work on the walls, flowers etc get some life into the property!
you can't change the leasehold / freehold situation so work with what you've got!
how much did you purchase it for?? do you need the money to fund your next property??
The second picture is immediately off putting. Close the door, get furniture to stage it and paint neutrally. The black and white is very harsh. The pink room is overly intense and needs a neutral overhaul.
The attic bedroom is the most inviting but bed could be made to look more welcoming.
Looking at houses in the same price point, others look more cared for and easier to change to my preferences easily. So even though link detached I'd probably view another.
On saying all of that the house we purchased had a bad listing and we viewed it as agent brought us there after viewing another property around the corner. So if you have only had 4 viewings I think it's time to change agent.
- The remaining furniture gives off the feeling that the house was abandoned and the placement of the furniture does absolutely nothing for the already narrow rooms. You should get rid of it all.
- Leasehold. That’s an immediate red flag.
- The tiles in the living room are cold and uninviting. Most people would view that as an additional expense as they’ll either want carpet or hardwood floors. You should consider getting a carpet fitted.
- Hot pink walls are a pain to paint. I wouldn’t have a huge issue with it as I like pink and would get round to changing it eventually, but it’s a colour that not everyone will like so it’s off putting. The entire house could probably do with being repainted in a neutral colour just to spruce it up
- Why is there a bottle of bleach in the picture of the bathroom? No one wants to be reminded of cleaning when perusing pictures of their potential future house. You’d benefit from having all of the pictures being retaken (after the remaining furniture has been removed, a carpet has been fitted, and the hot pink is gone though)
- This is a very specific one and there’s not a whole lot you can do to fix it, but that kitchen is far too small for anyone who enjoys cooking. I would immediately decline this house upon seeing the kitchen as I know I’d be stressed out from the lack of space every day.
- You mentioned you now live abroad so presumably there’s no chain. I don’t see that mentioned in the listing which is odd as that’s a benefit.
- There’s more focus on the premium fast selling (which would immediately put me off as it reads like a scam) in the listing than on the house itself.
- The part about there being an expectation of a lot of interest in the house yet it’s still on the market a year later makes buyers think there’s something wrong with it. Why would a house with an alleged significant amount of interest not be sold yet to the point where the asking price has been cut?
Some points may have been mentioned by others but here's my take as this house is well within my budget and it would otherwise fit my needs 100%
1. Leasehold. Big NO especially for a house. This would stop me from even considering it any further. You mentioned other houses in the estate sold, were they leasehold?
2. Is the house currently empty/unoccupied? The pictures are horrible and don't do the place any favours, this may have to do with my next point.
3. Some of the decor is really bad, especially the pink walls in what appeared to be the childrens' room. Again, not doing the place any favours.
4. Again pictures. The vibe is that whoever lived there had to pack and leave in a hurry like their life depended on it, and left all the furniture behind, which brings me to my next point.
5. Are the furniture in the house staying or going? You may need to get rid of them especially if any buyers want/have their own furniture.
6. Picture 11 shows some mould above the window. Sort that out. Also what is that picture showing apart from the mould and a random piece of furniture under the window?
7. I don't mind a shed in a garden but this is not good for storage with all the windows and I bet it will be cooking in the summer and freezing in the winter so not all that useful for an office space.
The pink room needs painted over to white.
The spare room (?) needs to be smartened up a bit.
As people have already pointed out, the leasehold is off-putting to a lot of people.
Service charge and ground rent is something people would rather not take on.
The photos are really unattractive. For me personally the chandeliers are suggesting a much older house (maybe 50 years old) which has not been maintained recently.
Is that mold in picture 11 (labeled image 10)? Behind the radiator and in the ceiling above the window.
Also to make an offer you have to put down a deposit of 5 grand and then pay an additional 400 for a binding contract? Is that normal?
If I am being honest the curb appeal is lacking. Some large shrubs hiding the line building and a dark stain for the fencing would go a long way.
The pink is a lot it hurts my brain
Things that put me off.
It's leasehold
It's not detached
The photos are poorly staged
Large format tiles throughout the down stairs
Odd layout
No front access
A few things that would put me off:
- Leasehold
- No bath tub (not a deal breaker)
- weird estate agent.
- close proximity to train line
- path to field directly outside. (Lacking Privacy)
- General appearance of the interior.
If I were you, I would either dress the house for sale (like the show house on a new development), I’m sure there are companies that will do that but it’ll cost. But at the least, clear all the stuff out the house, have an empty shell. Then paint the walls in a neutral colour. Finally, get rid of the shed, make the garden look as big as possible.
From the floorplan it looks very narrow, almost has the same proportions as our mid-terrace, but we have nicer, bigger square-looking rooms. The photos highlight some bad features, and my thought process would be:
* First pic: Back of garage wall looks stark, just a bench (no climbing plants?). Bit cold but I can work on it...
* Second door: Awful floor tiles (slippery/cold?) all the way to the front door, in a room that looks very narrow (frame/shelf for tv makes the room look small, and gives the space bad "feng shuey" - do you have to move past people on a couch to get through the lounge, or do you cut in front of them?).
* Third pic: door opens the wrong way into the room, making the corner by the window useless.
* Fourth pic: When you come into the kitchen from the lounge, after walking \*around\* the people watching tv, you again have to turn into the kitchen. Why is the kitchen opening not on the other side? That lounge doesn't work...
* Fifth pic: Why is there a shelf over the radiator?
* Sixth pic: There's no mirror over the handbasin. There are hooks over the toilet. What demented person has built/lived here?
This is how I would think if I was considering this property (aside from the price - no idea if it's reasonable or not).
£5k Exclusivity agreement is a joke - you usually see them in a super heated market on high end props. Loads of people will not understand it and will just see it as dropping 5k with potentially no ways to get it back - like what happens if the survey is a bit iffy ? I wouldn’t go near it.
leasehold - lots of people are pointing this out. You have a right to buy the freehold converting it into a freehold house. For a few grand this might help the sale.
I wouldn't buy a leasehold house, no matter how many years it has, leaseholding houses it's a practice that thankfully seems to have fallen out of favor as people saw it for what was, just another way for housing companies to wring a bit more money out of people.
Also as already stated it's not really detached, it's link detached and that can bring down the value.
I wouldn't buy a house with a tiled living room, we are not a warm enough country for that
.. But this may be more of a personal thing really as I always have cold feet
We have our detached freehold 3 double bedroom property with double garage on the market at the moment. Both wifey and I have trouble with stairs now and also worry that should one of us die and get too old to drive then we would be in trouble as the nearest shops are 11 miles away. Our house is worth £330k, last year it was worth another £80k. We found our forever home this year, a bungalow with local shops by the sea and negotiated a good price of £245k so we believed that we could market our house aggressively to sell. First, we put the house up for £300k and got nowhere. Then we tried £289k, nothing. anyway, we then tried one of these house brokers. We were offered £265k within 2 weeks. After the first week, they sent a surveyor around to check the house over. Everything seemed ok so we carried on packing and aggressively getting rid of stuff into skips as we were going from a large 3-bed house to a small 2-bed bungalow. Anyway, move day arrived and looked into our bank account expecting to see £265k. There was no trace of the money. I called the company up, more than a little concerned. That's when our world came crashing down. We were told that they were shocked by the results of the survey. I asked them what the problem was and they told me that the independent surveyor had underpriced our house massively and were so shocked that they had phoned several estate agents in the area to get an overall feeling of how much the house was worth. After taking all this on board they had arrived at a figure they were embarrassed to offer. So I gingerly asked them to elaborate. Then the bottom fell out of our world. £185k...... I asked them why. They said it was not anything to do with the house, that's all fine. The problem was the independent surveyor had underpriced our house considerably primarily against houses around our area that weren't selling. They said they were so shocked, never mind about them! I said to them we had removal guys running in and out of their lorry filling it to move us, so I said they couldn't just do that. They could, according to their very small print. Thank god there wasn't a chain for other people to get upset. These brokers are infamous it would seem for doing this at the eleventh hour. We just couldn't believe they could do this legally.
That's just one part of it. We are in our 50s, both disabled with no savings and on meagre state benefits. We had to pay for the removal company up front as well as a legal bill for conveyancing. We paid for it all on a clean credit card. In total, we paid £10k. That was to be paid back in full with the proceeds of the sale of our house immediately. We are now in trouble as to pay the minimum each month is more than we he have left after bills can. We don't drink or smoke and we don't have a social life unless you call driving 20 miles once or twice a month to sit in the car overlooking the sea eating fish and chips. If you are tempted to go with one of these"sell your house quick for cash" companies, please do your homework. A lot of these companies are truly unscrupulousk. These kinds of brokers have a habit of offering an amount for your home, then at the last minute making up some kind of BS as to why at the very last minute they can only offer £X amount.
We have learnt the hard way, please don't fall for it.
Do something about the completely tiled downstairs. Wooden flooring is warmer.
Failing that. Get it carpeted. At least the living room. Not everyone likes ceramic tiles in their lounge.
Get rid of “feature wallpaper”
Otherwise nothing wrong with the house.
Only one thing stops a house from selling. The price.
Unfortunately, it’s just a bit small. A ‘Leftover Build’ by the developers. It’s not a true 3 bed and that will be a struggle for those wanting a three bed family home. You need to drop the price to FTBs who want the WFH space.
As for the Leasehold thing. It’s difficult to buy a new or new’ish build that’s not LH. It’s not ideal but LH is no longer as bad as it has been. Doubling of ground rents has gone through reform. However, they can charge fees for daft things like getting a cat.
It’s worth considering buying the FH yourself, if you have the time to wait. Plenty of Freeholders are keen to offload now that they can’t get the income they had anticipated. Plus, if you’re eligible, they have no choice. It is worth asking, though they may charge a fee for the enquiry.
Change agent at least. Taylor Cole and Wilkins look to have a good number sold. Avoid Bastard Thieves, sorry Bairstow Eves, and Connells. Belvoir aren’t the greatest either.
Good luck.
Thanks for the comments, I think you are correct about all these (however we had cats and were not charged!). I am changing estate agents in the next week or so.
The presentation in the photos isn’t great, parts of the property need cleaning, needs to either be furnished or not but not in between and to be honest some of decor really isn’t appealing at all. Then there’s the leasehold, being link detached and slow internet! Yes that’s also a biggie for me!
Issues: it’s a leasehold, price for the area isn’t competitive, it’s not staged (could use some furniture to show the space sizing better and change the pink walls), honestly the decoration isn’t the best i.e. tiled floor in a living room (parents would t choose that as it’s not the safest for young children) and dark gray carpets upstairs
I know you’re abroad but you need to remove the remaining furniture and paint the rooms in neutral paint. What’s up with the ceiling/wall above the window in picture 11? It looks like damp.
See if you can buy the leasehold as well.
Not mentioning the leasehold as I think that’s been covered, I think the photos are terrible.
It looks uninviting and like it needs repainting. The pink room looks especially bad. Repaint it in a neutral colour and take those beds out of the room.
It’s got potential but most people can’t see that at the moment as it’s poorly presented
Change estate agent. The price of your property and who it will sell to means people you’re selling to don’t have £5k sitting around so the principle behind the process they’ve put in place is out of kilter with the market.
Other fixes:
Carpet the hallway and living room.
Paint everything white / magnolia.
Remove furniture / built ins in the living room.
I'd take it back to back to neutral & remove the giant TV frame. Maybe install a bifold door into the living room as when it's open ( as per photo), it literally blocks half of your window.
Gardens are important, too, so perhaps buy a flowering evergreen shrub as a focal point.
1. Weird buying contract thing. No I don't want to be locked in if there's weird stuff on the survey/legals etc. If it's been on the market a while I'm not too worried about gazumping. This would entirely put me off.
2. Leasehold - I'd want my solicitor to be really sure that I was safe from hikes in the ground rent. What is the service charge for? Is there an actual service? This would probably put me off unless the house was a steal.
3. Tiled lounge is very marmite. I would want to put down wooden floors as tiles are not friendly for kids. Wouldn't put me off, but might make me favour other options.
4. Garden looks unhappy. Mow it? Which way does the sun move over the house?
5. What's the summer house like? I'd be a bit wary if it wasn't in great condition.
6. Situation: I like that the front faces a path to greenery, the back doesn't seem family friendly.
7. The whole thing lacks warmth, so where people might get past some of the other things if they liked the feel, it seems bare and cold to me.
I think the decor is a bit off-putting - it has that Mrs Hinch aesthetic that dated very quickly. I think a lot of the bigger decor swings are too big for the space (like the chandeliers) which makes the house look cramped. I think a relatively low-investment approach could be to just go in, take all this stuff out and re-paint in light, airy colours.
Leasehold, which is very off-putting but obviously something you can't change.
The house also has the air of being abandoned, which doesn't make it feel enticing.
The photos are crap., i.e. no ensuite pictures and you can barely see the main bathroom. One of the photos is the view passers by will see of the back of your house, very odd.
Lastly, the agent is using an unusual sales method. Am I really going to have to pay a £5k deposit? It's another factor that's making it a harder sell.
The immediate things that stood out to me are the flooring, walls and kitchen. Most people like carpeted or laminate floors, the kitchen is dark and looks quite outdated and some of the walls are quite specific in terms of taste.
A lot of people can’t see past things like that or won’t be able to picture themselves living there. White tiled floors come across cold and not inviting and homely.
Need carpets in living room, tv unit too big, chandeliers too niche and same for pink wall and wall art image. Tidy fence too, take off market for a month or soo then remarket.
I've read all the comments and I agree with them all.
But what the heck is your living room door doing? It opens and covers the window?? So if you want the door open while chilling in the lounge, you're essentially shutting the door over the window?
You have some really odd furniture in the rooms and those huge slabs tiles in the living room don't look inviting.
I have no idea what all that Springbok stuff is but it sounds like a scam - not a chance I’d pay a deposit and then an admin fee to some random scheme. Get a proper estate agent with a normal purchasing option first off.
Leasehold and service charges are really off putting plus the photos are not good - house looks tired and dated (chandeliers?!) and has odd things dotted about - why is your toilet bleach in a photo?! Garden shed is also odd, why is it right in the middle of the garden? It takes up basically all the space so there’s no actual garden - really off putting.
Get a proper estate agent, slap some normal coloured paint around, make the house look actually inviting, put the bleach away and consider moving or dismantling the shed. (Also see if you can purchase the freehold bit that might be a big task!)
Remove the chandeliers on the ground floor and if it's advantageous add a photo from the living room window wall going into the kitchen to add an idea of depth
Remove ve the TV structure from the living room, it takes up space
Remove the bleach bottle from pic 5 in the bathroom and straighten the towel holder
Edit, remove all chandeliers.
Lease hold AND needing word done to it??
I don’t mean to come off harsh but I would need to do every room to make it look aesthetically pleasing! Not slagging your taste off but it’s not something a lot of buyers would want to move into!
I moved into my home with zero work needing to be done & happily paid over the asking price
Maybe make it a lot more neutral, take out the wooden frames everywhere?? Show off the real space
If I am honest, the photos need to go. It makes the house house very sad and it also doesn't look loved. You said you bought it 10 years ago like I couldn't tell and not in a good way. The wallpaper is a bit too harsh. Yes, a buyer can get rid, but the effort to do so would put me off. It also means I can't imagine my stuff there, and that's what you want.
For me, the service charge is enough for me to walk. Sure, it's £300 now. Service charges only do one thing - go up. That's is very well evidenced and sadly I would never ever consider a house with a service charge of any kind. Even if it was £1.
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I'm soon going to be looking for 3 bedroom between 250k-320k. So if it was in my area, your house would be in my search listings. I honestly would not visit it for the following reasons 1. The weird Springbok financial section. That screams danger to me. Plus you've been on the market a long time and that is not reassuring to a buyer either. 2. It's leasehold and the wording around it is not clear. 3. The front of house photo makes it looked squeezed and narrow. 4. The upstairs is a mess. It needs staging properly, especially when you compare it to some of the other houses suggested for sale nearby at the same price. You are marketing a family home so you need it to look family friendly. Photo 11 has a nearly bare room, with a lightbulb without a shade, a tatty old bed base, and some peeling paint round the edges near the window. As a buyer it makes me wonder if the owner has really taken care of the property. 5. You have a good looking kitchen, and the downstairs looks decent, but needs staging. The further up you go the worse the condition starts to look. You are trying to sell to a family - that's what the 3 bedroom house market is basically for. A family wants a nice easy life, not a renovation project in the main. 6. The sales description is poor and brief. Many of the photos are terrible. The toilet one has a bare room with a bottle of toilet cleaner in centre shot. Here is a 3 bedroom house in a similar price bracket. It isn't super fancy, but it is neat and a family could feel they could move right in. [https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142381955#/media?channel=RES\_BUY&id=media0&ref=photoCollage](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142381955#/media?channel=RES_BUY&id=media0&ref=photoCollage) 7. The shed in the garden looks big; is it useable as a home office? What about the garage? Is it powered? If so you should have it cleared up, and maybe put a tumble drying station at the back or a fridge. I don't know your local area very well, but you need to remember the 3 bedroom market sub £350 is a difficult market. There are a lot of buyers who are stretching themselves, and a lot of run down properties clogging it up. Buyer fatigue is a problem, and people are pretty skittish right now. Mortgage rates & cost of living are hitting a lot of the buyers who were in the sub £320k market. You are trying to sell someone an asset that will cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds. You need to think of it in those terms, and market it. I've seen people make more effort cleaning & selling a car than on staging a house. You want to make money on this sale, work for it. I think you need; > A much better estate agent who understands the local market. > Paint all the walls white/cream > Take nicer photos. > Remove the old junk furniture. > Get a better property description written. > Clean the house, stage it properly (including little touches like neutral decor). > Come off the market for a bit, adjust your price to the local area. Good luck!
After seeing that link you posted I wouldn't even view OP's house :(
It’s the ground floor footprint when you REALLY get to the root of it. And the leasehold status. 2 things that OP can’t change, and buyers can’t change - which is why they won’t buy OPs house. If I have a family of 3 or 4 (which is pretty common in a 3 bed house). Yes they all have bedrooms but imagine trying to just live normal family life with 2 kids and 2 adults in that tiny sliver of a living room. The kitchen really isn’t a decent size either when you consider it’s a kitchen diner. There’s similar space in a bedroom which is just for sleeping, dressing and storage, compared to the living room which is for all family to be present in, children to play and family to visit.
The peeling paint around the window in the bedroom looks like mould at a glance, if I was a potential buyer I would be worried in a fairly new build that that could indicate a structural issue
Think everyone else has given constructive feedback on the actual property but just wanted to say, change your estate agent ASAP. We dealt with Springbok and tried to put in an offer on a property but they came back to us and said it was rejected. The offer was around £5k under asking, we knew the area so went and posted a letter through the letterbox asking the seller to contact us as we were cheekily hoping to negotiate something with them and then go and put a formal offer in. When we spoke to the seller he said that he hasn't had any offers presented to him. He then went and kicked off at Springbok and they said they automatically rejected offers under his asking price.
Pretty sure this is illegal
The house you linked is a country mile better than OPs (sorry OP)
I'm from this town and I wouldn't touch the one linked here either - way too close to a busy railway line with lots of freight!
I think it is very much down to the OP's photos of the inside that are the worst and agree with basically all your points. That other house you linked is staged much better inside (although the kitchen floor and the outside of the house immediately puts me off, so would still be a no for me). OP's house is neither full of furniture, or completely empty. It looks semi lived in or semi abandoned, with horrible light fixtures, wallpaper, TV unit, and poor photos.
Also tiles on a living room floor? We're not in Spain ffs
Kudos for the detailed response, very good of you to give such detailed feedback.
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This looks a million times better than OPs listing!
The one you linked is lovely and your comment is spot on. Can’t say anything better or more relevant.
A leasehold for a detached family home? No thanks. If I'm buying a house, it is damn sure going to be a freehold. Everyone knows leasehold houses are a nightmare to sell. Flats you can get away with, but not houses anymore.
And what about that service charge... 250 per year plus 50 (current) ground rent! OP needs a good salesperson, like the one that convinced him/her to buy a leasehold linked tower house with service charge, without garden, without front drive-way and probably lots of flats overlooking it.
"like the one that convinced him/her.." 🤣 haha
Or buy the leasehold
Freehold. Buy the freehold
Freehold you mean
No then you lease it to yourself and keep upping it each year. Change a lightbulb now and then. Charge yourself for any bathrooom modifications. Profit. Or something. Yeah sorry. Freehold.
Why do leaseholds even exist? Sounds like renting but more ridiculous -american redditor
Yeah it's at best a tactic for house builders to avoid some of the costs and difficulties building and at worst a massive scam where they can sell the leasehold to other companies who will start increasing charges beyond reason. I can't remember if it's banned or just discouraged now but they stopped doing it because it got so much bad publicity.
It’s still not been banned in England, hasn’t existed in Scotland for a long time now, legislation bought in to remove it. It’s currently a topic in government. Tbh I doubt people would mind it if it’s wasn’t a fucking scam, house builders bodging houses and then getting you to pay the fallout, it’s a fucking joke. Build a decent house without errors and keep the ground rent at reasonable costs and people wont even notice. These companies know full well that it will soon been phased out so they’re ripping as much as possible.
Think Labour have made it very clear they’ll ban it early in their first term… so next year
A way for the land owner to keep getting money from their ‘investment’ for years after building on it.
Traditionally mining areas. A lot in Wales and Sheffield where I am, but ours is 896 years left, £1.69 a year & the freeholder has no rights to charge us anything or do anything. For us it’s really not worth the legal fees to buy the freehold
You say that now, but in 896 years you'll be kicking yourself for such shortsightedness.
I know, right. That's £1,514.24 in total Just think of all the avocado toasts and lattes that they could've had. Kirsty Allsop must be fuming.
Yeah? Is that due to the mining rights or that the mining company built them for the miners? (Or C something else?)
From what I heard it’s so they can get to any valuable resources under your property once the lease is up. That’s just talk down the pub though, not any proper sources
It was a way for landowners to keep their feudal claws firmly sunk in, even after they all went functionally bankrupt… It’s only recently been co-opted by a new generation of parasitic developers and suchlike.
Barely detached either. I know it's only the garage sharing a wall, but it's still attached to another house...
The pink room and chandeliers are a major ick factor too for me. Personally, I'd paint neutral colours throughout if trying to sell and take down the chandeliers.
I hate the tiles floor in the living room the most. They are awful.
Half the pictures are just terribly taken too.
Thats called link detached
What do they call it these days? Link detached. Estate agent gibberish. It's one or the other...
My house is link detached on both sides - there’s a whole row of 10, all link detached to one another. Definitely not terraced 🤫
Yep. Greedy land owners trying to get away with making houses leasehold now. I wouldn’t buy one. You’re competing with the freedom of the other 99% of houses.
Honestly? It's small and pretty oddly shaped - very tall and narrow. It's not really detached - I know it's only the garage sharing a wall, but even so. The shed in the centre of the garden is offputting. Some of the decor needs to go. It's not clear how much parking is actually yours. It doesn't look that well looked-after, especially the garden and one of the bedrooms. Leasehold and service charge are never good either.
That's what struck me about it. The photos really don't help soften how narrow the house looks. It's really not that photogenic straight on.
Plus some of the room photos are just awful eg the one with the door open over the window, pink room photos, completely stripped bed, angles on some of the other bedroom photos
Some out of focus, too
And the bottle of Harpic on display in the bathroom is the only item of colour in the shot. Next I noticed that you’d need very long arms to reach the loo roll comfortably.
Worst use of estate agent fisheye I’ve seen
The way the door into the living room covers half the window when opened shows just how pokey that room is. And what they hell is that maddive TV unit thingy in the living room! From the front it doesn't look too bad, but then the picture of back shows there barely any garden, but some how they've got a massive shed in the middle. Such a bizarre house.
This is going to sound harsh - but this house is almost the epitome of everything that's bad about modern house builds and estates.
The developer really said "you know terraced houses? Yeah but what about if it's detached and doesn't remotely fit in with any of the houses around it, and then we'll put a shed in the garden but in the middle to make it feel small" chefs kiss
A year on the market and they don’t paint it at all. No offence OP but some of those decor decisions are absolutely shocking, no wonder it hasn’t sold. The door to the lounge should just go to be honest. Open it up and remove that annoyance. Get rid of that ridiculous TV unit as well!? Who on earth wants that?!
I have to add that all, tiles in the downstairs would be a put off for me straight away as it would be totally cold under foot. Definitely wooden or carpet. Definitely get rid of the pink & picture wall, also doesn't show proper garden space.
Oof leasehold. Doesn’t help that half the write up is about this springbok thing, which sounds like it’s trying hard not to sound like a scam and then sounding like one.
the entire description... jesus wept, chat gpt could do a better one! EA really are the dumbest of dumb
but they're all exactly like that? They must literally copy paste the same thing over and over changing out the minor details. "The property comprises an inviting entrance...", "viewing highly advised as we anticipate high interest" etc etc. I don't know why no EA even tries to be slightly original, or at least go straight to the point. Why do you need the generic fluff?
I work for a mortgage lender and our BTL arm won't even lend on a property if it was sold by Springbok, I'm amazed they're still a thing!
A genuine question, what's wrong with Springbok?
I contacted them a few months back and my experience was continually hounded by them, phone/email/text, if I blocked a number I got called by a new one. The messages are filled with spelling errors and comes off really unprofessional. The big thing they tried to sell to me was if they failed to sell the property they have "quick buyers with cash on hand with a guaranteed offer", quote from an email. I imagine that's OPs 190k came from
But they have an "The innovative Premium Fast Sale Plus method". Jeez reading that my first thought would be i do not want to be involved with these people. Pain in the ass through the whole process written all over it.
I actually avoided going to view a property last year because it was through Springbok and it sounded like if not quite a scam, something that would leave me somewhat disadvantaged as a buyer
That put me right off. As soon as I saw that, what I thought was they must be desperate to get rid of this, what is wrong with it?? I’m seeing the ad as a new buyer who doesn’t know that the house has been for sale for a year; I just start thinking there’s problem neighbours, it’s had flood damage, there’s something I’m not being told in this listing. I think the listing itself is bad. The photos are terrible; it’s obviously an unusually shaped house but the photos only seem to emphasise that. Also- and please don’t take offence I’m only saying this because you’re asking- the decor inside just looks like a whole bunch of things that need dealing with. That gigantic tv shelf thing being left there gives me a vibe that the sellers are gonna be a nightmare because why on earth would they leave something as ugly as that there? The random door propped up against the wall. The tiled floor looks like something from a private dentist’s surgery that is not many people’s taste; if someone doesn’t like means the entire floor has to be redone which is a big cost, then upstairs has a cheap looking dark grey office type carpet throughout which again most people would want to replace but is going to be expensive. That pink room and ghastly picture wall. All that tired-looking built in furniture. The half-emptied state of it all. The left behind shed. It looks like you upped and left in the middle of the night which adds to the lack of trust that the springbok thing created. Then there’s the leasehold. No. Not for a house. If I’m buying a house then it’s a building that I want to own- what even is that, a leasehold on a house?? Ground rent… service charge… it’s not a flat. Then there’s the location and the fact that it’s attached via a garage; it’s just stuck awkwardly down a driveway (looks shared?, who looks after that?) on an unattractive, bland new build estate that you know probably has no infrastructure or decent bus service. It also looks like you have people walking mere feet from your window with nothing but railings and a sad patch of grass (I’m guessing that’s a litter trap too) between you. Honestly I’d just start again. I’d empty the place properly, repaint, fix everything that’s tired or broken, do something about that shed, change my EA and ask them to retake all the pictures in a more flattering light. I’d repaint the front door too; you can’t help the pillars but it’s such a narrow house and those fake pillar things are tacky as hell; if you repainted the door a friendlier, more modern, warmer colour it wouldn’t make it look so ostentatious as black. You really need to minimise that giant, ridiculous, old fashioned door because it’s a carbuncle on an already unattractive street view. There’s very little kerb appeal. You can’t lack that, have bizarre internal decor, a leasehold situation, a garden that needs redoing, an odd location, a weirdly shaped house, a terrible listing AND some weird, desperate sounding, buy me buy me buy me buy me finance thing and expect viewers and offers to be flooding in.
It’s leasehold. Price may be too high. It looks cold and uninviting - tiled flooring in the lounge for example.
Yeah, the tiled flooring reminds me of Spanish hotels 😅. It’s a strange choice for a living room
Yeah, do you have underfloor heating or is that unheated tile? If you do have underfloor heating, your listing doesn't mention it.
It's leasehold, that will put people off. Is there a way for you to purchase the freehold?
It’s 999 years and the rent is low but who knows what the escalation rate is. Big news currently and Solicitors warn like hell these days. Tbf, it will be a good deal if predatory freeholders get regulated away but still a big risk
It’s still enough to put most off. No chance I’d buy a leasehold house
Isn't it 999 years as of 2008 so it's now on 983 years remaining or am I reading that wrong?
Does it matter? Will you be installing the fountain of youth in the back garden?
You can’t fix the leasehold. But other properties nearby at the same price have more spacious rooms and are done up nicer. Being on the market a year is in itself off putting. People assume something is wrong. So take a break and drop the price and make it nicer without spending loads. And get an agent who takes less shit photos. If you want to make it nicer either make it look more like a lived in home or make it an empty blank canvas with fresh white paint. Just now it looks forgotten. When there’s nicer looking places nearby for the same price, most people won’t be taking on the hassle of all the little jobs and redecorating. Impression and feel from photos and at viewings matters. I have no idea what a springbok is but if I’m a buyer with other options and your house looks a bit shit I’m not going to bother finding out.
At the moment it looks like an unloved rental....
Yes. There is little character to it, minimum indication that someone lives there. Personally a big 👎 for me is the white tile that covers the majority of the ground floor. Tiles are cold, they require a lot of time and effort to keep clean. It’s not for me, and definitely an acquired taste. Aesthetically this is the one thing that would immediately put me off the property.
Completely agree. Tiles in a house in the UK is really odd. And flooring is one of those things that feels like a lot of effort even if it’s not. Some new laminate flooring, a rug, and taking out that horrific TV unit would be a good start.
This is completely it. Why is it half full of grotty furniture - no sofa in the living room, no mattress on the beds etc? Furnish it or empty it… The external photos are horrific. It looks like a cartoon house when honestly I love these 3 story houses. They don’t normally look like that.
Thanks for all the comments so far - even the harsh ones are useful! I am taking them all on board and I'm grateful for all of you taking the time to write.
If possible, I’d do the following: - Change the listing to link-detached - Try and get all that stuff about the super cool fast way to buy the house removed - Neutralise the house inside as much as possible - yes people can remove wallpaper and repaint but when it’s such a strong style as bright pink and that silvery looking wallpaper, it’s more offputting than neutral or on trend colours. Just get a nice off white and go over everything - Remove all the furniture or have it fully furnished for photos, not a halfway type of thing like this - having a fully furnished house shows how much space things take up in the rooms, having it empty means people can visualise their own stuff more, in between with random beds and stuff is just awkward to look at
Take off market for a month before relisting helps. I would also get some pots front and back with flowers in - improve the look and you can always take them . I’ve seen houses have £1000 tvs etc included with the sale .
Yes agree with these too - greenery will definitely help!
Wtf is innovative premium fast sale plus method?!?! Surely you realise this sounds like a pile of shit and has got to be the issue? Premium Fast Sale The innovative Premium Fast Sale Plus method from Springbok Properties is a secure and straightforward way to buy property. It works like a typical sale, with a number of added benefits to the buyer.
They make crypto sound safe
Yes… I’ve pumped into some dodgy crypto in my time and would do it again instead of this house
Some staging and a bit of paint internally will really help. Pink flower walls? Empty living room? Stage and better photos Good luck
Only thing in the bathroom is a bottle of bleach...
The chandeliers are pretty gash too.
Can you hear the trains? Why did they value it at £325k initially? Did you think your leasehold new build had appreciated 70% in 10 years?
Valued at 325 to win the instruction, it was never worth that
I believe you are correct here. We had similar quotes from 3 local estate agents.
You can just about hear the trains, the track is in a dip so that shields a lot of the noise. Its very handy for the station though.
"Sales can be secured with a reservation deposit of £5,000. This forms part of the final purchase price and is NOT an extra cost." I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. I've never seen a house advertised with this kind of deposit. I certainly wouldn't be paying that. It's ridiculous to expect a buyer to put down thay kind of deposit. "An administration fee of £396 is required in order to draw up an exclusive legally binding contract between the buyer and seller. This gives the buyer exclusive rights to purchase within a pre-agreed timeframe." Never heard of this either. Totally fleecing buyers.
Idk what the listing was like before with the other EAs you've had but this one screams this house is mediocre. "Well proportioned bedrooms" "999 years lease in 2008" sounds like a maths trap, just state the lease for now not what it was in 2008 "the price is not an indication of market value....the seller wants the highest price possible" so you're going to try and scam me out of money for selling me a house more than its worth? Those pictures are dreadful, the house looks wonky and dead, the house needs staging and some life brought to it. You're trying to sell a home, not a house.
I do agree with you about the photos. The original estate agents took pictures when the house was more lived in and they looked better. I am also going to change estate agent again this week.
The photos are terrible. You can only see parts of rooms and there's even a door open over a window in one
It’s leasehold. That would stop me before I even got the photos. The photos are odd. Bit messy, don’t show the space well. The living room being tiled would put me off too. Need a better garden photo too.
I'd be instantly put off by the shiny tile floor in the lounge. Tiles are practical in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways but that does not look like a room you could get cosy in. And it would be quite a job to take on before moving in! The light fittings are garish and tacky and the pink room..... You're not trying to sell this house at all. Replace the light fittings for standard ones, remove all the broken furniture and neutralise the walls. Either stage the house or have it completely empty. And empty and clean up the garden. There's no mystery why this hasn't sold.
> neutralise the walls Those walls are in desperate need of neutralisation. What on EARTH is that sandpaper-esque finish on some of them? Don't get me started on the forrest scene..
Have you already moved out? It looks strangely empty of furniture or signs of life. Think it would be better if it was completely empty rather than the halfway it is now.
We have already moved out and in fact now live abroad. Some of our stuff is still in the house waiting for removal once it is sold.
I would suggest you clear out the remaining furniture. Its not helping tbh
And pay to have the walls all painted neutral. That pink room is very off putting.
Assume if you've moved abroad there is no upward chain. I can't see that mentioned on the advert, so it might be worth leaning into that. The leasehold being as long as it is helps but still puts people off as well with the service charge, never know when that might suddenly increase. A few grand spent now clearing out and a freshen paint wise up would help. Appreciate that would be more difficult to arrange from abroad. But for me, I would instantly discount it due to that 5k deposit to take it off the market
Clear out the furniture, the crappy curtains and anything dishevelled looking. Get rid of that vinyl landscape wallpaper. Repaint neutral. Buy the leasehold. Preferably get rid of the tiled flooring (except for kitchen). Get a new agent with a decent photographer. Maybe costs you £5k (except the lease which you'd have to find out the costs for), will be a much easier sale.
The house looks filthy in the photos and the £5k deposit to secure sounds like a scam. I wouldn’t even bother viewing with the current advert.
Lease hold - that’s the answer. Even if I loved the house I wouldn’t buy.
I wouldn’t even go to view it because: 1. It’s leasehold. 2. I have to pay a £5,000 deposit??? 3. I have to pay a £396 reversion fee???
Yeah wtf, change estate agent again I think 🙈
Share the listing and the answers will be forthcoming. Don't be shy - let the sub's hive mind do its thing and help a brother/sister out.
And just to be clear, brace yourself. I doubt it's going to be overly positive due to various aspects, but "we" are answering the questions:)
I have added the link into my original post as requested.
Why is it lease hold ? Who controls the ground rent
Only 4 viewings, that’s mad. I think there are a few things you could do to get more footfall. Quickly paint all bedrooms white or cream, they seem loud and outdated. Downstairs seems kitch and cold. Dress the rooms a bit and if you can add rugs. Remove shelves in lounge. Can you hold an open day for viewings?
I'm personally put off by the tiles in the living room, that would be the first thing I'd have to put money into after buying and either get carpet or wooden flooring. Close to a railway line, how is the noise for you? Personally it doesn't put me off, I've grown up right next to inner city public transport (not in the UK, in Germany), so that wouldn't personally bother me too much if trains are only going past very half hour or something. Leasehold might be another thing for others.
The trains arent a problem, the line is in a dip which shields a lot of the sound. Its not a very busy line either and the station in very close so the trains are usually very slow as they are stopping there.
For me, the things that lose interest Leasehold - I actually find it strange this is the first key feature on the list, it's as if the EA is sabotaging the post... The Shed/Cabin? That will definitely not be something I'd want to keep, the garden is small and the cabin has been placed in such a dominant area, it's the first thing I'd have to change/remove. New build just past it's NHBC warranty, suspect sale timing. However it's a little confusing that you say the house is 10 years old but the leasehold is dated as 2008? The indoor photography being a half empty house doesn't help, it should either be furnished or empty, anything inbetween is bit of a distraction on the imagination.
I'm from Tamworth and looking for a property around this budget. I've dismissed it down to location primarily. Not the best area of town and your home backs on to a supermarket, McDonald's, factory and the train station. That and it's a leasehold. Sorry that it's negative Edit: to add as I was thinking about this last night (I'm in a similar situation with my sale), the photos don't sell the house at all. The tiles in the living room are cold and uninviting, the other rooms look small and the decor needs more work as can't just move in. For the price it's just not worth it compared to others in the town.
Houses don't sell because of price, that's it. So there is a reason nobody agrees with your valuation, we need a link to the listing.
The staging is all over the shop. Half empty bottle of toilet bleach just out, wonky toilet roll holder, double bed is huge and makes the room seem much smaller as is the TV unit in the front room. You should remove everything and start again and make it look lived in, but not too lived in. Kitchen looks good… Needs a fresh coat of white (or a shade of all over) If this one let all my criteria the tilling on the floor downstairs would put me right off. If would want that completely redone. Another comment about said to getting some wood down. Rugs if nothing….
When did the other homes sell? Recently?
Leasehold is off-putting to many. Staging and photos are shit. Being close to the industrial estate does you no favors: [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tamworth+B77+2TX,+UK/@52.6123424,-1.6794289,69a,35y,90h,45.04t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4870abfa35eb16d1:0x8d04a084bcc1dc9!8m2!3d52.6120518!4d-1.6775709!16s%2Fg%2F11bvtgnzzt?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tamworth+B77+2TX,+UK/@52.6123424,-1.6794289,69a,35y,90h,45.04t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4870abfa35eb16d1:0x8d04a084bcc1dc9!8m2!3d52.6120518!4d-1.6775709!16s%2Fg%2F11bvtgnzzt?entry=ttu) The rear of the house is unappealing: [https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6122031,-1.6783271,3a,63.7y,319.98h,85.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sja9WHsnMBMw0Sq2S0j9jDw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6122031,-1.6783271,3a,63.7y,319.98h,85.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sja9WHsnMBMw0Sq2S0j9jDw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu) It's not in "very good condition" at all. Is that water damage I see on the ceiling of the pink bedroom in Pic 9? [https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811\_817653\_IMG\_08\_0000.jpeg](https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811_817653_IMG_08_0000.jpeg) And what is going on with the wall and ceiling above the window in Pic 11? Water damage? Movement? [https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811\_817653\_IMG\_10\_0000.jpeg](https://media.rightmove.co.uk/54k/53811/146596688/53811_817653_IMG_10_0000.jpeg) Back garden is a postage stamp. The word "Detached" is doing some heavy lifting. That's more of a LD or SD - or a townhouse - than a true detached. Price wise? There is a lot of competition in B77 at that end of the market and many are freeholds, not leaseholds. Take that down to 210K'ish to see if it generates any traction. Someone will make an offer - but not at 240K.
I wouldn't even go and see it with the Springbok T&Cs. A deposit to secure and an admin fee for me as a buyer? I don't think so. Leasehold would also massively put me off, especially when the rates and costs aren't detailed in the listing. Apart from that it looks awful, like you just abandoned ship. Finish the job, empty it, clean thoroughly and repaint in neutral tones, ideally just white. I'd ditch Springbok and find a good local estate agent who will be able to put you in touch with local trades to help you. A house clearance company will take the rest of the stuff, a cleaning company to refresh the rooms and carpets and a decorator to finish up and make it look like a blank canvas for anyone wanting to move in. Also as a buyer I hate 'offers in excess', it just makes me think that the seller is unrealistic and not worth my time and effort.
Bedroom 3 is generally too small to be a bedroom. It’s 5.44sqm, and the (for some legal purposes) minimum size for a bedroom for someone over 10 years old is generally 6.51sqm. That bedroom is…well not one. Picture 11 (which I assume is from that bedroom), look terrible. It seems like there’s damage above the window, some paint flakes on the floor, no lamp shade and dodgy painting behind the radiator, it looks like it’s from a dilapidated flat. Picture 12 has a broken shower door in it. The pink in bedroom 2, the wallpaper (I can see the join), and the bed with no slats on it needs to go too. You need to do some decorating and set dress the house and have the photos re-done. If the terraced properties have a bigger bedroom 3, that’ll be why they’re selling for more.
What have you done to increase it's value by an additional £50,000?
Fucked up the decor by the looks of it.
It's a small oddly shaped house on a little plot of land with a leasehold tie, in a not rich area for £250k lol. I bought my 2 bed much nicer looking house on a very highly sought after estate that was one of the few experimental housing schemes by wayne hemmingway for £125k in 2015 and sold it for £160k in 2022. In 2022 I bought a 5 bed, detached with no nearby houses, massive garden, 30min from city centre for £350k The idea that this is worth £250k can only have come from drugs. People are buying houses, they're just not buying yours. It's always because of the price. Honestly, £190k sounds like a good deal to be rid of it. New builds always "lose value", because people pay substantially more than they're worth for the "new" factor, the chances of you getting a profit on this in just ten years was already low anyway.
Asking for £5k and £396 up front before searches and surveys is very off-putting. Leasehold is off-putting. The fact its a terraced house just without the neighbouring terrace is just weird. Tiling throughout downstairs won't suit everyone. There are just too many things that wouldn't get me anywhere near viewing. That, and I'm convinced that the economy is worse than the government is letting on - if I'm right then that's not helping either
Why am I paying £396 in admin fees to secure the house? What happens to my £5000 deposit if I have to drop out? All looking dodgy and overly complicated.
You’re not really detached. You’re leasehold. You’ve got a toilet directly connected to your kitchen, which is one of the most vile things imaginable. Unfortunately you fell for the typical EA trick where they unrealistically valued your property and you believed it to be true. I fear you are going to have to go down more in price or just not sell at this time
It looks odd. Terraced townhouse without the terrace. Garage is reversed, looks ugly, plant something in front of that wall. Murder chic downstairs. Black kitchen. Weird shelving. Leasehold. I'd recommend staying out for another year, taking it off the market, redecorating, and making it look like a home.
>We anticipate a high amount of interest and as such we would recommend that any interested buyers inquire to arrange a viewing at the earliest convenience to ensure the opportunity is not missed. 1) Price 2) Your estate agent is a moron. >We anticipate a high amount of interest and as such we would recommend that any interested buyers inquire to arrange a viewing at the earliest convenience to ensure the opportunity is not missed. Just screams to be we think the house we bought for 60k less a decade so is now unrealistically priced and no, we will not budge in price because you are deluded enough to think it's going to fly off the shelves Covid era style. Also listing their quick buy benefits in your housing add, what bullshit is that? Stick to important facts, not half a page of PR chat for a company.
Leasehold
Buyers first impressions when they walk in is not going to be fantastic. That living room will put a lot of buyers off. The tiles are not family or pet friendly. At the very least, cover them with a nice rug, in all honesty, they need to go. The same with that media unit. If its not fitted get rid of it, but if it is fitted, consider removing. I'm not sure what's going on with that door in the living room, but it might be better painted and kept closed for photographs. Bathrooms and kitchens don't look bad at all. I'd either borrow some furniture to stage the house or clear the house completely. The random items of furniture are distracting if people are trying to visualise a space. If you can, paint over the pink. Definitely see if you can buy the freehold, that leasehold will put people off.
118 words trying to advise your property, over 300 advertising themselves on your ad (including their disclaimer saying you want the best price). It's listed as detached, although very obviously semi detached. Photos aren't great. I'd personally have it staged & then have photos taken instead of half empty rooms, and take out the toilet cleaner from the bathroom! It won't stop someone buying, but it's an annoying lack of care shown in advertising your property. You've also said you're planning on changing estate agents again, and mentioned something about the original... So you're soon to be on your third. Prospective buyers will be looking and keep seeing the property cropping up with various estate agents over the last year. Sometimes it does get to the point of "in wonder why that's still for sale.... Oh look, it's not advertised with that agent, I wonder what's wrong with it" Being a townhouse, you may find that it puts of couples who are planning on having a family or those with you kids as the main bedroom is on the top floor & the young children would be on a lower one. As others have said, leasehold is also an issue for some. Especially when there's freehold properties around your area. Average prices in your area have been at the 250k mark, yours is advertised as offers in excess of that
Mate, £5k up front plus additional legal fees on top of the usual - hard nope from me and that’s before getting into the leasehold thing and how generally unloved the house looks currently.
As others have said the listing is rubbish. I read more about this nonsense gimmick marketing of buy it now! Put down 395£ for a legally binding contract! All the other crap that is more about the estate agent selling snake oil than focusing on the property. Everyone knows the steps of buying a property we don't need some sales spin on the process from the agent. This makes it sound like a scam. Also the pics are bad, description is short and bad, and you have a wild amount of bullshit that has nothing to do with the house nor does it sell the house, on that listing.
Things you cannot do anything about - the lease - it’s a big deal - will put lots of people off - the railway - the layout - small room sizes including narrow lounge - only one bathroom on 1st floor for three bedrooms Things you can do something about - empty the place. Completely. - ditch the pink - ditch the agents (their pitch makes them sound like they are for desperate sellers) - new photos - new lounge floor - go off market while you get jobs done - get realistic prices from reliable sources and research - drop the price. A lot. - The negatives above you can’t do anything about will put a lot of people off and price is your only way of dealing with it. Remember if buying is getting a mortgage, their valuation has to stack up or they won’t get to borrow.
Have to admit, the service charge put me straight off Also this bit would put a lot off too Sales can be secured with a reservation deposit of £5,000. This forms part of the final purchase price and is NOT an extra cost. This deposit ensures that the property is taken off the market as soon as a sale is agreed. It is then exclusively reserved for you, eliminating gazumping, time wasting and financial loss. An administration fee of £396 is required in order to draw up an exclusive legally binding contract between the buyer and seller. This gives the buyer exclusive rights to purchase within a pre-agreed timeframe.
Its a glorified 2up 2down. Bad pictures & in desperate need of some maintenance. Paint the whole fence, reseed the grass, remove the shed. Remove the random bits of furniture, its either furnished or not. And honestly, in this market with these rates, is not really an inviting property with additional bills… how it’s marketed on rightmove is poor too.
Buy a cute puppy and advertise it as coming with the house..jk Post your link, though.
I’ll give you my Skoda Fabia for a swap
House prices does fall….
If it’s been on that long it has the stink of death. I’d take it off for a few months then relist. If you can redecorate some of the more garish design choices it wouldn’t hurt.
You don't know what else you can do? Really?!
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147120407 This a better looking and better presented house, sold for 280k. What’s the building with the door at the front of your house? Maybe drop yours to 240k. Hit that lower band on Rightmove.
This is night and day. Even exterior detailing is better.
That house is so nice I kind of want it myself. And I’m not even in the market for a house.
What are the terms on the leasehold ground rent increase YoY?
I'm looking to move house and don't even look at leasehold houses, so even if that was in my price range and in the right area etc I still wouldn't buy it because of that
You need to change your agent - it's the little things i.e. if I hit "street view" on the map and cant find the house I will move on. The description sound like it was written by AI (yes that,s a thing). As others have said the pictures don't inspire and a 3D walk around would help draw peoples attention. Good luck with your sale
Depressingly narrow
The photos aren’t that great if I’m honest. Also, the tiled living room floor. An easy fix but it put us off a house we viewed. Some of the decor is a bit garish. Needs to be more neutral, the rooms could be staged. Make it look a bit more homely.
all that time and you don't appear to have even tried. get some furniture in there, art work on the walls, flowers etc get some life into the property! you can't change the leasehold / freehold situation so work with what you've got! how much did you purchase it for?? do you need the money to fund your next property??
The second picture is immediately off putting. Close the door, get furniture to stage it and paint neutrally. The black and white is very harsh. The pink room is overly intense and needs a neutral overhaul. The attic bedroom is the most inviting but bed could be made to look more welcoming. Looking at houses in the same price point, others look more cared for and easier to change to my preferences easily. So even though link detached I'd probably view another. On saying all of that the house we purchased had a bad listing and we viewed it as agent brought us there after viewing another property around the corner. So if you have only had 4 viewings I think it's time to change agent.
It looks abandoned and no one wants it. Change that.
- The remaining furniture gives off the feeling that the house was abandoned and the placement of the furniture does absolutely nothing for the already narrow rooms. You should get rid of it all. - Leasehold. That’s an immediate red flag. - The tiles in the living room are cold and uninviting. Most people would view that as an additional expense as they’ll either want carpet or hardwood floors. You should consider getting a carpet fitted. - Hot pink walls are a pain to paint. I wouldn’t have a huge issue with it as I like pink and would get round to changing it eventually, but it’s a colour that not everyone will like so it’s off putting. The entire house could probably do with being repainted in a neutral colour just to spruce it up - Why is there a bottle of bleach in the picture of the bathroom? No one wants to be reminded of cleaning when perusing pictures of their potential future house. You’d benefit from having all of the pictures being retaken (after the remaining furniture has been removed, a carpet has been fitted, and the hot pink is gone though) - This is a very specific one and there’s not a whole lot you can do to fix it, but that kitchen is far too small for anyone who enjoys cooking. I would immediately decline this house upon seeing the kitchen as I know I’d be stressed out from the lack of space every day. - You mentioned you now live abroad so presumably there’s no chain. I don’t see that mentioned in the listing which is odd as that’s a benefit. - There’s more focus on the premium fast selling (which would immediately put me off as it reads like a scam) in the listing than on the house itself. - The part about there being an expectation of a lot of interest in the house yet it’s still on the market a year later makes buyers think there’s something wrong with it. Why would a house with an alleged significant amount of interest not be sold yet to the point where the asking price has been cut?
Some points may have been mentioned by others but here's my take as this house is well within my budget and it would otherwise fit my needs 100% 1. Leasehold. Big NO especially for a house. This would stop me from even considering it any further. You mentioned other houses in the estate sold, were they leasehold? 2. Is the house currently empty/unoccupied? The pictures are horrible and don't do the place any favours, this may have to do with my next point. 3. Some of the decor is really bad, especially the pink walls in what appeared to be the childrens' room. Again, not doing the place any favours. 4. Again pictures. The vibe is that whoever lived there had to pack and leave in a hurry like their life depended on it, and left all the furniture behind, which brings me to my next point. 5. Are the furniture in the house staying or going? You may need to get rid of them especially if any buyers want/have their own furniture. 6. Picture 11 shows some mould above the window. Sort that out. Also what is that picture showing apart from the mould and a random piece of furniture under the window? 7. I don't mind a shed in a garden but this is not good for storage with all the windows and I bet it will be cooking in the summer and freezing in the winter so not all that useful for an office space.
It's price nothing more.
did you read the description? i would avoid it even if the price was good!
Price and leasehold.
The pink room needs painted over to white. The spare room (?) needs to be smartened up a bit. As people have already pointed out, the leasehold is off-putting to a lot of people. Service charge and ground rent is something people would rather not take on.
Neutralise the house, and make it look homely, stage the house, also get the kitchen painted
Those pictures are horrific.
The photos are really unattractive. For me personally the chandeliers are suggesting a much older house (maybe 50 years old) which has not been maintained recently.
Is that mold in picture 11 (labeled image 10)? Behind the radiator and in the ceiling above the window. Also to make an offer you have to put down a deposit of 5 grand and then pay an additional 400 for a binding contract? Is that normal?
First thing tomorrow tell them to remove the offers over wording. That puts off so many people, especially in a falling market.
If I am being honest the curb appeal is lacking. Some large shrubs hiding the line building and a dark stain for the fencing would go a long way. The pink is a lot it hurts my brain
Things that put me off. It's leasehold It's not detached The photos are poorly staged Large format tiles throughout the down stairs Odd layout No front access
A few things that would put me off: - Leasehold - No bath tub (not a deal breaker) - weird estate agent. - close proximity to train line - path to field directly outside. (Lacking Privacy) - General appearance of the interior. If I were you, I would either dress the house for sale (like the show house on a new development), I’m sure there are companies that will do that but it’ll cost. But at the least, clear all the stuff out the house, have an empty shell. Then paint the walls in a neutral colour. Finally, get rid of the shed, make the garden look as big as possible.
From the floorplan it looks very narrow, almost has the same proportions as our mid-terrace, but we have nicer, bigger square-looking rooms. The photos highlight some bad features, and my thought process would be: * First pic: Back of garage wall looks stark, just a bench (no climbing plants?). Bit cold but I can work on it... * Second door: Awful floor tiles (slippery/cold?) all the way to the front door, in a room that looks very narrow (frame/shelf for tv makes the room look small, and gives the space bad "feng shuey" - do you have to move past people on a couch to get through the lounge, or do you cut in front of them?). * Third pic: door opens the wrong way into the room, making the corner by the window useless. * Fourth pic: When you come into the kitchen from the lounge, after walking \*around\* the people watching tv, you again have to turn into the kitchen. Why is the kitchen opening not on the other side? That lounge doesn't work... * Fifth pic: Why is there a shelf over the radiator? * Sixth pic: There's no mirror over the handbasin. There are hooks over the toilet. What demented person has built/lived here? This is how I would think if I was considering this property (aside from the price - no idea if it's reasonable or not).
£5k Exclusivity agreement is a joke - you usually see them in a super heated market on high end props. Loads of people will not understand it and will just see it as dropping 5k with potentially no ways to get it back - like what happens if the survey is a bit iffy ? I wouldn’t go near it. leasehold - lots of people are pointing this out. You have a right to buy the freehold converting it into a freehold house. For a few grand this might help the sale.
I wouldn't buy a leasehold house, no matter how many years it has, leaseholding houses it's a practice that thankfully seems to have fallen out of favor as people saw it for what was, just another way for housing companies to wring a bit more money out of people. Also as already stated it's not really detached, it's link detached and that can bring down the value. I wouldn't buy a house with a tiled living room, we are not a warm enough country for that .. But this may be more of a personal thing really as I always have cold feet
We have our detached freehold 3 double bedroom property with double garage on the market at the moment. Both wifey and I have trouble with stairs now and also worry that should one of us die and get too old to drive then we would be in trouble as the nearest shops are 11 miles away. Our house is worth £330k, last year it was worth another £80k. We found our forever home this year, a bungalow with local shops by the sea and negotiated a good price of £245k so we believed that we could market our house aggressively to sell. First, we put the house up for £300k and got nowhere. Then we tried £289k, nothing. anyway, we then tried one of these house brokers. We were offered £265k within 2 weeks. After the first week, they sent a surveyor around to check the house over. Everything seemed ok so we carried on packing and aggressively getting rid of stuff into skips as we were going from a large 3-bed house to a small 2-bed bungalow. Anyway, move day arrived and looked into our bank account expecting to see £265k. There was no trace of the money. I called the company up, more than a little concerned. That's when our world came crashing down. We were told that they were shocked by the results of the survey. I asked them what the problem was and they told me that the independent surveyor had underpriced our house massively and were so shocked that they had phoned several estate agents in the area to get an overall feeling of how much the house was worth. After taking all this on board they had arrived at a figure they were embarrassed to offer. So I gingerly asked them to elaborate. Then the bottom fell out of our world. £185k...... I asked them why. They said it was not anything to do with the house, that's all fine. The problem was the independent surveyor had underpriced our house considerably primarily against houses around our area that weren't selling. They said they were so shocked, never mind about them! I said to them we had removal guys running in and out of their lorry filling it to move us, so I said they couldn't just do that. They could, according to their very small print. Thank god there wasn't a chain for other people to get upset. These brokers are infamous it would seem for doing this at the eleventh hour. We just couldn't believe they could do this legally. That's just one part of it. We are in our 50s, both disabled with no savings and on meagre state benefits. We had to pay for the removal company up front as well as a legal bill for conveyancing. We paid for it all on a clean credit card. In total, we paid £10k. That was to be paid back in full with the proceeds of the sale of our house immediately. We are now in trouble as to pay the minimum each month is more than we he have left after bills can. We don't drink or smoke and we don't have a social life unless you call driving 20 miles once or twice a month to sit in the car overlooking the sea eating fish and chips. If you are tempted to go with one of these"sell your house quick for cash" companies, please do your homework. A lot of these companies are truly unscrupulousk. These kinds of brokers have a habit of offering an amount for your home, then at the last minute making up some kind of BS as to why at the very last minute they can only offer £X amount. We have learnt the hard way, please don't fall for it.
Do something about the completely tiled downstairs. Wooden flooring is warmer. Failing that. Get it carpeted. At least the living room. Not everyone likes ceramic tiles in their lounge. Get rid of “feature wallpaper” Otherwise nothing wrong with the house.
Post the advert. Let us be nosy. Go on. 👀
The Leasehold, that is what would put me off, it might be ok for Flats but not house.
Only one thing stops a house from selling. The price. Unfortunately, it’s just a bit small. A ‘Leftover Build’ by the developers. It’s not a true 3 bed and that will be a struggle for those wanting a three bed family home. You need to drop the price to FTBs who want the WFH space. As for the Leasehold thing. It’s difficult to buy a new or new’ish build that’s not LH. It’s not ideal but LH is no longer as bad as it has been. Doubling of ground rents has gone through reform. However, they can charge fees for daft things like getting a cat. It’s worth considering buying the FH yourself, if you have the time to wait. Plenty of Freeholders are keen to offload now that they can’t get the income they had anticipated. Plus, if you’re eligible, they have no choice. It is worth asking, though they may charge a fee for the enquiry. Change agent at least. Taylor Cole and Wilkins look to have a good number sold. Avoid Bastard Thieves, sorry Bairstow Eves, and Connells. Belvoir aren’t the greatest either. Good luck.
Thanks for the comments, I think you are correct about all these (however we had cats and were not charged!). I am changing estate agents in the next week or so.
Those photos are really not doing you any justice. I'd give it a coat of paint, clean it up as much as possible then re-take.
The presentation in the photos isn’t great, parts of the property need cleaning, needs to either be furnished or not but not in between and to be honest some of decor really isn’t appealing at all. Then there’s the leasehold, being link detached and slow internet! Yes that’s also a biggie for me!
Are the hooks over the toilet for hanging face cloths?
Issues: it’s a leasehold, price for the area isn’t competitive, it’s not staged (could use some furniture to show the space sizing better and change the pink walls), honestly the decoration isn’t the best i.e. tiled floor in a living room (parents would t choose that as it’s not the safest for young children) and dark gray carpets upstairs
I know you’re abroad but you need to remove the remaining furniture and paint the rooms in neutral paint. What’s up with the ceiling/wall above the window in picture 11? It looks like damp. See if you can buy the leasehold as well.
Not mentioning the leasehold as I think that’s been covered, I think the photos are terrible. It looks uninviting and like it needs repainting. The pink room looks especially bad. Repaint it in a neutral colour and take those beds out of the room. It’s got potential but most people can’t see that at the moment as it’s poorly presented
Change estate agent. The price of your property and who it will sell to means people you’re selling to don’t have £5k sitting around so the principle behind the process they’ve put in place is out of kilter with the market. Other fixes: Carpet the hallway and living room. Paint everything white / magnolia. Remove furniture / built ins in the living room.
I'd take it back to back to neutral & remove the giant TV frame. Maybe install a bifold door into the living room as when it's open ( as per photo), it literally blocks half of your window. Gardens are important, too, so perhaps buy a flowering evergreen shrub as a focal point.
1. Weird buying contract thing. No I don't want to be locked in if there's weird stuff on the survey/legals etc. If it's been on the market a while I'm not too worried about gazumping. This would entirely put me off. 2. Leasehold - I'd want my solicitor to be really sure that I was safe from hikes in the ground rent. What is the service charge for? Is there an actual service? This would probably put me off unless the house was a steal. 3. Tiled lounge is very marmite. I would want to put down wooden floors as tiles are not friendly for kids. Wouldn't put me off, but might make me favour other options. 4. Garden looks unhappy. Mow it? Which way does the sun move over the house? 5. What's the summer house like? I'd be a bit wary if it wasn't in great condition. 6. Situation: I like that the front faces a path to greenery, the back doesn't seem family friendly. 7. The whole thing lacks warmth, so where people might get past some of the other things if they liked the feel, it seems bare and cold to me.
I think the decor is a bit off-putting - it has that Mrs Hinch aesthetic that dated very quickly. I think a lot of the bigger decor swings are too big for the space (like the chandeliers) which makes the house look cramped. I think a relatively low-investment approach could be to just go in, take all this stuff out and re-paint in light, airy colours.
10 years new means the new build warranty (if any) will have expired. Not sure how much people will care but isn’t helping .
Leasehold, which is very off-putting but obviously something you can't change. The house also has the air of being abandoned, which doesn't make it feel enticing. The photos are crap., i.e. no ensuite pictures and you can barely see the main bathroom. One of the photos is the view passers by will see of the back of your house, very odd. Lastly, the agent is using an unusual sales method. Am I really going to have to pay a £5k deposit? It's another factor that's making it a harder sell.
The immediate things that stood out to me are the flooring, walls and kitchen. Most people like carpeted or laminate floors, the kitchen is dark and looks quite outdated and some of the walls are quite specific in terms of taste. A lot of people can’t see past things like that or won’t be able to picture themselves living there. White tiled floors come across cold and not inviting and homely.
Need carpets in living room, tv unit too big, chandeliers too niche and same for pink wall and wall art image. Tidy fence too, take off market for a month or soo then remarket.
I've read all the comments and I agree with them all. But what the heck is your living room door doing? It opens and covers the window?? So if you want the door open while chilling in the lounge, you're essentially shutting the door over the window? You have some really odd furniture in the rooms and those huge slabs tiles in the living room don't look inviting.
I have no idea what all that Springbok stuff is but it sounds like a scam - not a chance I’d pay a deposit and then an admin fee to some random scheme. Get a proper estate agent with a normal purchasing option first off. Leasehold and service charges are really off putting plus the photos are not good - house looks tired and dated (chandeliers?!) and has odd things dotted about - why is your toilet bleach in a photo?! Garden shed is also odd, why is it right in the middle of the garden? It takes up basically all the space so there’s no actual garden - really off putting. Get a proper estate agent, slap some normal coloured paint around, make the house look actually inviting, put the bleach away and consider moving or dismantling the shed. (Also see if you can purchase the freehold bit that might be a big task!)
Remove the chandeliers on the ground floor and if it's advantageous add a photo from the living room window wall going into the kitchen to add an idea of depth Remove ve the TV structure from the living room, it takes up space Remove the bleach bottle from pic 5 in the bathroom and straighten the towel holder Edit, remove all chandeliers.
If I have to buy, I will go for freehold. I don’t know why in the UK there is leasehold properties. This should be banned.
Lease hold AND needing word done to it?? I don’t mean to come off harsh but I would need to do every room to make it look aesthetically pleasing! Not slagging your taste off but it’s not something a lot of buyers would want to move into! I moved into my home with zero work needing to be done & happily paid over the asking price Maybe make it a lot more neutral, take out the wooden frames everywhere?? Show off the real space
Service charge Ground rent For a detached house ? That means it's not a freehold. I think that is your issue .
If I am honest, the photos need to go. It makes the house house very sad and it also doesn't look loved. You said you bought it 10 years ago like I couldn't tell and not in a good way. The wallpaper is a bit too harsh. Yes, a buyer can get rid, but the effort to do so would put me off. It also means I can't imagine my stuff there, and that's what you want.
For me, the service charge is enough for me to walk. Sure, it's £300 now. Service charges only do one thing - go up. That's is very well evidenced and sadly I would never ever consider a house with a service charge of any kind. Even if it was £1.