Selling our house

It sounds lovely, and will be sold soon I am sure, three weeks is no time at all for it to be on the market.When the weather improves it will be off the market in no time. Good luck.

We have just put our Cornish holiday home on the market but if after 20 viewings and no offers we would definitely consider reducing the asking price. Hopefully it won’t come to that.

rubysong.....20 viewings is a lot and not one offer!. You have had this house for 32 years so it will have gone up in value tremendously so you could bring the asking price down. Either it’s over valued or, it’s the steep narrow lane or both things that’s putting people off. Also, not everyone likes quirky??. Wish we had bought ours 32 years ago!.

Sometimes estate agents don't take the best photos. If you think they could be improved, ask them to come and take some more from better angles. That's probably not the case with you though, as 20 viewings is good.

I'd ask both agents to get feed back from all viewers and report back to you. Keep badgering them so they do their job thoroughly.

I agree about keeping it clutter free, although that is hard work for me.

We had our property on the market two years ago for 6 months and only had 2 viewings which was in the first week. Unfortunately our neighbours in a much smaller house and obviously priced lower put their up the same week and sold it straight away. After much soul searching, looking into part ex for a new build (all out of towns and no shops in walking distance) and consultation with the agents we took it off the market and decided to spend the money we were told we'd need to drop the price by to renovate - new kitchen, stairs stripped and decorated, new cloakroom and tiling and wood flooring throughout the downstairs. With itchy feet again we had it revalued a couple of months ago - still the same valuation which obviously means they'd overvalued it last time!

As others have said 3 weeks is nothing and 20 viewings is excellent so try to stay positive - someone out there is the perfect buyer and they'll come along eventually.

As an aside we are looking for a property and have been very disappointed at the agents responses to enquiries. We have tried to view two properties twice and neither time has the agent got back to us to arrange a viewing. If that was my property I was trying to sell I'd be extremely annoyed at a missed opportunity!

Perhaps it is the lane. Is there adequate parking there too?

Hiya , when we moved we had crowds everyday for about 3 weeks. I got fed up of folk just coming for a look. Our no.1 when we moved was location. I started to de clutter long before we put our old house on the market. Keep the kitchen and bathroom clutter free. Get rid or put items in cupboards, off the counter tops. Cut the grass.

3 weeks is nothing!

My friend's house has been on for 4 months. Not a comfort I know but at least you've had viewings in those 3 weeks!

'Estate Agents are often afraid to offend'

That seems silly, as you'd expect the agent to do everything needed to sell the property.
Yet on property-selling tv programmes, it's amazing how resistant some people are, to advice on improving their house's chances of selling.
(Clearly that's not you, rubysong.)

We have been on the market for 8 weeks now - viewings but only had one ridiculous offer so far (from a would-be landloard). We looked online and saw that on average properties in our area are on the market for about a year.

Rubysong. Are you for real? Only three weeks on the market? In view of our recent weather, I too live in Cornwall, what do you expect.
'Kerb appeal' I was once advised when selling my last property and this was during late autumn so knowing the weather we get in our location you may have to wait until you can decorate the frontage with garlands of busy lizzies and other summer florals. You will get viewings from holiday makers, when they are bored with sitting on the beach having their fill of 'pasties and ice cream' Be realistic with your price and your agent is there for advice .It will happen I assure you.

Well it sounds fabulous but you lose a chunk of the market if it isn't suitable for oldies and infirms. A steep garden can make work for people so maybe that has put some off BUT, some people love all that, and one of them is bound to turn up.

Twenty viewings suggests that it is attractive.

I use that floral disinfectant when I am selling, Wallflower is lovely, I make a bucket of that and sling it on the paths before people come, helps mask the doggy smell and is just pleasant.

We are just at the beginning of the selling market now fter a long winter. Good luck.

The property market is quite depressed at the moment. If you can afford to wait it might be best to do so.
Also, as others have said, three weeks is not long at all. It is not at all unusual for it to take several months.

It sounds lovely, and as others have said, 3 weeks is still early days, and it is only the beginning of the peak moving season. Location, which obviously you cannot change, will be a draw for some, and off-putting for others. Lots of factors like schools, transport, access etc come into play. Take heart from the fact you loved it and wanted it, and so will someone else.

Do you have a link, it sounds wonderful x

Your estate agent should be giving feedback after each viewing by the way, you shouldn’t have to ask for it if the estate agent is any good.

My daughter-in-law works for an estate agent. I spoke to her yesterday evening and asked her if she was busy and she said it will pick up now the children are back at school. Apparently it always goes quiet over Easter.

You also need to consider the target purchasing market- the more expensive the property the fewer prospective purchasers; this also goes for retirement properties.

It sounds wonderful, someone will fall in love with it eventually.

Yes, situpstraight made some very good suggestions and I agree with what she and Jane10 say about show homes. I have read that in new "starter" homes, which are becoming increasingly smaller, the developers seek out especially small sofas, beds, etc. to make the rooms appear larger.

panache I'm so sorry to hear of all the disappointments you have had and the stress it is causing. I do hope that somebody will soon make a firm offer on your property and you can move on.

transport links

Three weeks is not really very long.
When you say 'quirky', what exactly do you mean?
A steep path may not make your cottage very accessible for older people, especially with mobility problems and younger people need to be near good transpirt ljnks and schools/shops etc. Is it more of a holiday cottage than a regular permanent residence? Having a second home nowadays is not tax friendly.
You could try asking your agents to ask viewers why they decided it wasn't for them. It could be an eye-opener as YOU obviously don't see the cons, only the pros which is natural.

Ask your agent for feedback from the viewers. Your agent is working for you...make them earn their pay.

Oh and depersonalize your cottage as much as possible

Jane10 and only 4 ft beds, in a so called spacious bedroom!

Three weeks isn't long enough to start worrying. I'd research how long it takes for the average house to sell in your area. It just needs the right person to walk in and fall in love with it as you did. This will surely happen.

Great idea situpstraight! Make that sitting room look bigger by removing large furniture items.
We noticed when looking at show houses that they tended to have only 2 seater sofas and little tables.

Let this give you hope,we too are desperate down sizers and would you believe it but we have been on the market years!
Initially trying to sell by our estate agent and through a Retirement Agency`s Part exchange system........neither bearing fruit.
Two reputable Estate agents priced the property initially and both arrived at much the same price,initially there was a very slow start (through the agents fault as he was leaving so had no energy to give!!)
On changing estate agents we have had great viewers and the feed back throughout has been most uplifting with the only one same questionable comment............the nearby road ...........which is a B road and only leading to a few villages and the beaches off the Irish sea!!
Otherways some great feed back.
But we do have almost a glut of good quality property for sale in this area because for years there has been totally zilch movement of properties.
Only fairly recently things have drastically started changing for the better, but sadly our prices are quite frankly at rock bottom.
Because we found the ideal new home for ourselves, we dropped the price substantially (against the Estate agent`s advice) because we felt it must be "now or never"
Again many more viewings before then having 2 offers (both reaching the same price and near to what it was now priced at)
We were all set to move, with our own place in utter turmoil as we had to drastically down size...............and then the bomb shell..........the would be purchasers pulled out.
So we are back to square one having lost the property we were keen on.
Heartbreaking indeed,especially as we are at an age .......both with poor health........that we cannot afford hanging around for very much longer.
So we are once again gearing up for a few months of "hard sell".
Hopefully you too will find that all elusive purchaser and believe me,it only takes that one person to fall in love and they will fall for the quirkyness,plus the steep and narrow access!!
Good Luck.

Rubysong you say that the living room is on the small side, have you thought about only having essential furniture in there, to help make it look larger?
Also a good declutter throughout is a good idea, if you are moving anyway then start packing personal stuff and put it into the shed/garage.
Do you have a friend who would come in and give you an impartial opinion on the Cottage ? Sometimes viewers don’t have much imagination and if a place looks cluttered they will think that there is no storage.ie. Stuff under beds, shelves heaving with stuff and Estate Agents are often afraid to offend.
However another sunny day, so good luck.