So my house didn't sell...

[celiene]

Scott,

I looked at the pictures on the web-site, and drove by the home today ( in the Heights area) with a friend who's looking in the Heights, Rice Miltary, etc.

I would agree with the ideas the other posters gave you--I haven't seen the inside of your place--other than the pictures---but tend to think that changing the outside color to something a bit more neutral, and adding some landscaping should do the trick

Maybe than you wouldn't need to lower your price by 50K!!! ( ByranS suggestion) or anywhere near that

Good Luck--it's tough selling a house!

PS--Get the St. Joseph kit---some folks swear by it ( I dunno personally )

[jscarbor]

The more I think about it the less I think the house color is the problem??? Tree's would be nice though. What can you get a fairly mature oak planted for $$? $2000 for something 15-20 feet? I think adding this would make the exterior color less of an issue (I don't personally mind the color, its unique like the Heights area is supposed to be.

Most of the suggestions I have heard are very good advice which is generally what you get on this forum save a few nutjobs that know everything but know nothing in reality. As a Seller, you have to figure out what you are willing to try and improve in order to sell your house. If you decide nothing, then IMO price is the only thing that you can do. Listing agent can only do so much, real estate is market driven as we all know. Advertsing is low on the totem pole as far as getting people to look at a house. MLS presentation is most important.

So a quick rundown but not all inclusive or in order of relevance:

1. Tree

2. closed porch

3. Paint inside/out

4. Staging to sell

5. Cabinets space in kitchen

6. Vent hood to exterior

I think staging(might include painting), tree (mature) are probably the most important??? And they are pretty cost effective? Plus if you decide not to sell the tree will only grow and become more "valuable" to the property. It could also help shade the home a bit from the sun.

Edited September 5, 2008 by jscarbor

[Scott08]

Never thought much about the lack of trees in the front. My back and side yards have four trees total and are pretty shaded. Some houses on my block have front yard trees but not all of them a la 16th street a few blocks over. I used to have brick planter boxes in the front but they were in pretty bad shape so I took them down a few years ago. There are still two "mini-slabs" where they used to be...maybe outline them with some landscape timbers, fill them back up with dirt and plant some flowers or plants. I personally think the front yard's too small for a big tree, many of the yards that do have them also have crumbling sidewalks and driveways from root damage. If I decide to relist, I might also attack the kitchen. I think for around $1500-2K I could place some cabinets along the one wall that doesn't have any (you don't see it in the pictures) which would add not only more space but would make the kitchen more "conventional." If $5K investment could get me my asking price then I'd be all over it.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Scott08

[BryanS]

Never thought much about the lack of trees in the front. My back and side yards have four trees total and are pretty shaded. Some houses on my block have front yard trees but not all of them a la 16th street a few blocks over. I used to have brick planter boxes in the front but they were in pretty bad shape so I took them down a few years ago. There are still two "mini-slabs" where they used to be...maybe outline them with some landscape timbers, fill them back up with dirt and plant some flowers or plants. I personally think the front yard's too small for a big tree, many of the yards that do have them also have crumbling sidewalks and driveways from root damage. If I decide to relist, I might also attack the kitchen. I think for around $1500-2K I could place some cabinets along the one wall that doesn't have any (you don't see it in the pictures) which would add not only more space but would make the kitchen more "conventional." If $5K investment could get me my asking price then I'd be all over it.

...and if it doesn't? Why do anything? Just lower the price. For the right price, anything well sell - in any condition. Not saying give it away, but obviously the price is wrong... if it didn't sell. People not knowing about it... could be a problem; however, you had it on HAR. People did look at it. The price is wrong.

[houstonmacbro]

...and if it doesn't? Why do anything? Just lower the price. For the right price, anything well sell - in any condition. Not saying give it away, but obviously the price is wrong... if it didn't sell. People not knowing about it... could be a problem; however, you had it on HAR. People did look at it. The price is wrong.

Yeah, anything will sell if priced right. It might be less than you're comfortable with for your profit margin but if you price it 'right' it will move.

[sonic0boom]

Scott, my perspective as someone who hopes to buy a house within the next year and spends a a lot of time on HAR.com in the meantime ...

Based on the photos, it looks like a cool place that I would check out if I was actively looking. The location is not bad, either. Here is my problem: I am paying $1200/month to rent a place that is about the same size in the Southampton area near Rice U. Land value aside (whatever it may be), it feels like a lot to pay ($200+ sq/ft) for such a small place. I realize there is not much you can do about that, but that would be my reason to pass on your house if I was looking. If it was, say, 1600 sq/ft at that price, I would be all over it.

[Scott08]

I had a well respected member of this forum come out last Monday to access my home. His chief concerns (as far as why it didn't sell) were curb appeal/landscaping, the blue exterior color, and some dark paint colors in the house in some rooms. He felt like with about $2-3K sunk into it to freshen it up, I should easily get my asking price of $240ish. I've just got to decide now whether to do that now, or wait a bit.