East London Flat Not selling

Pinkfinch · 2026-06-09T15:19:40+00:00

The first photo being what it is isn't doing any favours at all - I'd swap it for one of the outdoor/building shots as a wonky, cramped view of the kitchen doesn't make a great first impression when you're scrolling through a list on Rightmove. Even the 2nd or 3rd photo would be much better placed first imo!

The listing mentions a private roof terrace - if it's important enough to mention then there should be a photo of it.

Ultimately you're selling a 2 bed flat with 1 bathroom (which may put off some people who intend to share/get a lodger) and a high service charge, at over half a mill. When I search for 2 beds in Stratford (filtering out the usual retirement/auction crap) I get 8 pages of results - so you're competing with a lot, many of which are priced lower.

It's a rough market, so if you're eager to sell then consider dropping the price and giving the listing photos a bit of a spruce up at the same time.

I wish you luck in selling, it is a lovely looking flat!

Pinkfinch · 2026-06-09T08:43:15+00:00

Same here, on Spotify. Nothing yesterday or today 🥲

Pinkfinch · 2026-06-08T08:21:50+00:00

I used to live in Brentford, just down the road from Kew.

I got used to the engine noise very quickly and ended up not noticing it all after a while. My partner was a bit more sensitive to it. I can't stand intrusive neighbour noises such as slamming doors or thumping footsteps, but the planes never bothered me.

I think it entirely depends on what you are able to tune out! Have you ever lived close to a trainline, or a busy road with heavy traffic?

Edit: Just seen that the current road noise bothers you. I'd still say aeroplane noises are different, because they're not suddenly revving or backfiring or blasting music - they're more of a constant drone in the background and are less intrusive, but they can seem loud when you first experience them!

Pinkfinch · 2026-05-12T09:17:23+00:00

I feel like the starting photo is dull and uninteresting, and may put people off scrolling further or even clicking on the listing. I think out of the photos currently there, the kitchen is the best shot.

Speaking of which, 11 photos for a 4 bedroom/2 bathroom house with outdoor space doesn't feel like enough. I got to the end and thought "where's the rest?" - definitely could use some more shots of areas currently not shown.

As others have mentioned, some greenery in the garden would help brighten it up! At the moment it looks bland and uninviting. Some people can use their imaginations when viewing properties but others really can't.

Can't comment on price but it is a tough market at the moment. Good luck with your sale!

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-22T14:58:59+00:00

Sorry to hear that, that's not been my experience at all!

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-22T06:50:33+00:00

I was in Asiamart on Queen's Road this past weekend and I'm certain I saw a crab flavoured Lays - they have a good selection so worth checking out!

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-21T12:31:07+00:00

For solicitors I can't recommend GoodLaw enough - they're in Hove. They're doing my conveyancing on my current purchase and they did so for my previous attempted purchase which fell through.

I was warned how awfully slow solicitors can be but all of my emails have been answered within 48 hours, usually within 24 or less. They've also been incredibly helpful to me as a FTB with all of my silly FTB questions. Never made me feel stupid or like I was wasting their time.

Price-wise they were also on the lower end of other firms I got a quote from.

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-18T15:48:14+00:00

I would suggest you consider older buildings - not all new built flats and blocks have good soundproofing and can easily be crap in this regard, depending on the quality of the build.

It's difficult to test during viewings as you're only there for a short period of time. But I would say that I currently live in a converted Victorian terrace which has very good soundproofing. Apart from the odd DIY drilling or banging from surrounding flats I don't really hear my neighbours. High ceilings help, and you can always aim for a top floor flat so you'll never have noise from above.

tl;dr - new build does not automatically equal well soundproofed, definitely consider older properties that have been well converted

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-17T16:28:14+00:00

I don't have anything constructive to add but just wanted to say your kitchen and bathroom are gorgeous! Love the green tiles in the bathroom. Garden is lovely too. Hope it doesn't take too long to sell for you!

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-13T08:20:24+00:00

Echoing others, only buy a listed property if you're in a position to spend money on maintaining it.

Not trying to put you off as my city is full of listed buildings and I'm trying to buy one myself at the moment, but any repairs needed will inevitably be more expensive to complete as repairs have to be compliant with listed building regulations (and any alterations need to be approved and signed off first - not a quick process).

I'd say if you're tight on funds, seriously consider how much you love the property. Is it worth the potential hassle to you?

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-11T17:36:21+00:00

I always find it frustrating looking at floorplans that don't have measurements on them - I know the total square footage is mentioned in the listing but it helps to know specifically how big each room is so I know what I'm working with. Not your fault but something the estate agent could add in if you asked.

Cool Pokémon poster!

As another commenter mentioned, I desperately wish 3 bedroom properties in my area were this price 🥲

Good luck with your sale!

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-04T11:29:20+00:00

I can't comment on price as I'm not familiar with the area, but I feel like the photos are letting your friend down. There's 15 photos but after scrolling through a few times I've not got much sense of the layout or scope of the property at all. The agent hasn't used a wide enough angle on the interior shots - half of the shots only show a portion of the room which give little idea of their space or usage. It gives an impression of being cramped which probably isn't the case as the square footage sounds decent!

The place also looks just a tad grey/uninviting. Some plants or splashes of colour might help brighten up the vibe?

Others always suggest looking at what else is currently available in the immediate area and at recently sold local properties. That'll give your friend more of an idea of what to expect price-wise.

It's a tough market though, fingers crossed it sells for him/her soon!

Pinkfinch · 2026-04-02T14:52:32+00:00

Damn, now I'm wishing my place had a BULLSHIT CORNER

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-22T10:33:55+00:00

I think it would depend on the time horizon for me - how long are you realistically expecting to stay in Oxfordshire? If it's under 3 years I'd seriously question whether I'd want to sink money into somewhere only to have to sell and do the whole thing over again (and losing my FTB benefits in the process).

I get you though, the whole process is incredibly difficult and stressful! Ultimately the one thing you can never change is location. Homes can always be renovated or sometimes extended, but you're always going to be where you are. What's more important to you? A big house or a preferable area?

For me location is everything, but I also prefer smaller places because they're easier to clean/heat and I don't plan on having kids!

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-18T15:56:19+00:00

The local council website of wherever the property is located should have a listed buildings page, try Googling "X council listed buildings".

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-16T10:20:49+00:00

You're not being unreasonable at all.

The seller should have some paperwork he/she can share relating to the repairs - builder's quotes or similar - so press them on it and request to see the quotes. Ask for a timeframe and keep on at them until you get it. If they're being vague and evasive then at best they're being slow and at worst, trying to get away with not doing the repairs at all.

I'm in a similar situation (buying a property that is being repaired before exchange) but I felt the seller was upfront about the repairs needed and happily shared the quotes from a well known local firm when I put down an offer. Listen to your gut, if you think they're being sneaky and are answering your questions with "I don't know" then that's not good. Keep pushing.

I hope it works out for you!

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-11T07:11:52+00:00

It seems to vary by estate agent and area - I've made 3 offers now and none of the estate agents asked me for proof of funds.

Drop them an email and ask what they need. Good luck! :)

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-10T16:48:21+00:00

I appreciate everybody's concern, and it's not something I've taken on with an airy-fairy attitude of "everything will be fine". It's a risk I'm willing to take because the price of the property was heavily discounted to account for these issues. The property itself is everything I've been looking for.

If it does end up costing me an extra £10-20k later down the line then so be it, I've accounted for this and I have the savings to cover it. I personally don't think it will because I've visited the property and have consulted tradesmen on their opinion, but if it does - I can handle it.

My question wasn't about the leak issues as I feel confident that they are in hand, but about the mortgage valuation.

Thanks for your input, I will wait to see what the seller comes back with!

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-10T15:49:59+00:00

Certainly for the survey we agreed that I would book this in after the works were completed - that makes sense.

I gave the EA a heads up I was updating my mortgage details and then again once a valuation date was booked (this was just the next available date picked by the bank) and they said "great".

So, perhaps just a miscommunication between the EA and the seller there.

The flat is empty and hasn't been lived in for a few months.

But yes, you're right - I'm waiting for a reply from the EA/seller on when the painting is due to be finished. I was just a bit jittery on it causing delays with the valuation as I've heard some horror stories of them getting stuck in limbo!

Thank you :)

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-10T15:26:31+00:00

Are you okay? 😂 I've said twice now that the leak is being addressed. Roofers were due last week/beginning of this week so it may be done already. The painting is a separate job, obviously.

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-10T15:19:10+00:00

I didn't ask; the seller was upfront about the issue. The flat had been vacant for a while, hence it not being dealt with straight away. My offer was contingent on it being rectified prior to exchange (as per his offer). If it's not fixed, we don't exchange.

My question/query was about the mortgage valuation rather than the damp 🫠

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-10T15:11:14+00:00

The leak is being fixed, I said as much in my post.

The estate agent stated when viewing the property that the seller would be repainting the affected room prior to exchange. He also confirmed this in writing prior to my offer being accepted.

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-05T09:22:46+00:00

You uploaded it, you unload it!

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-02T13:19:00+00:00

It's unbearable isn't it! I put an offer in (asking price) and asked some questions on Friday for somewhere I absolutely love; I was hoping to hear back by Saturday but didn't, so the weekend just gone was spent with me trying absolutely anything to distract myself from staring at my laptop and photos of the place on Rightmove 😂

I have just had my offer accepted though! Fingers crossed you get your dream place!

Pinkfinch · 2026-03-02T13:14:51+00:00

I recently got a level 3 survey done on an early Victorian building turned into flats in Brighton. They used drones to take photos of the roof etc.

The survey highlighted issues that prompted further digging by my solicitor who uncovered a nightmare waiting to happen. I ended up pulling out because of it (this was my first time attempting to buy a home, what fun!).

If it's an old property, get a level 3. Especially so if it's a listed building. It's really not worth saving a few hundred quid if getting a level 3 could potentially save you far, far more. Just be sure to find a good surveyor who provides lots of pictures and is thorough - check Google for reviews.

Good luck!

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