Explain why my neighbor’s house can’t sell

[Anonymous]

It's always price

no garage?

[Anonymous]

OP here one more time. Comments at first were so reasonable and measured, I should have known it wouldn’t last! Noted that some people do not consider this to be a desirable neighborhood, and that their minds won’t change regardless of the house. I think you all have pulled together a clear diagnosis for why the house is also not selling to people who DO want to live here: weird layout, bad staging, mini yard, busy street, and a poor pricing strategy that doesn’t take those things into account.

Really didn’t intend to make this a thread about desirability of the neighborhood, but feel like I should say something given that others interested in living here may happen across this thread. We’ve lived in 20910 for 6 years (yes, on busy Philadelphia Ave) and are so happy here. Walking distance to groceries, breweries, playgrounds, farmers market, and a great library with a straight shot red line commute at a much lower cost/sf than other inside Beltway options. Schools are a good fit for our kids. And Montgomery College as a negative factor? Personally, I enjoy puppet shows, musical performances, and annual Nutcracker ballet in the gorgeous performing arts building, but to each their own.

[Anonymous]

“For many people, there is simply no price low enough that they'd ever buy on a busy road.”

This is me. House could be half the price but I would not buy it on that busy a road. I detest the idea of living on a busy road or backed right up to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the washer/dryer in the living room?! Strike one
A tiny kitchen in the basement but no external entry for an apartment? And a sauna I’d never use. Plus very chopped up basement. Strike two
Don’t love (or even really like) the kitchen or bathrooms. Strike 3

And a tiny yard to boot.

no washer and dryer in the living room. None.

[Anonymous]

Having an abandoned house, a junkyard house, a group house and being at the intersection of a busy street is a huge deal. The other properties can make a big difference.

In a different area, there was an abandoned house with a ridiculously overgrown yard. We’re not talking forgot to mow for a few months. We’re talking an episode of people vanish for 10 years and nature reclaims. We passed out of concern for rodent infections, squatters, drugs. A junk yard house with a hoarder can have similar issues. A group house can mean lots of noise.

Other reasons why we passed on some houses that looked nice online we’re disappointment and cat pee smell. We loved one house but the cat pee smell was apparent even though they had tried to hide it. Two others looked nice on line but the seemed so, so much smaller when we saw the house. For one we were convinced that they were lying about the square footage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I appreciate the comments! It’s a good reminder that several of things that aren’t big issues for us (the condition of neighboring houses, the split of bedrooms between upstairs and basement) are bigger flags for other people.

The more I reflect on it, the more I think that the biggest factor might be the number of people looking at this price point in this neighborhood. I think a lot of people are looking at 20910 hoping to find a SFH under $750k or so, and fewer are looking here with budgets of $850k+, or if they have that budget they can get something they like without some of the downsides of this house.

Yeah, especially if people are expecting to pay over asking. When we were looking, we set our price range significantly under what we expected to pay.

[Anonymous]

I feel bad for the owners who are trying to sell, since buyers will now find this thread. Maybe it’s useful for the buyers but I still feel a bit bad. Guess they maybe will lower their price a little?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for the owners who are trying to sell, since buyers will now find this thread. Maybe it’s useful for the buyers but I still feel a bit bad. Guess they maybe will lower their price a little?

I dont think there is anything in this thread buyers dont already know and isn't obvious. It has been lister and failed to sell for awhile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for the owners who are trying to sell, since buyers will now find this thread. Maybe it’s useful for the buyers but I still feel a bit bad. Guess they maybe will lower their price a little?

Don’t feel bad. They got a bad realtor who is giving bad advice. Whether this thread exists or not, they need to adjust things they can - price and staging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like others have said. Price.

Busy road is a gigantic negative. It'd probably have to go for $100-200k lower before I'd even whiff at living on a major road like that.

For many people, there is simply no price low enough that they'd ever buy on a busy road.

+1

[Anonymous]

Fenton Street is the most dangerous (crime) street in Moco.

[Anonymous]

I’m so bothered by the position of the coffee table by the sectional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here one more time. Comments at first were so reasonable and measured, I should have known it wouldn’t last! Noted that some people do not consider this to be a desirable neighborhood, and that their minds won’t change regardless of the house. I think you all have pulled together a clear diagnosis for why the house is also not selling to people who DO want to live here: weird layout, bad staging, mini yard, busy street, and a poor pricing strategy that doesn’t take those things into account.

Really didn’t intend to make this a thread about desirability of the neighborhood, but feel like I should say something given that others interested in living here may happen across this thread. We’ve lived in 20910 for 6 years (yes, on busy Philadelphia Ave) and are so happy here. Walking distance to groceries, breweries, playgrounds, farmers market, and a great library with a straight shot red line commute at a much lower cost/sf than other inside Beltway options. Schools are a good fit for our kids. And Montgomery College as a negative factor? Personally, I enjoy puppet shows, musical performances, and annual Nutcracker ballet in the gorgeous performing arts building, but to each their own.

I have zero interest in staging but the street is a huge turn off and many other aspects of the house, including yard. They aren't easy fixes. I wouldn't care about the neighbor. They cannot be any worse than our nasty neighbors.

[Anonymous]

I believe this house had water issues as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In addition to the other issues (location, price), the layout of the main floor is terrible, and they staged it poorly to boot. It's very awkward to walk right into the dining room. They should've put the dining table in the too-big family room with the family room furniture, and set the living room up like a living room. It's not a family-friendly layout at all and the way it's staged it's particularly terrible.

+1 The staging of the first floor in particular is really bad. On top of a poor layout it really is hard to see how a family would jump at it. The curb appeal (without considering the neighbors) is really cute. Unfortunately from looking a the price history they paid way too much a few years ago and now they're kinda stuck.