Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
annfire_gw

Critique our listing/pictures please

annfire
14 years ago

I love reading all the wonderful critiques of the listing pictures, and am hoping that you'll do the same for our house. It's been on the market for 2 weeks now, with 5 showings and good feedback.

Our realtor will be updating pictures as spring starts to arrive, so this is a perfect opportunity to change things for the next round of pictures.

I'll take the good, the bad, and the ugly. I know this is for our own good. Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Our listing

Comments (12)

  • xamsx
    14 years ago

    We seldom get pictures like this to be critiqued. First glance is very nice. Very nice at second glance too!

    I'd lose the eyebrow over the kitchen window.
    The bedroom picture is over a bed, nothing to do with any architectural features of the room. Is there a better shot to be had of that room?
    I "think" I understand picture 8 with two stories of windows, but you have three pictures of that area (2 of the hot tub) and no pictures of any bathrooms. Any chance of swapping out one of the semi-redundant pictures and adding a master bath or other "wow" bathroom pic?

    All in all your pics are very nice. Hopefully someone on the forum will critique your write-up. That is not something I do (I stick to the pics), but even I can tell your write up is less than wonderful.

    How difficult is a contemporary to sell in your area of NH?

  • roobear
    14 years ago

    Your house overall is really nice and clean and uncluttered which means you can focus on the details.

    I agree with adding a bathroom picture and with removing the kitchen window curtain.

    I think in the master bedroom if that's where the bed fits I would move it into the recessed part of the wall and only have one night stand instead of two. Also the bed should be made luxurious with a nice hotel feel- look at catalogs that show bedspreads with the beds all made up to get ideas on how to add extra pillows. I think the bedding is fine it just needs to be made up with more comfy pillows and look inviting. Adding some seating in this room would create more of a master suite feel.

    The fireplace in the living room looks dated- I don't mind the wood but the bright gold looks very dated-it can be an easy fix with paint made for fireplace surrounds. I would also think about having the fireplace lit during pictures to create a cozy feel. Curtains might be nice in this room to frame out the windows as well.

    I would show one picture of your hot tub but again I would take the cover off and have the jets going during pictures. I would also think about adding some plants and giving the space an inviting spa feeling.

    What about adding a wall mount gel fireplace to the bedroom or hot tub room for instant atmosphere? They cost around 180.00 at overstock and can be hung on the wall in any room- they have a great recessed into the wall look to display candles or use the gel fuel cans for a real fire.

    The rug in the hall is a little bright-you might think about a more calming neutral solid color with some nice texture instead.

    Lastly make sure your realtor has a realtor's open house- it can bring you more traffic.

    Otherwise I think you've done a great job and hope you sell quickly.

  • phoggie
    14 years ago

    I can not add anything other than what has been mentioned, but I love you dining room chairs.....do you know the name of them?....also beautiful kitchen. GOOD LUCK

  • annfire
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Great suggestions - thank you! I've been a long time lurker and have watched my fair share of HGTV, so as soon as we decided to move I started decluttering, put away the family pictures, stripped any wallpaper, and updated as much as possible. The paint to cover the fireplace surround has been sitting in our garage for about a year - maybe now I'll find the time to get that brass covered up.

    I agree about the bedroom picture. If the picture was taken from the doorway, I think people would have a better idea of the size of the room, which includes that sitting area that roobear mentioned, and shows that row of windows that you see from the jacuzzi room. I was also puzzled by the redundant jacuzzi room pictures - as one is taken from the top of the solid wood spiral staircase that goes up to the MBR. I was thinking it would be a bit more interesting to show that rather than another picture of the jacuzzi cover.

    I'll pass on the suggestions to my realtor next week. Thank you!!

    xamsx - I've heard that it's more difficult selling a contemporary in NH, where many people prefer the traditional colonial. I'm hoping that it won't be really bad. When we bought 5 years ago, we loved it because of all the windows and natural light that flows in - something that is often in short supply in NH. Plus we adhered to the location, location, location rule which we think may help offset that it's a contemporary. Only time will tell!

  • ALICIA MICHELLE
    14 years ago

    Your home is absolutely lovely - wish I were house hunting in
    NH! I have to agree with most of what's already been said. Two photos of the hot tub room are is a little redundant. I'd switch it out for a photo of the master or hall bath.

    I'm currently in the market for a home and one feature I always look for is the back of the home. For those who like to entertain outdoors it would be nice to see if the backyard leads to an alley, pasture, woodlands, common area, etc.

  • susanlynn2012
    14 years ago

    I loved your home and I wish I was looking for a home in your area since then I would sell my townhouse in the Northern part of NJ where things are so expensive and for the same price (my house was worth $115,000 more 3 years ago... so sad but I am sure everyone has this problem) have all your land and the contempory house with all the light that I love that your home has. I would love my next home one day to have so many wonderful windows since I love a lot of light and privacy. I agree with all the small changes above. I feel your home will sell fast despite the slow real estate market since it is priced right and the house shows well inside and outside. Your kitchen is so nice also.

    Please share any updated pics and any updated news on offers.

    I love

  • susanlynn2012
    14 years ago

    Sorry, I accidentally clicked send instead of preview to read over to make a few changes. I love your foyer area also with that beautiful stairwell. Your home is really very nice and shows well.

  • triciae
    14 years ago

    Working for one of NH's largest lenders, I foreclosed on many houses in Bow & believe I know the market quite well. If you purchased 5 years ago, you've done well on your investment even in this down cycle. It's a nice area. Being a contemporary does eliminate more than a few potential buyers. BUT, times have changed a lot, even in NH (!), over the past 5-8 years. No longer does the center-chimney colonial have a lock on the market for larger homes. Well, maybe, except for some locales such as Exeter, Amherst, Bedford, and/or New Boston. But Bow has a nice mix & a younger populace.

    I think you've got a lovely home that appears well maintained. It shows nicely. I agree about the solarium pictures...uncover the hot tub & get some greenery in the room.

    What direction are those windows facing? I'm wondering if you've got some great passive solar happening in that house? If so, it should defintely be noted in the description. And, for summer...are there shades, fans, etc. to reduce the heat build-up? What about a dehumidifier for the solarium? I KNOW that's a problem in NH since I've had the disfortune to foreclose on a solarium property...I referred to it as my "mushroom farm" house! Your listing should state how that problem has been eliminated...the hot tub cover won't prevent long-term damage to the structure.

    The kitchen valance looks a bit traditional for such a contemporary home so, I agree, it should be removed. That's a nit-pickey thing...the house looks GREAT! If anything, I'd say you decluttered a tad too much. There's a non-specific coldness about the pictures, IMO. Sorta unwelcoming. BUT, that could be my personal prejudice registering since I'm a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist. lol

    I'm in Mystic now but still keep up with the NH market & my DH is a member of the NH Bar. Conditions are tough but you seem to be in a small price niche for the Bow market. A lot of your competition is significantly higher priced. I think your home offers good value.

    Best wishes for a quick sale.

    /tricia

  • logic
    14 years ago

    Your home IS beautiful. Along with all of the above suggestions, I would put a centerpiece on the coffee table, such as a pretty shallow bowl or a low profile vase with fresh spring like flowers.

    I would also remove the snow...and hose down the driveway if temperature permits to remove the salt stains, as both the snow and salt stains really distract the eye from the home itself.

    Best wishes for a speedy sale!

  • jane__ny
    14 years ago

    I love your house. So bright and sunny. You should have no problem selling.

    Keep us posted,

    Jane

  • annfire
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I do so wish that many of you WERE looking in NH - I appreciate the nice comments and gives me faith that the house will sell soon.

    Triciae - no mushroom farm in this house, and not even a hint of humidity (except, of course, on hot, humid summer days). It could be the cathedral ceilings in that room, or that the door is usually left open, you can enter from the kitchen. We also have an ozone filter and don't need chemicals for the jacuzzi.

    Unfortunately, re: doing well on our investment, we're selling for less than we purchased, so no ROI. We had a difficult time with pricing, interviewed 5 realtors, and their recommended list price ranged from $415,000 to $479,900. Quite a range! We want to move (downsizing) so looked at the competition, took the realtor comments to heart, and decided we'd rather price the house on the lower end which will hopefully generate a quicker sale. Again, time will tell.

    Aleshel - we hope to add the outside pictures once things start to green up a little. Luckily, we have a great outdoor entertainment area, with large multilevel deck, in-ground pool, surrounded by woodlands, but plenty of lawn surrounding the house so that we're not constantly inundated with leaves or bugs. No alleys here.

    Phoggie - thanks for the compliments on the dining room chairs. I don't know that name of them, bought them when we lived in California. We actually bought the table at an estate sale, but it didn't come with chairs. It took us about a year to find chairs that would look nice with the table. Friends are amazed that we didn't buy it as a set.

    Thanks all!

  • gwent
    14 years ago

    Pix look great- only small items as others have said: the dated curtain in kitchen, delete one of the spa photos and add greenery. Great job decluttering. My house is now under agreement (South of Boston) and I went a bit overboard with the decluttering- so house felt "cold" while on the market. Ours is a small Cape.
    We went under agreement after 6 weeks on market cause we priced it to sell. Good luck - yours is a beauty.