How to sell a townhouse in a undesirable location?
My husband and and I are trying to sell our townhome. We have had 14 showings with no offer yet. The feedback we are getting is that potential buyers don’t want waste management behind their property. This is where waste management stores their garbage trucks when they are clean and empty. There is a small yard and 2 fences with one being vinyl between our house and the lot they store there trucks on. If you look pasts the trucks you get gorgeous Mountain View’s. It is 3 bed, 2.5 bath, and a 2 car garage with just under 1600 sq feet. Any suggestions on how we can get potential buyers to oversee this would be very helpful.
Slumlord2020-05-02T23:13:09Z
How tall are the fences. If you put up a 6 ft vinyl or wood fence (that you can't see thru) right at the property line (if it doesn't have one already), that might help. If this won't hide the trucks very well, then maybe some small (10-12 ft) bushy trees in the back of the yard would hide it better (try arborvitae).
Beyond that, you are just going to have to lower the price. With 14 showings but no offer, the market is telling you that this is a great price if not for the trucks, but to high since the trucks are there (though putting up a bigger fence, or maybe even planting some 12 ft bushy trees might do the trick - nobody cares so much that the trucks are there if you can't see them).
The location is your big problem, I agree. But your other problem is probably the asking price. Housing in 'problem' areas is often cheaper. And until the buyer decides that it's not going to be a factor, there's not much you can actually do about it.
The vinyl fence may be too short--if the view is really bad, consider putting one up that is taller, or thicker, or offers more privacy and screening. That's really the only thing you CAN do here. Is there an odor coming from the lot? Is there a lot of noise? Those things can't be amended. If that's not an issue, then you might tell your realtor to explain that there is no noise or odor problem, and the only issue may be the view.
I actually got my present house extremely cheap because it is directly across from a freeway exit. There is noise. There is traffic. And I know that's why such a beautiful home was sitting vacant for a long time. But I welcomed the opportunity to get something I wanted so inexpensively! I was the right buyer, at the right time. And eventually, you'll find one too. It may take a long time, but someone will buy if the price is right.