Knowing the sq. ft. helps to eliminate the too small or too big house from the list. I am very uncomfortable with the tactic my agent suggested using. But on that note, I have also seen people on this forum talk about doing exactly that if there are substantial repairs. And consider this, you bid on a house that at first blush looks fine, but then the inspection comes back and there are structural issues or water issues or whatever? And particularly since tenant downstairs told us the pipes froze last month and one of them burst. Going back and finnaly getting into the ground floor apartment also revealed some spongy spots in the floor. If they accept the offer and it's in good shape, then I would honor the contract and the price we are submitting is fair, even though I think a little high, it would be a fair price. On the other hand, if there are substantial repairs, would it not be fair and reasonable to ask them to make repairs or adjust the price? The price we offered is 7% below listing for a property that has been on the market for 8 months. Just my thoughts. Probably not worth 2 cents.

kitasei and rrah were right on when they talked about helping potential buyers know that they can build and how they can build. Then they can evaluate whether the property is a good fit for them. We just sold a vacant lot after ~18 months of having it on the market. It was FSBO, our marketing was a sign in the yard + CL + zillow. I'd get 1-2 calls a month, all asking the same half dozen questions. I had a GIS map I'd mail them showing dimensions of the lot and lakefront, and a copy of the deed restrictions. Lots take longer to sell than houses, because there are fewer people shopping for land than shopping for a house. So be patient and provide lots of info to remove uncertainty and questions. Eventually the right buyer will come along. Another thought is to find out why those on nearby properties bought. Have your agent figure out how to target that demographic. Are they weekenders that come from Big City X? Retirees looking for a quiet retirement home? Seasonal hunters? Find creative ways to target them instead of just relying on the MLS.

It took them 3 years to come out and reassess our home after our restoration. Needless to say, we were a bit surprised to hear from them. We didn't realize this was a thing. They just came last week, so I don't know how it will affect things. We added a bathroom and A/C, but lost a bedroom. Other finishes remained about the same. We added a new garage at the same time (tore down a 100 year old single car and put up a dble car, but in the same style to match our 100 yr old house). We did pull permits for this, but he looked out the window and said, "And you still have a garage". I didn't lie, but I also didn't respond.

You can do a hard prune on the rhododendron and move it to the right side on your property where you need screening. I would create an enclosure of plants to hide the yard by sliding doors, because that is where most people who don't know better will go. Get a trellis to hide the trash cans. Maybe you can install an arbor over the garage door and extend it out to the steps. Extend the walkway down the drive after you create a rock berm to raise the height. Plant something eye catching to the left of the arbor. I think the deck would look better painted white.