What really needs to be done to sell a house?

Toto

I am selling my house and renting. I am in an IO mortgage and have enough equity to clear my debts and save some money towards a new deposit in the future. But at the moment my budget it almost non existent for home improvements. I really need a quick sale on my house and need to know what I should spend money on and what isn't that important.

I will magnolia the whole house and make a few minor repairs, all of that I can pretty much do myself. I will also replace all carpets upstairs for cheap but new. Downstairs is all laminate and tidy.

The bathroom needs replacing to be honest. It's not great, certainly not a feature of the house.

I have a linked semi. The linked bit is really quite tatty but isn't a part of the main house, it does need a lick of paint and could do with the ceiling plastering, as could the kitchen and hallway ceilings. Not that they are really bad, just not perfect.

My gardens all need SOMETHING??? Neither the OH or myself know one end of a petunia from the other. Do we need to plant things? The grass has kind of grown over the remains of the flowerbeds, which suits us because we can cut grass.

Ours is a 1950s house and it has a back boiler. when I moved in I wanted to rip out the really ugly gas fire on the front of the boiler but never got around to it. We did put in a new kitchen, then started a business so home repairs went on hold. Will the ugly fireplace put people off?

If I walk around I can find 1000s of £s worth of things to do but I just don't have the money to do them. So what would you think should be my priorities? I do want a reasonable price but most importantly I want a quick sale. Next door is on the market for £245,000 but they don't have double glazing (I do, we did do that much)

Any advice would be really helpful.

silvercar

Put it on the market at the right price and it will sell.

abbecer

Just usual advice really. Make sure everything is spotlessly clean and uncluttered. Good idea to go with magnolia throughout. I would brighten your walls up by adding canvas prints, you can make them easily and cheaply. Make the best of your bathroom by whitening the grout (you can buy a grout whitening pen) and choosing a colour accent with towels, candles etc. If your settee has seen better days add a throwover which you could later use on your bed. I would definitely add touches of colour to your garden with plants. Nothing too spectacular or expensive just some geraniums or busy lizzies in pots and baskets. I would definitely spend your money on accessories and finishing touches and then these can go with you to your new home.

If you have an Instore (was Poundstretcher) near you i would have a look there. They have fantastic vases, candles etc that are really cheap and really designer looking. Failing that Ikea is ok for bits n bobs.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you go.

Rebecca x:rotfl:

tesuhoha

Fresh flowers in vases co-ordinating with your decor and a bowl of colourful fresh fruit. Bathroom and kitchen should be spotlessly clean and gleaming. The hallway should be given special attention as it provides the first impression of the house and they say that most people make up their minds in the first 30 seconds that they enter your house. So for the hallway, a nice mirror, floor standing vases or plants, maybe a display of dried flowers, a nice rug, anything that looks good in your hall.

Robert_Sterling

Toto wrote:

Neither the OH or myself know one end of a petunia from the other.

The root is the end which is under the ground.
I hope this helps.

Doozergirl

It's solicitors and surveyors that sell houses. Pretty things like thorwa and vases are all very well, but surveyors don't look at that so there's not much point in false advertising; the house would benefit from some updating. As silvercar says, price it sensibly and it will sell.

Ask your EA to advertise it as needing some work and if people in your area are the same as here, you'll have viewers lined up outside the door looking for a Property Ladder style profit.

Good Luck

Toto

Thanks very much for all of your suggestions they have really helped. I'll let you know how I get on. No one has suggested tearing out the bathroom which is a relief. I was worried because I know buyers like nice bathrooms and kitchens. Hopefully if I get the rest of the house ok they can gloss over that room (which isn't awful just not new fitted bathroom standard).

Debt_Free_Chick

Many buyers don't like new bathrooms & kitchens .... unless they exactly match the ones they would have put in themselves. Many like to have that kind of work done to their own requirements.

As already mentioned, if the price reflects the work that needs to be done and you're not greedy, the house will sell whatever condition it's in. Even a house needing loads of work can be clean & tidy

lynzpower

Toto

Personally, Id leave everything "as is" but give it all a bloody good clean & clear out.

I agree with Doozer, & DF chick. people love a DIY job, and after god knows how many property programmes they want to "make it thier own", I wouldnt bother with anything major, apart from yes, Id sort the garden out. Go to your farmers market, or large bootsale and get shed loads of bedding plants ( cheap as) & wack them in, and if you dont have any garden furniture, maybe get some to give your garden definition.

abbecer

I agree that it is the surveyors etc that sell houses and set the prices. However a potential buyer is more likely to pay the price if the house is pleasing to the eye. If they think they are going to have loads of work to do straight away they are going to try knocking the price down. I don't mean any major restoration or anything. Just uncluttered, clean, light bright and airy. I agree with the vases of flowers, bowls of fruit etc as they look so colourful and welcoming.

Rebecca xxx :rotfl:

jockettuk

my house has just gone on the market.. i redecorated with the help of friends so the downstairs is nice and clean , the upstairs i just touched up the master bedroom and putting a new border on daughters bedroom to take the scooby doo off and put a nice border that would appeal to anyone.. my carpets upstairs i cleaned but i like you didnt have a lot of spare cash so i asked the estate agents advice and he said dont worry leave them as most people want to change carpets anyway and a cheap looking although new carpet can make things look worse. he said putting cheap stuff in to sell the house sometimes does the opposite as buyers can see by all that.. he put it on the market for the price i wanted and i was offered a price i was happy with but the buyer has to sell her house first so mine still on the market and if not sold by the time she sells hers she will buy mine.. so as long as its clean and tidy people will see by all your stuff and buy it.. oh and i have a huge garden that is just grass.. i didnt put any flowers in as i have a child who could run around and kick a ball without me screaming dont touch this or that..