Selling - what to do with box room?

wallacewilliams

Hello all,

We're hoping to sell our tiny 2 bedroom flat to get a bit more space. We’re not sure what to do with the very small second bedroom. It’s only 170cm (5.5 ft) x 255cm (8.4 ft). We’ve heard it’s better for such a room to have just one function (bedroom only or office only) when trying to sell.

The room would just be big enough for a PC desk, a single bed, and a (very) narrow wardrobe. There are some fitted cupboards over the door. Would having both a PC and a bed in such a small room put off potential buyers?

I have some conflicting thoughts;

1. Our potential buyers are likely to be couples or single people who might like to see it as an office

2. It's easier to imagine converting a bedroom into an office than vice versa

3. Potential buyers would probably want a computer desk and a spare room with a bed so it wouldn't do any harm to see it serve both functions

4. The bed we have is a single folding chair/bed - could just show it as an office and mention we fold the bed down when people come to visit?

5. I'm thinking about this too much and it doesn't really matter!

Would appreciate any thoughts!
W

go_cat

Personally i would dress it just as a bedroom with the very minimum of furniture - may be no wardrobe to create optimum space

If you put a pc/desk in there it confuses the rooms use and also will make it look cluttered

StaffieTerrier

When we were in a similar position we showed the room as a bedroom. We also had a single chair bed that we folded out and made up. We thought it was important to show that the room was big enough to be used as a bedroom.

thegirlintheattic

Show as a bedroom without a wardrobe/chest of drawers (most people will not notice). It's more important to show the house as a 2 bed and for couples it may be important to show that there is the space for a little one if needed in the future.

hazyjo

Would definitely show as a single bedroom with no other furniture. Maybe a small bedside table (preferably something with long legs you can still see the floor under, not something with drawers or whatever down to the floor - a 'show house' trick).

People find it very hard to visualise a bed in a small room and think of it as no more than a one bed house with a cupboard or study space. If there's a bed, it will be obvious a desk will fit in instead of a bed - but not vice versa. Make sure it's completely clutter free in there.

Jx

dimbo61

Take a tape measure and pop down to IKEA and go round the bedroom section looking at the single or 3/4 size beds to see what will fit.
You can then take this bed with you when you move so sell to the buyer , nice bedding and bedside table with small bedside light.

Strapped

I agree, bedroom every time. Far easier for buyers to remember "single bedroom" and know that they could fit a study, rather than the other way round.

baskerville_2

Go with a bed in it but keep it as minimal as you can. Lots of viewers don't have the ability to "visualize" and may think that its an office because you can't fit a bed in there. So stick a bed in there with as little else as needed other than to make it look appealing ie as previously suggested maybe a small bedside table with a lamp. You need to try and give the impression of as much space as possible - so keep it light an airy.

propertyman

Keeping it simple is best 8'4" is long enough for a single bed and an average 18" flatpack wardrobe and 5'4" for a bed and side chest.

But it depends who you are marketing to eg sharers, then perhaps a laptop table or if a couple with one child a bunk bed with desk under would fit nicely.

sirmosh

Definitely just as a bedroom, people want to see that it can be comfortably used as a bedroom. If you took the route of making it look like an office then people will struggle to imagine it as a bedroom, perhaps even feel there's not enough space for a bed in there.

SternMusik

I struggle to believe that buyers cannot visualise how to use a room, especially if it is a very small room. Surely they can use a tape measure?? Bed dimensions are fairly standard so it is a matter of comparing them to the dimensions of the room. If people cannot even do that maybe they shouldn't make the huge financial commitment to buy a property.

If your flat doesn't sell then it is not because you have a desk in your spare room instead of a bed, nor due to the lack of twigs in vases. It comes down to price and location.

No matter how you decide to present the spare room, I wish you good luck with your sale :-)