Preparing house for new owners

Bliss77

We are hoping to exchange contracts in the next two weeks and if all goes to plan might be completing at the end of the month.

As we get closer to exchange, I'm starting to get things ready for the new owners. I have cleaned inside all the kitchen cupboards and the oven is having a deep clean next week. Carpets have been cleaned and of course I will give the house a good clean and Hoover before we leave.

My DH thinks I'm going to far but I'm thinking we might need to turf some of the lawn as there will be patches when we take the trampoline down and move a bike shed. Do you think this is going too far?

Also, when we take the kids name plates of their bedroom doors they leave a yellowish square - I suggested painting the doors but DH says there is no need and would only show up the other doors.

When we take a couple of shelves down that we want to take (most fixtures are staying but my son has some magnetic display boards in his bedroom, they will need painting behind. We still have the paint so think DH is okay with me fixing this!

I just hear stories of people moving into their new homes only for excitement to turn to disappointment when they see what has been left. our buyers have been really patient and offered full asking price so I don't want them to feel disappointed when they move in.

What did you to do prepare your house for the new owners? Am I being neurotic!?!?!

CP26

When I moved into my last house with my ex it was filthy. They'd 'cleaned' the carpets as they had a dog but had shut up the house immediately whilst it was still damp so it basically just smelt like wet dog.

Every surface was nasty too and I was grateful when my mum broke the oven within an hour of coming to visit as it was that gross. I spent my first few days there scrubbing everything. I didn't even notice anything about the actual decor at first.

We'd seen that they had loads of things on the walls when we viewed so I fully expected to see lots of holes or hooks still in the walls. I also knew their decorating skills were a bit to be desired so wasn't expecting the place to be particularly great - indeed there were chunks of skirting board missing where they'd placed furniture.

Your viewers will have seen what was on your walls and in your garden so I wouldn't go overboard trying to repair or freshen everything. If the notice board has left an obvious coloured patch then maybe consider painting that but I wouldn't worry about things like doors or the garden. You can always leave cans of leftover paint marked with which room it went it so they can do their own touch ups if they want.

They'll probably clean anyway regardless of what you do (my mum always did in the past when we moved somewhere new) but it's always nice to see that things like the oven have been done.

You could always leave a welcome to your new home card and a bottle of wine as an extra touch.

Billie-S

Whenever we have sold and moved out, I have given it a basic clean, because I'm not being big headed, but each housepoperty we have occupied has not actually been that dirty. The kitchen a bit maybe (behind the white goods,) and maybe a few dust bunnies in the other rooms, but not a lot no. I certainly would not be repainting and returfing! You will have plenty of that to do in your next house.

I think your intentions are good, and you sound like a good person, but there is no need to leave it utterly immaculate, as the new owners will just put their mark on it anyway. You will probably paint and paper etc, and they will just go over it/re-do it in their own style anyway!

It's not like private let where you may lose deposits. There is no need to do the place up before you leave.

Good luck in your new home.

getmore4less

Well over the top, doing far too much,

No need to pay for thing to be done,

No turf and just leave the paint for them to fix up the walls/doors

martinthebandit

As usual, the husband is right.

Give it a basic clean and save your energy for the new place.

Moving house can be very stressful, your in danger of making it more so.

giraffe69

I think they will value keys and instructions to items left. I left a sheet of when people come e.g. when bins are emptied. I think re-turfing is way over the top. Leaving some paint and saying where it went would also be valued as it can be difficult to match.

shop-to-drop

I agree returfing would be over the top. What you have done is nice and good policy but few would do the same. You will need to save some energy and money for your new place. What would be nice to do would be to get a folder together of receipts and instructions for appliances you are leaving, services done etc for the new owners. Paint colours where known for each room. You could also include useful flyers, phones numbers for window cleaner etc. If they are new to the area include personal recommendations of favourite restaurants, schools, clubs anything else you think is useful. This would be a lovely welcome but not at the expense of you preparing yourselves for your new place which you would unlikely find left to the same high standard.

robatwork

Listen to HB.

Clean it thoroughly. Don't paint - they may not like the colour you paint.
Don't turf - they may want to concrete the garden.

Instead of a bottle of wine, leave all instructions out - where the stop !!!! is, bin days, forwarding address.

Now wondering if forum will let me type !!!!.

robatwork

Well there's my answer - stop "rooster"

societys_child

or . . . . stop tap:rotfl:

shop-to-drop

Does stopcock work?