Do up house before selling?

angeljay

We are looking at many options right now with our property and considering selling and renting for the next few years.


The master bedroom is not in the best state, it needs a skim of plaster, new carpets and coat of paint.


It is liveable but the walls are bumpy and the carpet has been damaged.


Do we need to do this before we put our house on the market or would this not effect anything when prospective buyers come to look?

Sparx

You're not obliged to do anything, no. But what would a prospective buyer think if they came round for a viewing? Would it put them off, would it be a lot of work for them? Then yes, sort it yourself first to make your home more presentable and attractive to a buyer.

tea-bag

I have just repainted the house I am selling, Strange the wife has been nagging me to do it for years for us!

kwmlondon

Depends on the area and the market. If you're in a "hot" area then people will pay the going rate whatever cosmetic state it's in. Otherwise, you'll have to reduce the price to sell if it needs work. It's not that a bit of plastering and a new carpet are that expensive or much hassle to do, just ask yourself - if the buyer has the choice of moving into a "nice" house with no need to do any decoration, or your place which needs work, why would they buy your house unless it was cheaper?

rosie383

tea-bag wrote: »

I have just repainted the house I am selling, Strange the wife has been nagging me to do it for years for us!

Tell me about it! Our house looks better than it had for years after doing it up to sell. Had a problem with really sticking patio doors that have driven us nuts for years. Dreaded anyone trying to open them during a viewing, so spent a few quid on new wheels, an afternoon's work with the help of a youtube video, and they now open and close easily and I wonder why we didn't do it for us.

OP if you are happy to have people viewing and thinking they will need to spend a lot of money, and will offer accordingly, then don't spend a few hundred quid sorting cosmetic things. From experience in viewing lots of properties, I'd say that if the whole house needs many thousands spent on it, perhaps a probate property, and is priced to reflect that, then I wouldn't bother.
For a normal family home I'd say that a few hundred spent could reflect a few thousand more that people will be prepared to offer.

bouicca21

I think it depends on what kind of 'work' needs doing. Fresh paint and maybe a bit of carpet probably worth it. Major works like kitchen and bathroom best left to the buyer, who may be prepared to pay for tha chance of getting a place they can do just as they want it - that's certainly how it was working when I was trying to buy in London.