New windows or leave as is to sell?

FreeBear

gwynlas said:

How does she know what type of windows will appeal to buyer? There are many different styles and colours available now so it would be as pointless

Aluminium, uPVC, or timber for starters. Then do you go for flush fitting casement. If timber, natural or engineered (Accoya), softwood, or hardwood.. A huge range of choices.

If you are just whacking in some windows at the front, I guess it will be budget uPVC - Even those are full of choices (such as the glazing bead & trim profiles). You then leave your prospective buyer the difficult choice of matching the other windows to the ones you have had fitted, or replace the whole lot.

Oh, and any guarantees you get on replacement windows may not be transferable to the new owner.

daivid

3 theoretically identical 4 bed detached houses sold near me within a 12 month window, the spread of prices was £5k, all needed new kitchens and redecorating, 2 needed new heating and double glazing, one needed neither of those. The one with dg and up to date heating went for the middle price, by my reconning putting in new double glazing to sell would have resulted in a big net loss. So long as all windows are weather tight leave them for the buyer - if any are not get them fixed/replaced at the lowest cost.

TBagpuss

Sell as is is likely to make more sense, however f your mum is unconvinced, get a quote for replacing those windows, then get a couple of agents in, ask them for their marketing advice and then ask them what, if anything, they think it might add to the price if those windows were replaced.  

Also bear in mind that the time when you're getting the work done is time when you / your nan is still paying some bills so it's not free. 
Replacing some of the windows may make the older ones look even worse by comparison. 

MultiFuelBurner

As the Beatles once said "let it be"

alex_163163

Thanks everyone, all your thoughts are echoing mine entirely. I’m hoping any estate agent would say the same, and I’ll show her this snapshot of opinions when the time is right. 

daivid

alex_163163 said:

Thanks everyone, all your thoughts are echoing mine entirely. I’m hoping any estate agent would say the same, and I’ll show her this snapshot of opinions when the time is right. 

Bear in mind the EA wants a quick sale as they only get paid after the property is sold (traditional EA), if someone asks “do you think we should replace the double glazing?” they may well say “great idea” if they think it will get the house sold faster.

thegreenone

I sold my late Mum's flat in 2021.  It need almost complete renovation (boiler was only 3 years old) but everything else needed doing.  EA said they'd put it on for £365k but then decided to try the market at £375k.  I had three asking price offers on the first day.  It could've gone to bidding war but I didn't want that as it was already £25k more than I even thought.

If the EA if very familiar with the local area, take their advice.  Any money you spend from Granny's money to renovate, may not be recouped.

[Deleted User]

As a buyer, if it needs a lot of work doing then I can't move in right away, and need lots of cash on hand to fix it up. If you have the time and money and can do it, that would make it much more saleable.

Dustyevsky

[Deleted User] said:

As a buyer, if it needs a lot of work doing then I can't move in right away.

You might not fit the profile of a typical doer-upper buyer, though. It just has to be habitable for the mortgage. Those who envisage major works are doing it for reasons of control. Choosing the windows for them is an interference with that, especially if their and your ideas of appropriateness don't match.

[Deleted User]

Sell it as it is as you might not get what you paid back and they might want a different style.