Fix issues before valuation or adjust sale price?

junebug87

We’re starting the process of selling our house and I’d appreciate some advice.

We’ve lived here for 9 years and haven’t done any major work in that time. It’s generally in good condition but it’s definitely at the stage where it would benefit from some cosmetic updates – things like repainting walls and filling a few hairline cracks. Nothing huge, but it’s not “freshly done up” either.

There are a couple of more significant issues that, if we were planning to stay longer term, we probably would have fixed. However, as we’re looking to move and need to maximise the deposit for our next house, we’re reluctant to spend a big chunk of our savings on repairs in a house we won’t be living in.

The main issue is with the kitchen floor. The previous owners knocked through a wall to create a kitchen diner. The section they knocked into apparently used to be something like an outhouse/coal store and has different foundations (that’s what we were told when we tried to get new flooring fitted last year).

When we had someone out to quote for new flooring, they said the subfloor would need sorting by a builder first. When you tap the tiles at the rear of the kitchen it sounds hollow, like something underneath has shifted. There are visible cracks in the tiles and some gaps where moisture seems to be coming up from underneath, which has caused movement in the tiles. It’s quite noticeable, so anyone viewing the house or valuing it would definitely see it.

We had been considering doing a basic cosmetic DIY job and putting stick-on tiles over the existing floor. It wouldn’t be a proper long-term fix, just something to make it look a bit more presentable.

So I have a couple of questions:

1.Would you bother doing a quick cosmetic fix like this, or just leave it as it is and price the house accordingly?

2.If we did do something like this, would it be better to do it before getting estate agents round to value the property? Or can we do it post valuation (i.e. not delay the start of the process further)

For context:

We’d be completely happy to renegotiate if a buyer’s survey highlights significant costs to fix the issue.

The house is very much a typical first-time buyer property, with potential for extension and in a desirable location. We’re only moving because we need more space.

We both work full time and have two young kids with no family support nearby, so finding time for major DIY/projects is quite difficult.

Would really appreciate any thoughts or experiences from others who’ve sold a house with similar issues.

Thanks!

Woodstok2000

The problem with renovations is there's no accounting for taste. You could put in a £20k kitchen, price accordingly, and put off any buyers because they'd want to rip it out and do their own thing.

I'd leave anything that's not an easy fix and price accordingly.

RelievedSheff

Leave it and price accordingly.

clairec666

Giving the walls a fresh coat of paint may be worth it, as it will make the the house look more appealing but doesn't cost you too much.

Not sure about the stick on tiles - again, it's not too expensive, but buyers may feel you are covering up faults and could try and get a reduction.

Definitely don't splash out on any major upgrades. You will probably spend more than you get back in increased value, and buyers would probably rather do things to their taste.

Buyers WILL try to knock more money off the house after getting a survey, but you can make it clear that the floor issues were already taken into account when setting the price. Prepare for some major haggling, and decide how firm you want to be. I find it really frustrating when people try to get more money off for issues that were already considered in the valuation.

Dustyevsky

If a surveyor views the property, they will probably spot the extended kitchen's structural issue, whatever you do. Personally, I'd be up-front and factor remediation into the price.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81919659#Comment_81919659

Giving the walls a fresh coat of paint may be worth it, as it will make the the house look more appealing but doesn't cost you too much.

I would certainly consider this for the areas initially most visible when someone comes to view ( like the hallway for example) just so they get a good first impression/does not look dingy.

Buyers WILL try to knock more money off the house after getting a survey, but you can make it clear that the floor issues were already taken into account when setting the price.

It is not clear how obvious this kitchen floor issue is to a buyer. Some potential buyers will be more vigilant than others. So they may make an offer without being aware of it. Also quite a number of buyers will not actually book a survey, so it may go unnoticed, unless it is glaringly obvious.

clairec666

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81919868#Comment_81919868

I luckily viewed with an estate agent who drew my attention to a couple of things which needed a bit of attention, and said that they had been taken into consideration when pricing (read between the lines - "don't bother haggling"). Everything was crystal clear from the start so I stuck with my original offer and didn't mess anyone around with asking for reductions.

I know estate agents get a bit of stick for various reasons, but the one I dealt with was great. It's in their interest to prevent the sale falling through further down the line. I know not all estate agents will operate the same way.

Slinky

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81919953#Comment_81919953

We told our EA to tell people who viewed that there was no gas safety certificate, although the boiler was regularly serviced, and that we had a build over agreement for a sewer near to, but not under our extension. I think because we were very up front with these things, the buyers never bothered with a survey even though the property was 55 years old.