selling a family house, is it worth storage?

halia

We are in the process of putting our family house on the market. I've had estate agents round etc but wanted a few more ideas!

The ceiling price on our street is £175k, but most houses advertised for that have 5 bedrooms (by splitting one of the large rooms). I'd like to get £160k but its more important to have a reasonably quick sale so would accept £150k.

Its a big Edwardian house with 4 double bedrooms, large recpetion room, decent sized kitchen diner, front garden and back garden.
Double glazed, GCH, new front door and back door, original features (ceiling roses, fireplace, coving etc)

QUESTIONS!
Bedroom1 is actually a large L shaped room which many houses have split into 2 bedrooms. Split in two you get a double (10x16ft) and a single (6x9ft). Is it worth arranging the room to show that it could be two bedrooms? ie using a dividing shelving unit?

The second largest double is 16x13ft, again its big enough to be partioned off into an ensuite or study/dressing area. We can't afford to put in an ensuite, but could I use the furniture to suggest a dressing area? Maybe a pretty screen? alternativly its got a big bay window so I did think about putting a comfy chair and footstool in the window.

The third double room is currently our sons nursery, he is in a cot - will people realsie that its a double room? (11x12ft) Dh suggested in that room getting a larger rug (the size of a double bed) and positioning it where the double bed would go (thats his play area at the moment) so you coudl at least point that fact out!

Finally our 4th bedroom (10x11ft) has a sofabed in it and is used as our study. Better to show it with sofabed out and made up to show size or show it as a study/office?

Now to the downstairs, we have a back single story extension which has an old (but working) toilet and sink in, we use it currently for storage for all our DIY stuff - renovating 2 hours = lots of kit! We were going to get round to changing that to a downstairs shower room. Is it worth hiring storage (cost £300/6 months) to clear out that room and slap a coat of white paint on so you can see its actually a working bathroom? would people be put off by ONE tidy shelving unit in there? (its 5x9ft)

Other rooms:
through lounge 12x25ft
Kitchen 10x15ft (with table) (fitted 5 years ago)
Utility room 6x9ft (washing machine, dryer, storage, airer)
Family Bathroom (6x9ft) newly refitted, power shower, heated towel rail etc.

In general is it worth doing a big declutter? if we hire storage we could fit alot of our general junk in there! (Xmas tree, kids bikes, spare clothes, books, DIY stuff etc etc)

The living room carpet is pretty old, do I get it cleaned and add a rug or get a new one? A chep one I think would look worse and I'm not sure we'd get back the £750+ it would cost for anything half decent

Outside:
the garden needs a bit of work tidying it up.
Lawn is lumpy after building work dumping on it - worthwhile getting it returfed?
Side alley (next to rear extension) and patio are a bit dingy and several paving slabs are cracked. Do I just clean it all as best I can or would it be worthwhile putting a good layer of gravel down (there's enough depth to take 6 inches of the stuff) with some looselaid slabs to walk on?
Back gate is old and squeaky, any point to getting it replaced?

I'm happy to spend up to £2k on tidying up/ fresh coats of paint etc but I need to work out the best use of that money so sorry for all the questions!

Stevie1

I am not sure what you're asking, but I'll give it a go anyway...

1. Don't see the point in doing major building work and dividing bedrooms. You can mention to viewers what your neighbours have done, they may actually prefer just the large 4 beds!

2. Why put a bathroom downstairs? don't see much logic in that. A toilet + sink combo is enough, just get your stuff out of there and perhaps replace if it's really old and dingy (just not the cheap-o shell style ones the DIY stores sell, they are horrible).

You can get these plastic garden storage boxes that are lockable and you can put your things in them.

Give everywhere a really good clean and tidy. Personally I don't see the point in making the house look like your not living in it, or trying to diguise things buyers will see anyway (old carpets, fixtures & fittings). If you price your house well and not be too greedy you'll sell.

Good luck!