Estate Agent Valuations - QQ
Estate Agent Valuations - QQ
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Discussion

worsy

Original Poster:

6,218 posts

191 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
This week I will have completed the renovations on the late Father in Law's bungalow. Only think needed will be the vinyl in the bathrooms and carpet in the remainder of the house.

I have the carpets on order but they may not be fitted before i am due to go for an op which means I won't be able to get estate agents round until back end of March.

Would you invite valuations without carpets or wait until everything looks bob on? Naturally we won't go to market until everything looks ready to move into but we will lose a month of marketing.

Before anyone asks, my wife would prefer me to deal with it. Too emotional about it.

LooneyTunes

8,292 posts

174 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
One of the best value houses I ever bought was missing a small stud wall/balustrade at the top of the stairs, carpets in several rooms, and two days of painting... it looked like an unfinished project.

Was surprised that I was able to get it for circa 25% less than I'd expected it to be but some buyers are scared of undertaking work and/or might not have had the ready cash to put it right.

By all means get valuations, making it clear that new carpets will be going in, but don't let agents take/publish photos or show people round until its finished.

Quattr04.

619 posts

7 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
I would get the agent in now and then tell them the carpets will be going down before completion

Get them to do photos etc now and then if you can’t shift it quickly enough have them come back out and do the photos again when the carpets are down

richhead

2,614 posts

27 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
why would you put new carpets in a house you are selling, most people would change them anyway once bought. i always budget for a new boiler, decorating and carpets when buying a house.

Cow Corner

575 posts

46 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
No reason not to get the agents in now, just make sure they know what outstanding works will be done.

And remember, under most circumstances, an agent will give you a marketing appraisal, not a valuation wink

FlyVintage

189 posts

7 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
It’s going to make little difference to the valuation; especially if you advise the agent that carpets will be fitted. However, I would not start to market it before they are fitted - the photos will make it look unfinished and many people just have not got the “vision” to see past that. You will always get maximum interest when it first hits the market so it needs to look its best at that point. Updates afterwards will be less impactful as potential buyers may have already dismissed the property by then and are unlikely to review it again.

Petrus1983

10,419 posts

178 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
richhead said:
why would you put new carpets in a house you are selling, most people would change them anyway once bought. i always budget for a new boiler, decorating and carpets when buying a house.
Just a difference of opinion. I always visually enjoy viewing a property with new/fresh carpets, good boiler history and hopefully the paint will do me for a couple of years.

OutInTheShed

11,580 posts

42 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
It may take a few weeks between selecting your estate agent, who will then put you in touch with their photographer, and the photos actually getting taken.

I would be talking to a few EAs sooner rather than later.
If they can't talk coherently about how it will look and fit on the market with new carpets, they are not very good.

Personally I am usually repelled by places that have been 'toshed up' to sell, but for many people new stuff is attractive.

It's like seeing a car on the forecourt with brand new cheapo tyres, I'd rather buy a car with bald tyres and get something I like/trust.

Byker28i

76,108 posts

233 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
richhead said:
why would you put new carpets in a house you are selling, most people would change them anyway once bought. i always budget for a new boiler, decorating and carpets when buying a house.
We did when we sold my father in laws place, because the carpets were badly stained.

Alex Z

1,800 posts

92 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
richhead said:
why would you put new carpets in a house you are selling, most people would change them anyway once bought. i always budget for a new boiler, decorating and carpets when buying a house.
Why would you need to replace carpets if a house has been newly renovated and had them fitted fresh?

worsy

Original Poster:

6,218 posts

191 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
richhead said:
why would you put new carpets in a house you are selling, most people would change them anyway once bought. i always budget for a new boiler, decorating and carpets when buying a house.
It's a bungalow on death row wink Likely to be bought by someone in their twilight years, hence why we have put a new Kitchen, Bathroom and en suite in. Decorated through, tidied the gardens, modernised the door handles, hinges etc. Last thing will be new carpets. Experience tells me older people don't want the hassle.



Chrisgr31

14,057 posts

271 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
richhead said:
why would you put new carpets in a house you are selling, most people would change them anyway once bought. i always budget for a new boiler, decorating and carpets when buying a house.
I did selling my old house. Very cheap carpet put in and I am sure it increased the sale price by more than the cost of the carpet.

Huzzah

28,080 posts

199 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
We recently had similar, invited agent round discussed best way to market, took a couple of photos.

6 weeks later came back, finished the puotos and put the place on the market.

ChasW

2,149 posts

218 months

Wednesday 26th February
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Sooner rather than later. Last house I sold the agent already had a buyer waiting for the right sized house on the development.

KTMsm

28,960 posts

279 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
Most of the old school Agents around here have been taken over and are now staffed by kids who have no idea - for them it would have to be 100% completed

I had my house valued and because I'd bought off market and renovated and extended so they couldn't just do:

Paid £xxx x house inflation = £yyy

They had no idea

I'd suggest you do your own research on prices and what's available before asking them


N111BJG

1,206 posts

79 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
People buying bungalows do not want projects, that includes carpets & getting the garden tidied up. Focus on kerb appeal, they'll almost certainly drive by before arranging a viewing.

Many will be widows who won't want to do anything & even if their offspring are close at hand they usually guide mum towards a nice 'nothing to do' property.

My advice as a surveyor & former estate agency owner is to make it look as close to 'as new' as possible to maximise your price remembering that most buyers of these properties are downsizing & paying cash. If you get them to buy with their heart rather than their head, price will not the main influencing factor




OutInTheShed

11,580 posts

42 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
N111BJG said:
People buying bungalows do not want projects, that includes carpets & getting the garden tidied up. Focus on kerb appeal, they'll almost certainly drive by before arranging a viewing.

Many will be widows who won't want to do anything & even if their offspring are close at hand they usually guide mum towards a nice 'nothing to do' property.

My advice as a surveyor & former estate agency owner is to make it look as close to 'as new' as possible to maximise your price remembering that most buyers of these properties are downsizing & paying cash. If you get them to buy with their heart rather than their head, price will not the main influencing factor



Some bungalow buyers are downsizers with loads to spend on the kitchen/carpets/stuff they've always wanted.

N111BJG

1,206 posts

79 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
OutInTheShed said:
Some bungalow buyers are downsizers with loads to spend on the kitchen/carpets/stuff they've always wanted.
Some are, but generally not those shopping on Death Row which is how the OP aptly described the location of the property in question. There’s at least one in every town, sometimes whole estates of them.

a340driver

493 posts

171 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
Agreed about not bothering about the carpets before marketing just keep it in the description that it will be included with a picture of the sample carpet or a link. They may not like it and ask for something else anyway.

popeyewhite

23,007 posts

136 months

Wednesday 26th February
quotequote all
richhead said:
why would you put new carpets in a house you are selling, most people would change them anyway once bought. i always budget for a new boiler, decorating and carpets when buying a house.
Quite. Carpets/curtains are the first to be changed. Just a waste to put carpets down with no knowledge of a buyer's taste. Unless they're knackered, in which case I think it's probably sensible.