Selling a house - what prep is essential?

[Bill]

It looks like we're moving and although the house is in pretty good nick there are a few drying out cracks and some of the paint is scruffy due to the kids.

So what are people's opinions of what's essential? We'd planned to sort the cracks and scuffs, plant up the remaining bed in the front garden and clean/repoint the patio but a couple of people I've spoken to (including the estate agent) seemed to think it's unnecessary.

SWMBO even reckons I ought to tidy the garage up as it would put her off

[sinizter]

Few scuffs and cracks - Definitely not essential to get fixed up.

Actually, nothing is essential - you will eventually find someone who wants to take if off you in the state it is in, for the right price. But the idea is to appeal to the largest segment of people possible to speed up the chance of making a sale.

Most people would bargain a few quid off to repaint the place as they like it anyway. We certainly bought our house with all associated cracks and scuffs and repainted the whole lot except bathrooms and kitchens.

Garage being packed full could present the idea that the house has insufficient storage - but again it seems to be something most people expect (depending on area).

Getting the garden looking as good as it can will certainly help.

[jas xjr]

i would do the decorating and a general tidy up all round. not sure about the garden but it cannot hurt.

a lot of people cannot see beyond the superficial .

[Bill]

jas xjr said:

a lot of people cannot see beyond the superficial .

This is my concern. We're not necessarily chasing as much money as possible but a quick sale is important.

[Deva Link]

Bill said:

...a couple of people I've spoken to (including the estate agent) seemed to think it's unnecessary.

I can't understand why estate agents are so crap at this - we sold a house recently in the family but it stuck for some time and we couldn't get any suggestions at all from the agent as to why it wasn't selling. Every conversation with them they were incredibly effusive about the place.

[DocJock]

IME it won't necessarily get you a higher price, but you are much more likely to shift it quickly.

[B17NNS]

De-clutter the place, de-personalise the place.

Personally I'd touch up the scuffs, fill and paint the cracks and tidy up the flower bed.

Don't give a viewer any excuse to find negatives.

[Bill]

Deva Link said:

I can't understand why estate agents are so crap at this - we sold a house recently in the family but it stuck for some time and we couldn't get any suggestions at all from the agent as to why it wasn't selling. Every conversation with them they were incredibly effusive about the place.

I suspect the price is usually the issue and if something isn't selling it means they have to admit they were wrong (and over-estimated to get the business...)

Having said that I've only sold one house before, so what do I know?

[Bill]

B17NNS said:

De-clutter the place, de-personalise the place.

We have three kids under 4

[Spudler]

DocJock said:

it won't necessarily get you a higher price, but you are much more likely to shift it quickly.

Yep, first impressions and all that.

[NDA]

Bill said:

It looks like we're moving and although the house is in pretty good nick there are a few drying out cracks and some of the paint is scruffy due to the kids.

So what are people's opinions of what's essential? We'd planned to sort the cracks and scuffs, plant up the remaining bed in the front garden and clean/repoint the patio but a couple of people I've spoken to (including the estate agent) seemed to think it's unnecessary.

SWMBO even reckons I ought to tidy the garage up as it would put her off

I've just sold one house and am in the process of selling another and I would say the following.

It's often the wife who ultimately decides whether to buy a house or not (!) so the house has to be presented well. In today's market (which is a peculiar mix of low stock and low mortgage availability mixed with buyers expecting 100% perfect houses) you do, I think need to go the extra mile. A professional carpet clean throughout, a clear out of ALL clutter, a lovely looking garden (tidy and well loved looking), an uber tidy garage, sparkling bathrooms and kitchen.... etc. If you have a lot of rubbish, I'd be tempted to put some into storage for a bit.

Redecoration almost essential I'd say, including repointing the terrace if it's looking bad.

The point is, that it might be unnecessary (you'll never know for sure) but..... you might sell it more quickly and you might achieve your asking price without being chipped to heavily on price.

A spruced up house will be far more attractive to potential buyers.

[Bill]

NDA said:

(you'll never know for sure)

Which is the annoying thing.

Thanks for the input guys, I have a growing list of things to do

[NDA]

Bill said:

NDA said:

(you'll never know for sure)

Which is the annoying thing.

Thanks for the input guys, I have a growing list of things to do

It is annoying. What's for sure is that adding a new bathroom or kitchen won't see your money returned. But lashing out £2k might see it sold more quickly and at the price you want.

I would vote 100% for a really good tidy up and redecoration, pain in the rear though that is. It's awful to wait months to sell and to be continually low-balled on price; you need to give yourself the best possible shot at it.

[Bill]

NDA said:

What's for sure is that adding a new bathroom or kitchen won't see your money returned.

We did that when we moved in...

Wise words though, cheers.

[Deva Link]

NDA said:

But lashing out £2k might see it sold more quickly and at the price you want.

A few years ago there was a TV series where they did this with houses that were stuck - put all the junk in storage, painted in neutral colours and even recarpeted if necessary. They sometimes took crappy bulky furniture out and hired in smaller furniture to make the spaces look bigger.

It was really hard work getting the people to spend a couple of £K but sometimes the transformation was so dramatic the sellers didn't want to sell!

[Cupramax]

Deva Link said:

A few years ago there was a TV series where they did this with houses that were stuck - put all the junk in storage, painted in neutral colours and even recarpeted if necessary. They sometimes took crappy bulky furniture out and hired in smaller furniture to make the spaces look bigger.

It was really hard work getting the people to spend a couple of £K but sometimes the transformation was so dramatic the sellers didn't want to sell!

House Doctor...

[Tumbler]

The more viewings the better chance you will sell quickly, so I think the photos the Estate Agent puts on the website are very Important along with a floor plan, make sure the rooms are tidy and taken to allow the maximum perception of space.

[wolf1]

Just echoing most of the above.

Bright, clean, clutter free and has that 'we can move in and not need to change a single thing look'. You wouldn't try and sell a car without giving it a damn good going over so the same goes for a house (especially seeing as the market is a touch slow and it's a hell of a lot of money)

Tatty and shall we say lived in just smacks of lazyness and the underlying question of what else has been overlooked (not saying your home is any of the above op just generalising)

[Jasandjules]

Some cracks and things - if you can run some polyfilla/plaster over it, sand and paint then it will be the better for it. Some people will look at that and wonder what else has been "neglected"....

In the current market it's not easy to sell, so you really want to be doign as much as possible to make it better - even something silly like getting a grout pen and whitening up the grout in the bathrooms..

If the kitchen is tired, then new doors can make a difference. It is often the silly little things that do it IMHO.

[spikeyhead]

Bill said:

B17NNS said:

De-clutter the place, de-personalise the place.

We have three kids under 4

The only way you're going to sell the place is to put them into storage