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House valuation!

33 replies

berryfull · 06/06/2023 08:28

I live in a three bedroom 1930’s ex council flat . There’s lots of identical flats on the street.

Originally these flats had very small kitchens, just a galley style with no room for eating . So when we bought ours we moved the kitchen through to one of the bedrooms. Which gives a big kitchen with room for a table to eat at. The original kitchen then became a third bedroom. Tis a small bedroom but not infeasible. My teenage son has it and he has a small double bed, desk and wardrobe in there.

a few other flats on the street have done the same conversion. Tisn’t a massive deal, just moving gas and electricity one room along. Easy to put back too should you want to. only cost us a few grand to do.

We’ve had the flat over a decade now and it needs a new kitchen and re decorating. but we’re wanting to move so haven’t done these things. It’s not awful, just needs a repaint and refreshed and the kitchen cupboard doors need repainting.

We got the flat valued recently and the estate agents have valued it as 30 grand less than other indentical flats in the street that still have the kitchen in the original room. They say it’s because it has a small third bedroom and needs redecorating!

will this really make 30 grand’s worth of difference?

OP posts:
ComtesseDeSpair · 06/06/2023 08:54

Have you asked them why? It may be that from their experience the flats with the moved kitchen sell less well than the original layout or they know these sorts of flats appeal to e.g. landlords buying them for HMOs where having all bedrooms of similar sizes is more popular.

Have you a couple of very good and honest friends who will give you objective feedback on your home? One person’s “it just needs a coat of paint” is another’s “dated wreck” and I’d imagine the agent has a fair idea of which side of the divide more potential buyers will fall on.

Happydays321 · 06/06/2023 08:53

Oh that's annoying, I'd have thought if the bedroom is big enough for a double bed, desk and wardrobe people would prefer a bigger kitchen.

I'd get another agent in for their opinion. Also I'd decorate and paint the kitchen cupboards, just a general smarten to show off your big kitchen.

Presumably it would cost more than 30,000 to swap the rooms back, so best to make the most of what you've got.

Karatema · 06/06/2023 08:53

You don't have to accept their valuation. It's rare but you can ask for your property to go on the market at x figure.

Andanotherone01 · 06/06/2023 08:48

You don’t have to go by the valuation of the estate agent. Just put it for sale for what you think it’s worth

SchoolQuestionnaire · 06/06/2023 08:43

Difficult to say but there is huge variation between values with different agents so might be worth getting some others to come and have a look around.

berryfull · 06/06/2023 08:40

The same estate agents are marketing an indentical flat round the corner from us at 30 grand more than they valued ours . It still has original kitchen and has been white washed for sale. Other wise indentical!

are the estate agents right?

OP posts:
Swrigh1234 · 06/06/2023 08:31

Yes, this is something landlords do create small poly rooms and maximize rent. In recent years, people have started to care more about usable food sized spaces rather than small unusable bedrooms where you can fit nothing but a bed.

Shoxfordian · 06/06/2023 08:31

Might be worth refreshing the paint - can you add a Rightmove link? Moving the kitchen sounds sensible really - I’d rather have a larger kitchen than bedroom too