Help me sell my house

[StopSearching]

I've made a new thread so that I can post updates for those that are interested.

Previous thread here

Brief outline is my house needs improvement and re-marketing so I've been asking for advice and going to start implementing it.

Agree with Bluntness - I would not go through the hassle and expense of doing loads of work, I'd just reduce the price by the equivalent amount and let someone else do up the house to their own taste.

I fear there is no way to say this without being facetious, but did the other 40 pages not cover it?

(Its a lovely house though and best of luck!)

This has given me the motivation to get off my backside this morning and do a tip run and other bits in preparation for our valuation. Fencing guy has just text to say he is going to order the fence and gates and do them as soon as possible so feel we are moving forward.

Well done for taking it so well StopSearching. Cheering you on from another bit of Dorset.

@Crunchymum

I fear there is no way to say this without being facetious, but did the other 40 pages not cover it?

(Its a lovely house though and best of luck!)

Yes, this thread isn't really for more advice, it's just to share any updates that I have if people are interested.

Again I’d personally not be replacing the toilet suite or getting a new boiler, these are all hugely expensive items.

The op isn’t undertaking a full renovation here, she’s doing it up to sell.

So cleaning, repairing the concerning issues like the ceiling in the living room, painting the shower room and that floor with a tub of white paint, matt, power washing outside, will make it look much more sellable.

But she certainly shouldn’t be undertaking a full renovation of new doors, new boiler, new toilet suite etc.

Honestly some folks must be rolling in cash. At no point has she said she’s a spare thirty grand rolling around to do the place up to sell it.

It’s a nice house with potential. My reservation would be something you can do absolutely nothing about, ie the views from the front. Having read your other thread, I think you’ve got the patience of a saint.

Did anyone mention HG mould spray at all ? Great stuff.

With the living room I might think about putting the TV in corner where the brown chair is if you can sort the Ariel cable if you have one. Then a sofa in the window and one where the existing one is - something like these maybe (people will disagree with me though I think):

www.gumtree.com/p/sofas/two-and-three-seater-sofas-/1398918530

Yes, we don't want to overspend so will get a quote for the ceiling to be repaired and repainted and also get them to quote for other aspects of decoration which we can't do ourselves, such as hall/stairs/landing.

We might get new carpet as the green is so dark that, even cleaned, it would not be as appealing as a lighter colour. We will also look at fitting that could modernise the look fairly cheaply. Anyone want to choose new ceiling lights for the living room? I am clueless here

We may consider new internal doors and possibly even a new front door to help with the kerb appeal. We do have some cash so it's more about getting the right balance, enough to make sure people aren't scared off but not so much that we can't do any improvements to our new house.

My point is really more relevant for after you've done your sprucing up and changed your agent

but...

I was struck by your explanation (in the previous thread) of what attracted you to the house and what you love about it. It's so enthusiastic and joyful, even down to the ironing board cupboard! As a potential buyer, those things would be useful/interesting to me and I would realise that it is a loved home even if the pics don't necessarily reflect that.

We've previously sold a house where the estate agent asked us to put in writing what we loved about our house and the surrounding area, which they then tweaked and edited and put into the particulars under a "what the owner says" heading. So, that might be something to suggest to your new agent. It might even be worth doing your own viewings. I much prefer to do that because I know I can do a better job of it, although it's not for everyone.

Also, I keep in mind how much I will be paying the agent if they sell and I remind myself of that figure if I feel they're not doing a good job of marketing my house. It stops me hesitating about whether to "make a fuss" if there's something I'm not happy with!

Yes a nicer front door would look better.

There is nothing wrong with the front door, it is in keeping with the windows etc, plus it is expensive to replace. Curb appeal can be achieved with flowering planters and hanging baskets and you can take them with you to the next house.

We’ve just had a new wooden front door for £1700. It has made a huge difference the front of the house.

I also wouldn’t change the front door - I would look cleaning the drive then at putting a bit of unobtrusive trellis on the left the porch on the sticking out bit . Then a pot and put a couple of climbers in. And some more pots with some greenery and spring flowers. Amazing what difference it makes and as previous poster said, you can take them with you.

@stopsearching sorry I posted yesterday, asking is it the case you are only showing it to people who have already sold? or did I misunderstand?
I thought you said that, sorry if not. Surely that would he the main reason why you're getting no viewings?

Although I wouldn’t change the door in your case either.

Name changed. My house is on the market.

I agree with Bluntness that I would set a budget op. However, I would put cheap carpets down rather than clean your ones. And do any remedial work / painting. No changing doors, boilers etc. It costs around £50 to clean carpets so you’d be far better to change yours. It would obviously cost a lot more to carpet your house. But new carpets would add a lot more value. The most I would do to your kitchen is the worktops as they’re dark. You can get stick on fablon. I haven’t tried it though.

What the house really needs is soul. I get it’s so hard to start. It took a long time to get the stuff to stage my house. Before I started, I had a lot of vases but practically no nice ornaments, no pictures and two mirrors on the wall. Now there are pictures aplenty and mirrors everywhere. DBut everything I’ve bought to try to enhance the house will come with us.

So room by room.
Kitchen - herbs in pots - these are tea / coffee / sugar I bought from eBay then decided not to use - new. We already had a nice fruit bowl, new cooksmart tea / coffee / sugar and matching cake tins, chopping board next sale, new. Sofas and throws from next. Bought sofas 18 months ago to replace tired ones. Throws are 2 sided so I can just flip to the white side for viewings. Cushions from IKEA. Side table new, from Next - new. Wash stand used as a tv stand - have had for years. Picture Next sale - new. Kettle and toaster matching - have had some time. Treats tin from Laura Ashley - new.

Living room with coloured sofas - new
Sofas and foot stool Next sale velvet. Half price or less. Side table x 2 and small coffee table next - mostly sale, new. Dresser we’ve had for years. Black wedding chest we’ve had for years. Everything else is new. Tall Lamp - next sale. Ornaments on dresser - 2 x candles from a local shop, Laura Ashley peacock, next sale flowers in vase. On wedding chest - Cheetah (LA) - new and next catalogues, tray and tea service on coffee table we’ve had years.

Dining Table - we’ve had this for over a decade. Cutlery and crockery are our day to day sets. Vase and runner new, next sale. Sun Mirror - sorry can’t remember but bought recently. Console - wayfair. Tray - Laura Ashley and our own glassware - decanters and glasses.

White sofas - we’ve had these a few years and they’re from ScS. Mostly new cushions from next with the navy ones / navy throw from the range a couple of years ago. Mirror - brand alley a few years ago. On top of the stereo stack - Murano glass fish from eBay, lamp next sale, on mantel piece - vases we had for several years from IKEA, Laura Ashley mirror box and candle in glass from the range, sun mirror on stand from next sale.

H/S/L
Large mirror on stairs new - can’t remember where, pictures on the landing area - new Laura Ashley and next, office area murano glass eBay vase, LA sale lamp, office furniture we reclaimed from a place dh used to work, mirror Next sale.

Bedroom with ensuite / blue covers - bought new bed covers
LA sale all new, next sale lamp new, vase new from the range, swans murano glass eBay, next sale mirror above bed - eBay, lamp next sale. Ensuite - vase I bought years ago, new towels Sainsburys. Furniture in bedroom we have had for over 10 years, lighting also had some time.

Bathroom - new towels Tesco and Next bath mat, LA mirror pot, new soap dispenser Next. Swan loo brushes from eBay. Yes, I have loo brushes. This is why I name changed

Bedroom with white duvet cover - new bed cover
Lighting have had some time, bed side lamps ditto. Furniture we have had some time. Next duvet cover new. Cushions were bought for downstairs but repurposed, next (18 months ago) and 2 large I bought some time ago. Vases I had already. On chest drawers - Next swan new, LA mirror pots new. Painting BandQ (Dd chose that), above bed pictures next sale, new. Ensuite - already had glass jars tooth brush holders etc, bought soap dispenser new from next and fake flowers the range, new towels.

Pink bedroom - Catherine lansfield bedding new
Dds furniture relatively new. Wayfair dressing table, bensons for beds wardrobe and chest drawers, wowcher bed, brand alley bedding but can get from wayfair etc also, next cushions, next gold shelving unit with dd’s bits and bobs, sofa bed from Made with next cushions, next curtains and matching lampshade. All bought 12/ 18 months ago.

Blue bedroom - angel strawberry bedding and curtains - new.
Bedding bought at next. Tie backs already had. Furniture existing. Lighting existing. Cushion next. Ornaments existing. Lamp existing. Vase M&S. Mirror Next sale.

I obviously added flowers. And I’m aware the outside could have done with a bit of tlc. But that’s my house. It’s a lot of work to get it to this standard and tbh my house looked a lot more like yours before I started. I had it decorated recently as well. This all to our taste. But still relatively neutral.

I’m not saying my house is perfect and I appreciate I was able to spend a fair amount of money. If I add it up, I’m probably talking about But if you can find things you love and can afford them, your house will look loved back. I just had a quick spend on everything I bought new to dress the house and I spent just over 4.4k but I can take all of that with me bar a curtain track and as most of that was sale so I got a lot for my money. That doesn’t include anything for dd’s room (which would have been around 2k) but does include the new bedding as well as including the downstairs sofas, cushions side tables, pictures, mirrors, ornaments, lamps (Mood lighting) and bits for the kitchen etc. The fresh flowers cost another £30. Then the decorating was on top plus we paid someone to put up

Also I was going to add, if you jet wash your drive, make sure you have sand to brush back into the grooves as jet washing will wash it out. It might be better to scrub with a stiff broom to get the moss off. I'm not sure what detergent to use, maybe someone could offer suggestions?

For a wooden front door with maybe stained glass you'd be spending a minimum of £5,000
Exterior glazed wooden doors are £400-500 online, stained glass more but would be wrong for the house. Few more quid for door furniture, then cost of labour to fit, and primer/undercoat/gloss and DIY the painting. Nowhere near £5k!

@burritofan

For a wooden front door with maybe stained glass you'd be spending a minimum of £5,000 Exterior glazed wooden doors are £400-500 online, stained glass more but would be wrong for the house. Few more quid for door furniture, then cost of labour to fit, and primer/undercoat/gloss and DIY the painting. Nowhere near £5k!

Yes, ours was £1.7k all in for a fairly high spec door and surrounding glass.

I am blatantly placemarking because I am weirdly over invested in this thread. Not even sorry.

OP you've been an absolute trooper on these threads - not many people would have had as much patience when faced with 45,734* posts telling you to get some pot plants, and a lot of people essentially telling you your house is shit (it isn't). You've had some sage advice too though - the first thread is a great resource for anyone in a similar position.

Having said that, as I'm one of the people who looks at location/room size/condition and ignores cushions etc, I honestly think you should cut your losses, take £20k off the price and get on with moving. Best of luck whatever you do.

*ish

@burritofan

For a wooden front door with maybe stained glass you'd be spending a minimum of £5,000 Exterior glazed wooden doors are £400-500 online, stained glass more but would be wrong for the house. Few more quid for door furniture, then cost of labour to fit, and primer/undercoat/gloss and DIY the painting. Nowhere near £5k!

That's the sort of thing we're looking at.

[quote Stovetopespresso]@stopsearching sorry I posted yesterday, asking is it the case you are only showing it to people who have already sold? or did I misunderstand?
I thought you said that, sorry if not. Surely that would he the main reason why you're getting no viewings?[/quote]
Yes, no viewings unless they are already under offer. I guess it will limit the viewings but that might change in the next few months as covid restrictions are lifted.