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.

@Mummyoflittledragon

Bedrooms eg attic bedroom

Bedside tables lacking - do you like any of these ones? I’m thinking Roxy / Lexi / perhaps tray tables www.dunelm.com/search?orderBy=price_asc&q=side+table NB I’d probably put your bedside tables in the attic room in the room with the mirrored doors and have the new tables here.

Bedlinen
Example www.dunelm.com/product/fleur-blue-duvet-cover-and-pillowcase-set-1000166982?defaultSkuId=30690429 plus www.dunelm.com/product/fleur-blue-oxford-pillowcase-1000166983?defaultSkuId=30690432. Your aim is to hide your headboards as they’re dated... sorry. Plus to inject some colour against the white.

Then add an ornament or potted plant on one side and a lamp on the other. Or lamps on both. If you go for dark bedside tables, you can have light lamps. This is so cute and cheap - and you could get one on each side www.dunelm.com/product/wicker-heart-cream-table-lamp-1000034513?defaultSkuId=30125094

Curtains
You need curtains to frame the room. In sale. www.dunelm.com/product/solar-ivory-blackout-pencil-pleat-curtains-1000149422?defaultSkuId=30648727

Ornaments
If you do black tables for example I’d then add something in the centre of the window sill and the chest of drawers. Pick 2 from this list. Not the twee things. Maybe hurricane lamp row of 3 for window sill. www.dunelm.com/search?f_attributes.productDescriptiveAttributes.ColourGroup=Black&orderBy=price_asc&q=ornaments etc.

Picture - ditch all your pictures
Something like this. www.dunelm.com/product/misty-moors-triptych-canvas-1000064031?defaultSkuId=30179051. If you don’t like it be careful not to clash with the cream walls and the chest of drawers below. This one compliments both and is similar to the bed linen.

My issue now Is the wardrobe wall and I’m flummoxed for cheap ideas. The wardrobe would be better painted to match the chest of drawers. But the wall itself is an eyesore. I could live with the shower doors. But these make it look unhomely. To me it needs skimming but do you need to get behind the panels? Other ideas

• get a massive mirror sheet cut to size for the whole length and glue on eg www.simplyplastics.com/catalog/sheet/acrylic-mirror-sheet/silver-acrylic-mirror-sheet/c-24/c-86/p-245
• wadding and fabric. But that’s mega bucks.
• fill holes and wallpaper in the framed section.

These are great, thanks. I love the colours you suggest, especially the bedding. We're thinking about putting doors onto the water tank access so that it just looks like another cupboard but can still be accessed if needed.

OhCaptain Sun 07-Mar-21 11:31:25
StopSearching

My 3rd post on this thread in response to someone asking the same question.

Ok, I’m literally not seeing it?! confused

Here it is:

StopSearching Sat 06-Mar-21 14:23:23
HappyTimeTunnelDinosaur

I've been following this thread with interest, but it's completely frustrating me. Frankly, do a mini paint job, get a few house plants but most of all you just need to drop the price! Lots of people have said it but it doesn't seem to be sinking in. I'm not trying to be rude or mean, I just think you need to be realistic and I want to help you! There's no point spending a lot doing it up as you'll likely just waste time and money. It really is all about the price when it comes to houses. If it's the right price someone will buy it pretty much as is. I wish you lots of luck with it all, house selling and buying can be so stressful.

My reply:

I think we're going to do a combination as water marks will still put buyers off.

Not sure where all the confusion is?

OP said she is going to do some of the maintenance work and look at dropping the price.

@OhCaptain

I think so, I mean who gets no offers in 2 years and doesn’t think hmmm, maybe overpriced? 😂🙄

I’d always suggest quick wins like deep clean, tidying garden, maybe a splash of paint if walls are that bad etc, but for that level of lack of interest, it can only be the price.

Houses nearby of a similar size (with bigger garden and modern interior) are up for 320ish, which is the upper end of what OP should list for in my opinion.

Do you mean a proper price drop though OP or just a couple of thousand because of the water marks?

No I think we will do something substantial. The feedback from everyone has been great. Much better than the estate agents who are supposed to be the experts

@StopSearching

No I think we will do something substantial. The feedback from everyone has been great. Much better than the estate agents who are supposed to be the experts

Oh good OP. I know it’s disheartening (been there myself) but estate agents very much give an aspirational price, unless your house is the sort that flies off the shelves (usually a modernised Victorian terrace with garden in an upmarket area!) then a 20-30k price drop is to be expected, especially in current climate.

Bedroom with blue stripes. Remove chest drawers. It is too bright and looks too big for the room.

If you don’t have a wardrobe, just get something like www.wayfair.co.uk/storage-organisation/pdp/borough-wharf-104cm-wide-clothes-rack-u002130403.html?piid=1989597055

I’m drawn to these bedside tables www.dunelm.com/product/franco-side-table-1000162436?defaultSkuId=30685756

I really like this duvet set www.dunelm.com/product/dexter-qcover-set-sgl-grn-1000170632. Plus 2 extra pillows with white vases. Always 4 pillows. Repurpose the cushions for the upstairs bedroom standing up behind the pillows (if they match the bedding) as back cushions.

Then you could do with curtains. You could just get another pair of the ones on my last post. But that means putting up a cheap pole. Make sure it matches your ornaments. Not silver. You’re trying to not use that colour too much as it’s cold and the white in the room looks cold.

The pics attached are some of the accessories I like. Some are silver though. The shield for the window sill is not and would match the bedside tables and ladder wardrobe. Then you need something on the bedside tables.

Then maybe a nice big mirror where the chest of drawers were? www.dunelm.com/product/smoked-luxe-window-circular-mirror-1000167841?defaultSkuId=30685993

And for the love of god please sort out your ceiling rose. Anything like that is a big no no and tells people the house needs work. I don’t like the cupboards above but don’t think you’d remove.

@mathanxiety

Glad you're going to make some improvements.

I notice a level of general scruffiness that needs to be addressed, and also a few details:
Need a hood over the oven.
Lots of untidiness at junction of walls and ceilings.
Some gaps apparent between door frames and walls? My eyesight?
Very poor quality interior doors to rooms.
Artex.
Ceiling lights - get rid. Put in wall sconces.
Wood burner needed in the living room.
Fluorescent bar light in the kitchen ceiling - the kitchen needs a complete lighting rethink.
New banister needed.
Ensuite shower in the loft conversion needs to be redone completely. I would even take a little space from the bedroom, put a smaller window in the bedroom, and another in a new ensuite WC plus shower.
The boiler access panel in the bedroom needs to be addressed - looks unsightly.
Knock through from kitchen to dining room.
Consider getting rid of the beige tiles from kitchen and DR. Wood looks much nicer (not laminate).

Garden - needs a complete overhaul. Grass trimmed, bushes pruned, flowers planted.
Front looks bleak - need potted bushes and floral interest. Power wash.

Good lord, you know she’s just tarting it up for sale. Who in their right mind would do all this? 😂

Bedroom with purple wall.

I would paint the rest of the walls that colour. It is lovely.

You then have the bedside tables from upstairs bedroom?

This probably needs to feel like a master.

Mirror above the bed horizontally. It matches the wardrobes. www.dunelm.com/product/window-wall-mirror-90x60cm-white-1000158098

White bedding will contrast with the walls.
Eg www.dunelm.com/product/hotel-230-thread-count-egyptian-cotton-sateen-white-duvet-cover-1000160062?defaultSkuId=30675888 plus extra pillow cases www.dunelm.com/product/hotel-230-thread-count-egyptian-cotton-sateen-white-oxford-pillowcase-1000160060. There are cheaper ones if you prefer.

2 lamps. Loads on wayfair. I like glass. Will match your wardrobe doors and mirror above the bed. www.wayfair.co.uk/lighting/pdp/canora-grey-tazewell-39cm-table-lamp-msj4723.html?piid=29313939

Curtains maybe these would match www.dunelm.com/product/margot-mauve-matt-velour-eyelet-curtains-1000149482?defaultSkuId=30649762 or plum? www.dunelm.com/product/chicago-plum-jacquard-blackout-eyelet-curtains-1000155841?defaultSkuId=30668265

OH AND FLOOR LENGHT ONLY WITH ALL THE CURTAINS.

Then accessories. This room can take the silver ones so go for what you want.

Picture this maybe. So many to choose from. Light background against the walls. www.dunelm.com/product/maison-francaise-floral-canvas-1000091379?defaultSkuId=30275315

You need a new lampshade here. I forgot the other rooms. If you change the ones downstairs, you could put one in here - they’re glass, I think so will go with bedside lamps.

@Myhousemyhome Your house is stunning. This thread is giving me itchy feet

@Mummyoflittledragon we did originally paint purple on the other walls but we changed it to lighten it up. These ideas are great, I can't wait to see what you do with the living room as it's the darkest room in the house.

Purple is a very niche colour, I Personally hate it and find it very dated now. And I’m not alone

Honestly op, just go with an off white throughout. Make it look clean, and in decent condition. You don’t need to go further than that.

Bed 4. Think you’re changing the carpet.

Dress as a child’s bedroom or nursery. Cots or cot beds are cheap as chips. Then you can put a little (new) teddy on one of the shelves and something cutesie on the other.

Curtains are fine. Duvet set like this pretty universal for boy / girl. www.dunelm.com/product/dinosaur-pink-reversible-duvet-cover-and-pillowcase-set-1000160557?defaultSkuId=30668197]] and it has a bunch of accessories to match.

Maybe add a mirror. Plain. Not trimmed with wood or black etc.

Bathroom

Add a vase of real flowers or a nice green plant etc. You can get some great fake ones www.dunelm.com/product/artificial-cactus-green-in-textured-pot-19cm-1000158270?defaultSkuId=30675306

Nice fluffy towels. Maybe these - difficult to tell if they match one of the colours in the tiles www.dunelm.com/product/marl-seafoam-towel-1000142701?defaultSkuId=30608284

Dining room

Does the side board that’s in the conservatory not fit in here? I was thinking against the back wall if the room is too narrow.

Remove table cloth. If you need a table cloth, get a white one otherwise leave the table out.

Dress it with place settings and your own plates / cutlery if they’re nice enough otherwise I’d probably buy some cheap white sets if you have the table showing or something with a bit of colour but remaining subtle if not. Add wine glasses. Large ones like burgundy glasses are better.

Walls are slightly yellow. So maybe this would go in place of all your other pics. www2.next.co.uk/style/st600495/262426#262426

Then you could pick out the grey and use these placemats www2.next.co.uk/G688028s14/542301#542301

Then a few accessories - centre piece plus if you do put the sideboard back in you need a big accessory or two eg. www.dunelm.com/product/silver-ceramic-textured-circles-sculptur-1000107338....www.dunelm.com/product/set-of-3-silver-ceramic-dimpled-spheres-1000071111.... this www.dunelm.com/product/90cm-blossom-spray-ochre-1000167555?defaultSkuId=30687479 in this vase www.dunelm.com/product/tall-clear-glass-lily-vase-1000157428?defaultSkuId=30674465 as the vase is tall it’s not for the table, maybe the floor even.

Ooh jeepers. I’m just getting to the living room.

I haven't read the entire thread, but the two things that would concern me most would be the field at the back as possible development, but also as it stands I would want to know whether it was crop sprayed as it is in such close proximity to your house.

The other thing I would want to know is whether the loft conversion complies with building regulations as the door appears very close to the top of the stairs and the doors opening onto the stairway don't appear to be fire doors (unless they have been painted with fire retardant paint).

@Bluntness100

Purple is a very niche colour, I Personally hate it and find it very dated now. And I’m not alone

Honestly op, just go with an off white throughout. Make it look clean, and in decent condition. You don’t need to go further than that.

I get what you’re saying but it’s just a jewel colour and jewel colours are very in. Maybe it’ll be on trend in the next few years, who knows. Purple rather plum actually is absolutely my favourite colour, I’ve softened it by adding all the white. I love that room in op’s house. It would be my bedroom for sure.

I’m sensing op really likes colour but doesn’t know how to work it. I’m just suggesting things and having fun whilst laying in bed as I’ve not got much energy again today. Then she’s free to do as she chooses.

If she doesn’t paint the curtain wall, I’d just buy more of the curtains I suggested for the other rooms tbh as the mauve ones would perhaps be too much against that wall. I was aiming for the same colour curtains to wall iyswim.

You can faff about with carpets and paint a much a you like. None of that will change the issues:

The kitchen is tiny, and would require major work to knock through
You back on to a field that may be developed
The bedrooms are small
As a PP said, is the top bedroom legal? And, is there a shower in it?!

You need to drop the price. Save yourself time and money with pointless redecoration. Maybe cover up the water marks, but anything else you spend will be coming off what you make.

This thread is wild, we’ve got suggestions for a £5,000 stained glass door and wood-burning stove, etc, as though we’re talking about a grand Victorian semi in a London conservation area that needs to be finished to a high spec for a £1m+ price tag. None of this stuff matches the actual house we’re discussing and would actually have the same affect as Shane Macgowan’s new teeth – highlighting all the bits that need doing and making them look worse.

Then we’ve got the shopping-addict, Dunelm-sponsored posts suggesting spends of £250 per room or more, with incredibly prescriptive, non-neutral accessories choices. OP doesn’t even like ‘stuff’! So it would all end up in a charity shop. Yes, houses need staging and zhoozhing but £75 nightstands are a pointless expense when moving costs enough as it is, and £3 faux flowers and other plastic tat are just an environmental nightmare. And no amount of Dunelm/Next/Homesense tat is going to cover the fundamentals:

Close proximity to neighbours that negates the detached factor
Only 2 bedrooms on the same floor, which rules out lots of people with small children
Weird shower cupboard
Knackered carpets
Old-fashioned finish like the doors, banister, heating pipes on show
Circular patio bang in middle of garden
Development of fields
General state of disrepair
Difficult downstairs layout

Honestly OP, before you dive in and do anything, I would price up the full cost of: new carpets, ceiling skims and repairs, changing the master bedroom access panel to doors, repaint throughout, and other updates you were planning, plus all the staging nonsense from Dunelm etc (it would be thousands if you bought all that junk!), and all the time and effort this will take, vs knocking a chunk off the price now, remarketing as a 3-bed, and getting the estate agent to write a “requires modernisation throughout, chance to put a stamp on things” description that includes your happy “owner’s view” from the first thread. Guarantee you’ll be better off taking your ready cash to the new house as either equity or decoration budget and you could be sold, exchanged and moved within months.

@burritofan

This thread is wild, we’ve got suggestions for a £5,000 stained glass door and wood-burning stove, etc, as though we’re talking about a grand Victorian semi in a London conservation area that needs to be finished to a high spec for a £1m+ price tag. None of this stuff matches the actual house we’re discussing and would actually have the same affect as Shane Macgowan’s new teeth – highlighting all the bits that need doing and making them look worse.

Then we’ve got the shopping-addict, Dunelm-sponsored posts suggesting spends of £250 per room or more, with incredibly prescriptive, non-neutral accessories choices. OP doesn’t even like ‘stuff’! So it would all end up in a charity shop. Yes, houses need staging and zhoozhing but £75 nightstands are a pointless expense when moving costs enough as it is, and £3 faux flowers and other plastic tat are just an environmental nightmare. And no amount of Dunelm/Next/Homesense tat is going to cover the fundamentals:

Close proximity to neighbours that negates the detached factor
Only 2 bedrooms on the same floor, which rules out lots of people with small children
Weird shower cupboard
Knackered carpets
Old-fashioned finish like the doors, banister, heating pipes on show
Circular patio bang in middle of garden
Development of fields
General state of disrepair
Difficult downstairs layout

Honestly OP, before you dive in and do anything, I would price up the full cost of: new carpets, ceiling skims and repairs, changing the master bedroom access panel to doors, repaint throughout, and other updates you were planning, plus all the staging nonsense from Dunelm etc (it would be thousands if you bought all that junk!), and all the time and effort this will take, vs knocking a chunk off the price now, remarketing as a 3-bed, and getting the estate agent to write a “requires modernisation throughout, chance to put a stamp on things” description that includes your happy “owner’s view” from the first thread. Guarantee you’ll be better off taking your ready cash to the new house as either equity or decoration budget and you could be sold, exchanged and moved within months.

^ all of this!

Cover the damp patches so you actually get people through the door. Re market as a 3 bed with home office requiring modernisation. Drop the price.

@burritofan

This thread is wild, we’ve got suggestions for a £5,000 stained glass door and wood-burning stove, etc, as though we’re talking about a grand Victorian semi in a London conservation area that needs to be finished to a high spec for a £1m+ price tag. None of this stuff matches the actual house we’re discussing and would actually have the same affect as Shane Macgowan’s new teeth – highlighting all the bits that need doing and making them look worse.

Then we’ve got the shopping-addict, Dunelm-sponsored posts suggesting spends of £250 per room or more, with incredibly prescriptive, non-neutral accessories choices. OP doesn’t even like ‘stuff’! So it would all end up in a charity shop. Yes, houses need staging and zhoozhing but £75 nightstands are a pointless expense when moving costs enough as it is, and £3 faux flowers and other plastic tat are just an environmental nightmare. And no amount of Dunelm/Next/Homesense tat is going to cover the fundamentals:

Close proximity to neighbours that negates the detached factor
Only 2 bedrooms on the same floor, which rules out lots of people with small children
Weird shower cupboard
Knackered carpets
Old-fashioned finish like the doors, banister, heating pipes on show
Circular patio bang in middle of garden
Development of fields
General state of disrepair
Difficult downstairs layout

Honestly OP, before you dive in and do anything, I would price up the full cost of: new carpets, ceiling skims and repairs, changing the master bedroom access panel to doors, repaint throughout, and other updates you were planning, plus all the staging nonsense from Dunelm etc (it would be thousands if you bought all that junk!), and all the time and effort this will take, vs knocking a chunk off the price now, remarketing as a 3-bed, and getting the estate agent to write a “requires modernisation throughout, chance to put a stamp on things” description that includes your happy “owner’s view” from the first thread. Guarantee you’ll be better off taking your ready cash to the new house as either equity or decoration budget and you could be sold, exchanged and moved within months.

Spot on. And made me laugh!

I don't think I've commented on either thread but just to repeat what probably countless others have said: I wouldn't view the house because I would need a rock solid guarantee that the fields behind are not going to be built on. I don't think it's ever possible to get that sort of guarantee (?) so for this reason I would scroll past to the next suitable property in my price range.

@burritofan

This thread is wild, we’ve got suggestions for a £5,000 stained glass door and wood-burning stove, etc, as though we’re talking about a grand Victorian semi in a London conservation area that needs to be finished to a high spec for a £1m+ price tag. None of this stuff matches the actual house we’re discussing and would actually have the same affect as Shane Macgowan’s new teeth – highlighting all the bits that need doing and making them look worse.

Then we’ve got the shopping-addict, Dunelm-sponsored posts suggesting spends of £250 per room or more, with incredibly prescriptive, non-neutral accessories choices. OP doesn’t even like ‘stuff’! So it would all end up in a charity shop. Yes, houses need staging and zhoozhing but £75 nightstands are a pointless expense when moving costs enough as it is, and £3 faux flowers and other plastic tat are just an environmental nightmare. And no amount of Dunelm/Next/Homesense tat is going to cover the fundamentals:

Close proximity to neighbours that negates the detached factor
Only 2 bedrooms on the same floor, which rules out lots of people with small children
Weird shower cupboard
Knackered carpets
Old-fashioned finish like the doors, banister, heating pipes on show
Circular patio bang in middle of garden
Development of fields
General state of disrepair
Difficult downstairs layout

Honestly OP, before you dive in and do anything, I would price up the full cost of: new carpets, ceiling skims and repairs, changing the master bedroom access panel to doors, repaint throughout, and other updates you were planning, plus all the staging nonsense from Dunelm etc (it would be thousands if you bought all that junk!), and all the time and effort this will take, vs knocking a chunk off the price now, remarketing as a 3-bed, and getting the estate agent to write a “requires modernisation throughout, chance to put a stamp on things” description that includes your happy “owner’s view” from the first thread. Guarantee you’ll be better off taking your ready cash to the new house as either equity or decoration budget and you could be sold, exchanged and moved within months.

Yep!

@Chicchicchicchiclana

I don't think I've commented on either thread but just to repeat what probably countless others have said: I wouldn't view the house because I would need a rock solid guarantee that the fields behind are not going to be built on. I don't think it's ever possible to get that sort of guarantee (?) so for this reason I would scroll past to the next suitable property in my price range.

Yep unfortunately there's no guarantee for these sort of things. In OPs case it's already got plans for a development of 100s of homes.

I appreciate all your views, thank you. They are all valid points and we are considering all of our options.

@Mummyoflittledragon I love all your suggestions, they are giving me lots of ideas, not just for this house for also for whatever we buy. Thank you for taking the time and for sharing your inspiring thoughts