Want to move in 5 years is it worth doing up house?

[flutterby1]

I feel like I don’t want to invest in new carpets, kitchen etc etc? I have a bit of decision paralysis because I want to save instead and not sure any additions to my house will add value. I also need a new lean-to / side entrance and large double glazed window fixing? Help!!!

5 years is a long time and a lot of things can happen between now and then, are you 100% sure you will move by then?

I'm thinking about the same thing, I plan to move in 5 years too. I'm thinking about what I can maximise with the least outlay.

I've just had my house professionally decorated throughout and that will last, other than that I need it repointed, outside windowsills painted and front gate painted. I won't do a new kitchen and bathroom, possibly refresh the kitchen with a new worktop and have the kitchen cupboard doors resprayed or something.

@Dogaredabomb it’s so hard to get the balance right isn’t it? I’m not in my forever home, as I don’t like the area anymore, 5 years is too long to put up with some of my things, house is becoming dated/ fading but on the other hand I’m not invested in it as want to save to move! I guess best to get it done now so atleast we can benefit for a bit whilst we still live here? I think the 5 years is difficult as it’s mid-term ?

Yes. 5 years is ages. Don’t just think about selling but think about the value you’ll get out of having a nicer carpet/floor over the 5 years before you sell. That’s the value.

If it makes you feel better OP we spent £200k on an extension and this is 100% not our forever home (I don’t believe in those anyway!) 😆

It is quite a long time isn’t it so I guess I need to do these things. I’m definitely hoping to move. Have been here 8 yrs

I think there some ways that can give a real benefit for minimal outlay.

The first thing would be to try and see your home from an outside perspective - what would buyers like, or be put off by?

Then perhaps get Estate Agents to come and value your home as is, and ask them what they think would be worth changing or refreshing and the subsequent value.

Then with that in mind, you can make decisions over the next 5 years that are most beneficial.

Theres usually lots of online advice about how to best to prepare your home for sale.

We sold my late father in laws house, it needed new bathroom, new boiler, redecorating throughout, new garage doors, so probably about £20,000 to £25,000 to make it modern, Estate Agent said to sell it as it is without the work being done. It sold on first viewing at asking price, they wanted to do a house that they could do the work themselves.

I've just had the hallway and kitchen floors nicely tiled. But I think i won't do the bathroom floor as I think someone else would upgrade the bathroom (there's nothing wrong with it). It does desperately need new carpet, but it's clean and doesn't bother me. Buying a new house the very first thing I would do is rip up carpet so I don't know if that's a loss.

We didn't plan on staying in our last house for too long but managed to decorate the entire house including doing the kitchen and bathroom for £6k! Disclaimer this was 2018-2020 so before costs started spiralling.
We got a second hand kitchen from a family friend with just new work top and basic metro tiles. We did all the work ourselves.
Most rooms were decorated with decent lining paper and painted to keep costs low.
We had some blown pvc windows and only replaced the glass, we had another window that didn't shut very well so we replaced the window stays. If we had planned on staying longer we would have replaced the whole unit and accepted the cost.

I would. Five years is fairly long and you don’t know what will happen - you could be there fir ten or move in two.
New carpet won’t increase value and it’s arguable about a kitchen too, but it will make it more sellable. But really you have to live there - can you put up with a kitchen you hate and old carpets? I couldn’t.