House being valued next week - eek! What do I need to get done?!

[SingingSands]

Please help!

Moving house is something that we have wanted to do for ages but we have been lazy and not done anything but talk about it for the last year... So - I've grasped the nettle and arranged for our house to be valued at the end of next week!

I have two weeks to get this house looking marketable or close to it. Does anyone have any suggestions of what I need to do? Obviously there is no time for a complete revamp, but most of the rooms are fine, just perhaps need a touch up of paint here and there. My biggest bug-bear is clutter from the children's toys. Can I just stick everything into giant cardboard boxes and hide it in the loft? Will the valuer want to see inside the loft? Or the garage?

All advice appreciated!

Yes - declutter as much as humanly possible. They wont look in the loft but will look in the garage so stick the boxes in the loft.

Do the paint touch ups - tidy up and dust and clean carpets. Air the house, get some cut flowers in for the valuation day.

Mow the lawn and tidy the garden and clean everywhere visible.

They won't look in the loft but yes, mine did look in the garage!

Wouldn't bother with cut flowers - save that kind of "fluffing" for viewings. A valuer isn't going to be seduced by fripperies.

Depends on the valuer Soupy - my sister got 4 valuers round to her flat. First time no flowers - second and third had flowers (nothing special - just some flowers her boyfriend picked up for her on the way home) - fourth no flowers. Second and third valuations came in much higher - and she ended up going with one of them and selling for an amount in excess of the asking price!

Oh dear god - they look in the garage? It's a dumping ground! I'm going to have to make DH do a tip run every night this week and next. I'll be ruthless.

Thanks SoupDragon - I hadn't even thought about the garden! Luckily it is just grass and decking so will get the grass mowed this weekend.

Should I get a professional outfit round to clean the carpets? I'm thinking they will do a better job, and probably dry quicker than me attacking them with our dodgy Vax. Can they just do "around the furniture" or will I have to clear the bedrooms?

Unless carpets are v v dirty wouldnt bother with prof outfit.

I've started clearing out already. Have mucked out the understairs cupboard (also known in this house as THE CUPBOARD OF DOOM).

Going to tackle the kitchen next. All clutter is going. There are things on top of the kitchen units that have been there for 9 years! As we obviously don't use them I'm putting the lot in a bag for the charity shop.

Going to give the children a binbag each and ask them to donate as much of their stuff as they can to charity.

I think mine just wanted to see the size and what storage there was in there. What he saw was a 1.5 width garage packed to the rafters with crap :o

I still don't think a valuer would be influenced by flowers. I've had valuers come in and value the house at different prices when it has been the same each time. [shrug] Nothing to lose mind you.

Continually having flowers might be expensive. I recommend a couple of bunches of Eucalyptus, (very cheap £5 for a massive bunch here), lasts ages and eventually dries out nicely too- bonus, smells nice, looks stylish.

Then when viewings start in earnest, then pop 3 stems of Hydrangeas/ Lilies in with the Eucalyptus. Looks very good!

Daffodils are ridiculously cheap this time of year and bring instant cheer and cosiness.

The valuation is unlikely to be changed much by the kind of nice presentation that sells houses, but I would attend to anything that is broken, or looks like it has caused damage - such as water stains, broken windows, loose guttering, etc. Decluttering is really useful as it also means less to pack when you move!

I wouldn't use Lilies unless they are ones which don't smell. The scent can be overpowering.

I think the difference between valuation and actual selling is that one is about the house and one is about selling the lifestyle of living in it.

Do get more than one valuation. When we had ours assessed by estate agents last year we had a range of values from £250k to £350k, which I think is a huge range. Look at the range of values and what similiar houses are selling for and don't be too keen just to go with Agent who thinks it's worth most. And ask them what things you could do to improve marketability.

The agent we chose in the end was quick to respond and the phone was always answered if I called the office (even at lunchtime!) When he gave me his assessment it was backed up by examples of selling prices of similiar properties locally, and gave a well-considered assessment of the main selling points and drawbacks of my house in relation to these.

Have been very happy with him - and we are hoping to exchange shortly!