Do we need to lay new carpets?

[threeleftfeet]

I'm selling my flat in a newly-trendy bit of London.

The whole place is newly decorated - freshly plastered and painted (white). It's a one bed flat in a victorian conversion, with a nearly-new bathroom and kitchen (they look great).

We've ripped out the old carpet, and I was going to lay a new one (cost: nearly £1,000). However the estate agents said not to bother, just to rip the carpet out and leave the concrete floors bare as whatever we put down will probably be ripped out by the buyers in a few weeks anyway.

So our new plan is to leave the floors bare concrete (possibly paint them if they look stained / ugly when the carpet comes up, so as not to detract from the nice new walls). Also to get range of quotes and samples from local suppliers - who can carpet in a day - so the buyers can chose what they like and see how much it will cost them. (We'll be doing the viewing ourselves).

We could maybe also offer to arrange for access so they can get it done when completion is near (or is this a silly idea?!)

I'm having a little wobble though as our target market is first time buyers, might it put them off?

Having said that, the flat is unusually large and in an area where demand is very much outstripping supply, also has a garden which is a real selling point in London, I have no doubt it'll sell, and quickly too. Just worried I might put a few potential buyers off. What do you reckon?

Any advice gratefully received! :)

WWYD?

Wow that was long! Apologies for the essay!

Hmmm. It might put people off and I think people would drop their offer, even if it was something they were planning on doing anyway. But if you were there with quotes etc then it might not be a problem.

Personally I'd be delighted as I'd see it as the first step in making the place mine and I love new carpets :) I think you're reasonably okay as you'll be showing people round and can remind them that you've swallowed the cost of having the carpets removed and get them all excited about how they can personalise their nice new flat

Many thanks for the reply.

Is that a vote to replace or leave it? I'm going to take it as one of each I think :)

Personally I would like to see new carpets down so the flat looked finished. i am sure in the long run you will get your money back. I do not know of anyone who would rip up brand new carpets.

Thanks for the reply Moomoomie. If you really liked the flat otherwise would it be enough to put you off completely, do you think?

Hopeful bump! Any more views would be much appreciated :)

I'd put in new carpet, wool mix in a neutral colour with a bit of fleck. This would apeal to most buyers.
I'd get a few quotes and haggle hard to see if you can get the price down a touch.

I would replace them. I would replace them with a neutral, specked type finish. If I was buying your flat I would take off the cost of the carpets from my offer.

If you are selling a modernised property then you would expect flooring to be included. If the new buyer wants to change the carpets/kitchen/bathroom that is their perogative. If they are wanting to pay a finished house price they want a finished house. If they want to do work they will pay less.

No carpets would not be a deal breaker, but I would try and knock money off the asking price.... It may end up costing you more money in the long run.

See this is why I'm confused! Panacotta and oreocrumbs, that's exactly what my plan was. (wool, flecked, neutral new carpet). Then not one but four estate agents said don't bother!

The first one volunteered this idea when I said we were going to replace the carpet. I asked the others as neutrally as I could if we should put a new one in or leave the concrete bare and they all said leave it bare! One suggested painting if it looks ugly (just so it doesn't detract from the new walls).

But my gut instinct says to do it! If we're aiming at first time buyers with no spare cash then it makes sense doesn't it?!

I would find bare concrete very off putting. Depends on everything else of course, it probably wouldn't be a deal breaker, but if another similar property nearby had carpets and yours didn't, I'd be much more likely to go for the carpetted one.
However, I'm pretty sure you could get carpet for a 1 bed flat for under £1000. Personally, I'd rather have the old carpets than no carpets. Just at the point of buying a new flat isn't a time I'd have money for new carpets - you'd surely be needing to save for a few more months first, and, in the meantime, use what you had, rather than bare concrete.

Moomoomie I agree, it could be a false economy.

I wish the EAs hadn't mentioned it now. DP's not going to be keen on spending another £1000 after four EAs said not to bother!

But it does make sense, doesn't it? The rest of the flat is done to a high spec, it seems odd not to finish it!

Are four EAs really wrong then?!

I'd do it - but cheaply. It doesn't need to cost £1000. We re-did sitting room, stairs, landing and 2 large bedrooms for well under £500. Looked great...for a bit...but you'll be sold by then anyway!

What kind of carpet did you use dilbertina?

Had a chat with DP I think we're pretty much agreed, we're going to do it, too much of a gamble not to.

It's got to cover two rooms - one is 14'something by 16'something so we have to go for the wider (and more expensive) rolls of carpet IIRC.
The second room is just under 12' by 13' and the corridor is 30' by 5' at its widest.

Sorry you probably didn't need to know all that bug it's helping to organise my thoughts!

Remember Estate Agents are often only after the sale, and won't be too bothered about what price you get.
No carpets is then a bargaining tool for would be buyers, but if the flat was totally finished, buyers can see themselves moving straight in with no added expense.
I would go for the cheapest neutral carpets you can find. You could always cover them whilst you are still living there to keep them clean.

Moomoo has it. Agents don't care, they just want the property on their books ASAP. Whether you're down £2k or £3k on the offers you receive has a negligible effect on their commission.

Don't go mad on the carpet - go for a fawn coloured 80/20 mix and cheap underlay. If your flat is small, you could probably get away with a large offcut of a contract carpet - ask your local stockists.