Putting a house on the market before its quite ready

[WireCatWhore]

We are going to sell our house. So we got some bits of DIY done.
I have painted the kitchen.
The hall/stairs/landing need touching up. Except the paint is slightly lighter, so the whole thing will need painting.
And the one of the kitchen cupboard doors has fallen off. It requires a carpenter to repair it.

I am so frustrated. I just want to get the house on the market.

How would you feel if you viewed a house that needed some cosmetic bits doing?

Husband works long hours & although I can paint the hall,I am time constrained by 2 school runs & a middle if the day nursery run& keeping the toddler away from the wet paint whe he is home! Also my husband would have to do the bit over the stairs as I'm scared of heights. [wimp]

{weeps with frustration}

Why don't you discuss it with your Estate Agent?

Many think that all this house doctoring is a bit overdone. Buyers are not all daft or lacking in imagination. As a buyer I would assume that new paint everywhere had been done to put the house on the market and consider the price therefore a bit inflated and bargain down.

However, as weekends are prime viewing time, having the hall draped in dust sheets and blocked by a ladder isn't a great selling technique. I would probably not bother re-decorating the hall, landing and stairs. Just get the cupbiard door repaired.

Ill call the EA tomorrow.
He apparently has 2 couples who want to view.
The cupoard will really need fixing.
Thanks for replying.

I had to decorate the hall when the kids where small so feel your pain get a paint pad and long extendable pole and go for it. Much better coverage; you'll be amazed at how quick it can be done. Good luck!!

If the hall isn't bad I'd use the slightly lighter colour rather than pain the whole thing. Just make sure the EA tells the viewers that the cupboard door will be fixed - waiting for joiner. If I knew it was going to be fixed it wouldn't bother me.

I would try and get the cupboard door done ASAP. We were v keen that our house should be properly finished so we got the grandparents to look after the boys so we could paint the woodwork etc. Was well worth it and we got a good offer in a week. My thoughts were you don't get a second chance to make a first impression- your house is only going to be new on the market for a week or two- no point in putting it on then doing alterations- people who see your house in the first week won't come back and see it when you've done the work.

Thanks all.

Husband has said to get a decorator in to do the hall.

I am getting impatient to get it on the market now!

We are in the same position. Want to get our house on the market but it's not quite ready. It's just the outside spaces really but we have a 7 month old DS and DH works long hours.

So far this week I've painted 30 metres of 2 metre high wall in masonry paint and laid 2 tonne of gravel. I ache, I'm shattered and DS has spent too long in his buggy and highchair but hopefully we'll be ready soon.