Essentials before going on the market?

[RetroHippy]

So, we want to sell, we know the property we want to buy and we can afford the mortgage etc as long as we get as much as possible for our house (2 bed, mid terrace, small garden). Are there experts out there who can advise what it's worth doing before we put the house up for sale from this list:

Repaint hallway (£20)
Repaint kitchen (£20)
New front and back doors (£500?)
Knock out front porch (free, very satisfying but dependent on )
Overhaul bathroom (£500)

So just over £1000. Is it worth doing all of this considering the kitchen needs a total overhaul which we can't afford? I'm thinking we spend a grand and make the rest of the house fabulous in the hope that we sell for top of the asking price. We also have a grand to pay out of our current mortgage unless we wait another year. The one I'm undecided on is the doors, but the porch is pretty manky!

The house we want has been on the market 6 years. I'm hoping that this means its not likely to sell any time soon, or increase in price, but we can't bank on that.

Feels like a bit of a juggling act!

I'd do the re-painting but leave the rest. We've just sold our 2 bed terrace for asking price, having done nothing to do. Cosmetically it's perfect (no decorating required) but could do with a new kitchen and bathroom - both are the originals (1982). But we were advised that we wouldn't get the cost back in the sale price so didnt bother

having done nothing to sell

The bathroom is a mess just because its a mishmash of tiles, some of which has been painted and the paint is now peeling off. The sink has also been replaced at some point and the gap between the new sink and the tiles filled (badly) with sealant . I reckon we I can do it for the cost if replastering and tiles as the fixtures are in good nick.

Would you not be put off by a crumbling porch being the first thing you see? It's wooden, so in no way structural but its horrid. And I can't even paint it its so rotten at the bottom. I'd just knock it down but I'm not convinced that the door behind is secure as an external door...

The rooms we've done are lovely, we've had a stove fitted last year, and new windows at the front and new boiler when we moved in 4 years ago. Good cellar for storage (had some work done so its now dry). 3 bed across the road is up for £112,000 as a comparison. The one we want is up at £150,000. We're hoping if we put it up for £100,000 we'll get an offer of £95,000 and have enough profit to put down a 5% deposit on the new scheme and pay estate agents fees etc.

yes, that crumbling porch with rotten wood would shout 'no-one has maintained this house and all sorts of horrors lurk inside'. Kerb appeal!

knock it down and fit a new front door that is sufficiently secure. And that bathroom would also worry, so do that too.

leave the rest. BTW paint is now very expensive, you won't get much for £20.

Oh I missed the porch bit! Yes definitely do that - first impressions count!

Re: paint, we already have a huge tub of magnolia from doing the living room, so the entire house is getting done in that! (Small house)

Thanks for the definitely on the porch. Can't wait to take a sledgehammer to it

The door behind is in good condition because its always been indoors. Is there any way to tell if a door is suitable for external use? It has a glass section at the top and looks like a traditional wooden front door IYSWIM? I quite fancy painting it red. schmaltzing, how much do you reckon then for two UPVC doors? I was just looking at the B & Q website and factoring in a hopeful Safestyle 241!

Spent the evening sanding down woodwork. I bloody hate sanding down woodwork.

£800 is way out of the budget anyway .

At least there's not a swirly carpet in sight! just scratched floorboards

And the worst thing is that once we move we're going to have to do it all again.

If it's a good wooden door, then just re-paint the front and make sure it's got a Yale lock on it. I'd go for wooden on the back too - could pick up something nice on Gumtree/Free-cycle/your local salvage. uPVC doors can look nice, but it takes a lot of looking to find one.

Also, remember to do the garden with some cyclamen and other small plants that still have flowers / scent at this time of year - having a nice view from your kitchen will help with not having done up the kitchen.

Agree with the painting and does sound as though the bathroom is an inescapable item.

Good luck and hope you get the house you want!

Thanks BlackMoonlight . Salvage/eBay for a wooden door is a good idea. Think we might end up doing a door shuffle. We have three external doors that are in differing states of disrepair!

Thankfully the garden isn't something I've got to worry about, one of the main reasons for moving is so I've got more space to plant stuff!

Door shuffle is good. Am envious of the good garden!

Well it's maybe less good and more full! But either way it looks fairly inviting if it weren't for the spaggy porch and unwashed windows and render in need of paint the house would look quite nice from the outside!

Oh the list just goes on and on... Next; borrow a ladder.