Selling my house

[Mrsstevejones]

Hi sold a few houses in the past but not since kids. Hoping to buy forever family home - yay.

Am trying to de personalise it but dont want it to look bare. Will put a lot of the toys in the attic and remove stuff that i dont really need.

I am repainting turquoise wall in living room - i think it looks fab but might be a bit over the top for some. All the houses we have done viewings on are 50 shades of beige - when done well, looks fab mind.

I suppose my question is what should i do make it ready, what things turn you off?

Do i need to repaint daughters pink room? our lilac room? Will happily paint it in magnolia, wont take long. Then will clean, clean, clean.

Thanks in advance

Hi, I am also putting our house up for sale in the next few months also in hope for a forever family home!
My plan is to give the bathroom a lick of paint and I've got one bedroom with a purple wall so will be painting that magnolia. I don't need to de clutter much just need to get rid of books and toys.
The front of the house also needs a a quick lick of paint around the bottom iykwim.
If I were you I would paint the rooms if it's not too much trouble. I've never sold a house before, quite nervous really!!

Good luck Red, Its quite stressful - sorry.

I have sold loads with varying experiences, my thing is to keep on top of the solicitor as they do tend to drag things out. I always use the same one and his secretary used to recognise my voice as i rang for updates so often! Mine is very reassuring and worth his weigh in gold. Keep on top of estate agent as well.

I think i will paint the bedrooms as i dont want someone to go urgh pink girls room and i have boys or girls that hate pink!

Am also going to plant up the tubs out the front - anyone know what grows now (clueless gardener)

The solicitor I used when buying this house was excellent, everything went through in 8 weeks so will use the same one. How many valuations would you recommend having?
I'm useless with plants I'm afraid!

An awful lot of people seem weirdly incapable of imagining rooms with new paint colours etc, so maybe painting out the pink is a good idea, otherwise some idiot with sons will go 'oh I don't like it, it's pink'.

How long do you want your plants to last? Not much will flourish at the moment so if you want something to look tidy for more than a couple of weeks I'd go with simple box topiary - balls or the like. Or maybe some sort of conifer, though they're not my favourite plants. Geraniums would probably be ok too, but make sure to get some that are already in flower or at least budding.

If it's a matter of just getting through a couple of weeks then get flowers - pansies or whatever's on special at the garden centre.

I would get miniature daffodils for pots and replace with new ones as they die back (different types flower at different times between Feb and May). Throw in some ivy to add green interest,

Great ideas thanks, will pop to garden centre tom.

Shaska - that exactly what i am afraid of! Also i think people cant be bothered with the hassle and cost and just want to unpack, which after the headache of buying and selling houses i can understand but then you do pay for someone elses good taste.

In the past (pre kids) i have always bought the grotty places, that the less imaginative have by passed. But then i had time, money, energy. Its just so much harder taking a critical look at your own house and seeing it through someone elses eyes.

I wouldn't worry about colours so much, just create as much space as you can. even in cupboards and wardrobes. You want your house to look like a tardis and it can be done.

I put tonnes of stuff in storage. I left out a few choice toys and 5 outfits each and quite a lot of the furniture.

Make a list of all the little jobs you never got round to and do those, e.g. grouting in the kitchen, broken light switch in the bathroom etc.

Then put 2 big bags in each room. If you get a viewing at short notice clear anything and everything lying around into the bags, bags into the car, park car round the corner.

And, as you say, clean, clean clean. obsessively. Then, when they view, sit back and let them look round on their own while you sit back with a coffee. Don't hover round them pointing out things you think are wrong.

Don't put your house up and accept viewings until you've got it all done and you're in a position to accept an offer.

Great advice Gautami. Thats the sort of thing i was after. When selling previous house i used to chuck bulky baby items in car - only had one then, however.

I have typed a 3 page to do list with everything i can possibly think of doing - in fact the place should look so good i prob wont want to leave - well i def still will but you know.

With two small kiddies its trying to keep on top of everything but if they only have a few clothes and toys, then only so much mess can be made. I will do the same for me and DH as well.