A renovated house that’s fixtures are too expensive and top end for the size and location

[DownUdderer]

I’ve been looking at hundreds of house listings (because we’re looking to buy a house) and I’ve been looking at one house that has been bought 8 months ago and renovated throughout and has been put up for sale. It’s sort of made me feel sad because they have done a lovely job and I’m sure they’ve done a fair amount of work on the place, however in my opinion it’s now going to be the most expensive house on the whole street. It’s relatively small or average for the area but it’s really got top end bathroom taps and extremely fancy shower and free standing bath, the kitchen is also looking pretty fancy. I feel happy that the house has been done up (completely daft I know) but I know it’s not right for us as we’d much prefer a bog standard bathroom and kitchen. I’ve been told they’ll rent it out next week if it doesn’t sell.

I guess I’ve just been ruminating about it, and I think maybe they’ve broken a golden rule of making the house the most expensive one on the street. I’m far from an expert! I’m very much just an armchair amateur and I’ve just been looking at every house for sale in the area! I’ve become sucked in and it can become fascinating looking at each house and wondering about the family that’s lived there.

Sounds as if they've rather stupidly over-specced it for the type of house/area - not uncommon I think, though it's probably more common the other way around - cheapest possible old kitchen and fittings, especially if it's 'just' going to be rented out.

OTOH there was a house featured on some TV prog. I think in Devon, an old character property that would make a lovely holiday home. The bloke who did it up vastly over-specced it, both for the type of house and the market for that sort of property. He lost a lot of money over it IIRC - it took ages to sell at a fraction of the price he'd originally expected.

It was called The Old Bakehouse IIRC - dare say it's still online courtesy of google.

There's a gorgeous (outside) period house near us that had been renovated for sale and it's way too bland and lacking in period character which makes it disappointing. To my mind they should have tried to put that character back rather than painting it all white and putting grey carpets everywhere. I hope they haven't removed original features.

I must admit I winced at the thought that it’ll be rented out, just because I don’t know if they’ll make money on the whole deal!

Do you remember Sarah Beeny's old programme, Property Ladder?

This was so common on that. First time developers would buy a house as a pet project and then go wild with the spec, and then act all surprised when they lost money

I viewed a modestly-sized Victorian terrace that had been done up for resale - it was all grey carpet, stark white paint, chrome fittings. They had converted the attic to provide four bedrooms and then CARVED UP EACH BEDROOM TO MAKE AN ENSUITE. The result was that the bedrooms were so small you couldn't fit in any furniture but a bed. I said to the estate agent that everyone would have to keep their clothes in the bath, and she said snottily, "That's the first time I've heard someone complain about too many bathrooms".

I bought a bigger, tattier and cheaper place round the corner. Delighted to see that the couple who moved in have two huge shiny 4x4s which they can just about squeeze onto the paved front garden, but only by pressing the car bonnets right up to the living room window. Perfect match of house and owner

The funniest thing on Property Ladder was during the housing boom when they’d go totally overboard with fittings etc, but just by virtue of having owned the house for 9 months or whatever, the price would have risen by 40% or something ridiculous. Sarah Beeny’s face every time she had to explain that they really shouldn’t have got away with it 😬😄

I think it depends on whether you're doing it up to sell, or live there. Of course, if it's an investment you need to be mindful of expenditure vs profit, but if you're planning to stay in a house for a long time, surely you just do what you personally like and can afford.

My friend put a £20k kitchen into a £100k house. Not a good idea but she did enjoy the kitchen prior to moving out (not sure if she got £20k worth of enjoyment out of it though!).

freestanding baths went out for a reason - loads of extra cleaning and damage. a downer for either sale or rent.

It must depend on area too. My flat on the main road above shops is around £200k if I bought it today. I wouldn't put top end fittings in that. But I am developing it to the max, reorganising the layout, making the loft a luxury hobby room etc because to move to the next step up the housing ladder is another £100k we don't have.

I think if it’s your own home then go ahead and make it to your own taste, but yes, it is just like the Sarah Beeney show! The overly nice fixtures aren’t feeling like a selling point. The extra en suites in every bedroom sounds pretty hilarious and honestly very off putting.

I’ve seen another property today that looks quite exciting, it’s big but I cannot figure out if the garden will work for our kids. I looks like it might be steep, but the photos aren’t great!

I have done up loads of houses and I always put really good stuff in them. I didn't get the money back on the last house we sold, but it was our home and we lived there for ten years and really enjoyed the house.
I have no idea what the Sarah Beeney show is though.

I like freestanding baths and am putting one in a bathroom in my new house in August. What extra cleaning is that then or damage - none here and it will be my third.

It's different if you are going to live in the house and the longer you live there, the less relevant the cost of it is. Put in what you like and what makes the place one you enjoy living in. If you want to make money from it as a business, then you need to run it as a business, know your market and make a profit.

It's a shame if their aim in buying it was to sell on - but is it also high end brands or just gives a fancy impression? We now live in a house that certainly looks very overspecced - partly because we want to live here a long time so haven't been so fussy this time about getting things like a pyrolitic Vs a cheaper oven, but also because we have done a lot of renovations now and are pretty good at making things look expensive and finding fancy fittings on the cheap. I'm generally horrified when I hear other people's spends on new kitchens and things!

namechange128 -- tell us your secrets please!