Top Tips for Getting a House Ready for Sale

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

After several months of trying to get another bedroom out of our cramped Victorian House which has already been extended (loft conversion, kitchen extension), we are going to move.

We don't want to spend a ton any money, but realise that some issues will need to get fixed, such as holes in the wall, but am wondering about:

Floorboards are in dreadful state - do I get these repaired?
Roof needs to be redone - is this vital?
Cracks in ceiling - do we need to get these re plastered?

What are the vital things, and what would a buyer over look?

We live in a, 'trendy,' area - lots of sourdough bakeries, and coffee places, and have been told that houses are mostly getting asking price.

What are your top tips for getting a house ready for sale?

Declutter, clean and fix stupid little jobs.

Be prepared for a lower valuation on survey if the roof does need replacing and so then any buyer will try and renegotiate. How much will the roof cost to get fixed?

If you price it accordingly, for the work that needs doing, so possibly 30-50k cheaper than a house without the issues yours have, you will probably have no issues, but you may struggle if you price it as the top valuation of a done up house without roof issues.

No cooking smells like garlic, curry or meat!

Baking smells like apple pies are ok but I personally prefer a fresh clean smell like lemons or other citrus fruit.

@ramblingsonthego

Declutter, clean and fix stupid little jobs.

Be prepared for a lower valuation on survey if the roof does need replacing and so then any buyer will try and renegotiate. How much will the roof cost to get fixed?

If you price it accordingly, for the work that needs doing, so possibly 30-50k cheaper than a house without the issues yours have, you will probably have no issues, but you may struggle if you price it as the top valuation of a done up house without roof issues.

It's a good point - probably about £10k to repair, but at the same time would prefer not to start bargaining as it may open the flood gates.

Thank you.

I had soup cooking for one of my viewings and I accepted an offer the next morning.

Keep it clean and tidy, Hoover a lot, throw bleach down the toilets every morning and again at night

Like pp says, fix small jobs that need done like a bit of peeling wallpaper, touch up painting where it's needed, etc

I would de clutter as much as possible, definitely fill in any holes in walls, make any minor repairs like broken kitchen drawers or doors. Would not bother with new roof or new flooring as the state of the house will end up being reflected in the price you get, either in the price it is marketed at or after potential buyers get their survey done and renegotiate based on the results.

Also give house good clean , being able to view a tidy (clear surfaces, stuff put away) clean house goes a long way to sell a house. Also at this time of year, make sure the house is warm and aired to avoid any damp, musty smell as no-one wants to buy a damp house.

Also, make sure garden and front of house looks tidy.

Declutter - be ruthless. Get a skip and fill it before you put the house on the market so you are ready for photos.

Tidy the front door area and the front garden if you have one, first impressions count.

Tidy your garden - this time of year it will be messy and people will not spend long out there on the day but it needs to look tidy.

Any items that you are taking with you but are clutter (lots of family photos etc) pack away ready to move.

Clean like a demon and keep bathrooms, kitchen and downstairs loo spotless each day you have a viewing.

Do any small jobs like fixing door handles, touching up paint, finishing any DIY. But do not spend on ceiling plastering or the roof as the new buyer will probably change lots of things.

Make your house attractive to your potential buyer (see it through their eyes, do they have small children - then highlight areas to play near the kitchen; focus on the garden etc) Are they a young couple - then highlight the large relaxing sofa area and work from home potential) - you get the drift - do this by visiting your competition on open days or at least looking through their Rightmove listings.

Our list was:

• front of house - touch up paint, hanging basket, weeding and pot plants
• declutter inside (I was doing daily runs to the tip with all the broken stuff we seemed to hoard!) All surfaces clear even if the cupboards are bursting
• bake.

People don't notice the things you expect them to, my parents once moved into a house and only then realised that there were no internal doors!

Declutter and clean like your life depends on it, including the front on the property. Clean the windows inside and out, it sounds a little thing but I'm always surprised what a big difference this makes. Personally my DH goes round inspecting every single wall for cracks when we're buying a house, and as it's a relatively easy fix I would fill those. If the ceilings and walls are otherwise in good condition you can do this yourself with a tube of pollyfilla and a quick coat of white paint, you don't need to get them replastered. Also do all those relatively easy little repairs that you've never got around to, if a house needed lots of little repairs I would worry that the owner hadn't looked after the big repairs either. I wouldn't bother with the roof, but price the house accordingly, and anticipate that a buyer might as for a reduction when that comes up on the survey. What's wrong with the floorboards, do they just look a bit tatty? Is it something a coat of varnish would fix?

Make it look like you've made an effort, both in looking after your home and decluttering / depersonalising. We looked at a home so full of personal stuff (walls covered in children's school certificates and photos) and wallpaper peeling off the wall it was infuriating. It didn't look like they had any intention of moving nor did it look like they looked after the house. It doesn't need to look like a show home, but consider how you'd make it look if you airbnb'ed your home instead. It can have colour and personality without being too personal. We made sure it was a good few hours after people had showers and made it well ventilated and warm when they came round. Leave lights on in places that are darker so the agents don't have to worry about finding the light switch. Oh and try and accommodate any time buyers want to come, it's annoying but you must let people see your home when its suitable to them otherwise you literally might miss out on a good buyer.

Make your home look as aspirational as you can. Declutter and clean. I wouldn't do the additional work but be prepared to negotiate if something comes up on the survey. I personally like bright rooms so open the blinds

Just make it look clean, tidy and uncluttered (i.e. more spacious and NOT cramped). Put things into storage if necessary. A person will buy it for the space not the condition.

Repair small jobs (Polyfilla type) but don't bother with major repairs and plastering . Most old houses have some cosmetic cracks/wear and tear.

What is the floorboard problem?