Carpet upstairs before going on market or not?

[PansyPink]

Had two valuations today, have a 3rd next weekend (house currently empty after relocation, we live hours away).

Big difference between the 2 valuations and the higher EA said that carpeting upstairs (currently reasonable quality oak-look laminate; nothing fantastic but nothing offensive either) would increase the value by about 10k. The lower quoting EA said don't bother.

Don't mind spending money on carpeting if the first EA is right, but it's an absolute nightmare trying to get work done from afar and all the while we are haemorrhaging money whilst the house is stood empty, so would only do it if it really would make a big difference.

House has a 200ft garden and DH thinks this will be the deal-breaker for potential buyers (people would either love that much garden, like we did, or wouldn't want the upkeep and would run a mile) rather than upstairs carpets being a deciding feature. I'm not sure, can kind of see that carpets in bedrooms might make an empty house seem more cosy.

Thoughts?

Upstairs laminate wouldn't put me off. All our bedrooms have laminate flooring.
And I'd love a big garden! Where is the house ?

It wouldn't put me off. When I view a house, I see it as a potential for what it can be for me. Would be a shame to go in and rip up carpets that weren't my taste! X

That's reassuring @JaJaDingDong. I don't mind it either and presumably it would be easy for buyers to carpet if they wished, especially as it's empty 🤷‍♀️

The house is in the NE. It's a beautiful big old house but not in the nicest part of town really. The sort of house that someone will fall head over heels for, but many others would rule out. Shame we can't pick it up and move it to our current location!

No, I wouldn't spend money carpeting. I personally don't like the thought of other people's carpet (although it your case not a problem as it would be new).

Don't happen to be in Yorkshire do you? I'd love a house with a big garden!

@wannabebump

It wouldn't put me off. When I view a house, I see it as a potential for what it can be for me. Would be a shame to go in and rip up carpets that weren't my taste! X

That's true! Especially brand new carpets!!!

Reassured by the replies as putting carpets in would likely drag things out by another few weeks at best.

Not Yorkshire @goalpostmover, Darlington.

Nobody would base their decision on lack of carpets. Bare floorboards, maybe.

Carpets wouldn't be a deciding factor for me at all.

Maybe buy a white fluffy rug if you want to signal 'cosy' to potential buyers.

Lots of buyers will not want laminate in bedrooms though but it depends what else is on the market that takes their eye. A big beautiful old house is spoilt by laminate floors in my view. Why not put in engineered wood? Laminate is hardly in keeping with age and beauty. Shame really.

Lots of people like bigger gardens. Just make sure it’s tidy so it doesn’t look like a chore that’s too time consuming.

When we bought our house even though it had carpet down that looked very newish it was not to my taste. My dh is asthmatic and carpet makes his asthma worse so we had to rip it all out and get it all laminated. I would never spend money on picking something for new owners as your taste may not be to their taste and they may prefer laminate anyway. Asthma is on the rise. Price it to sell for a faster sale.

Carpets wouldn’t ne a deal breaker for most, although personally I’d have to carpet as I’d not want laminate upstairs.

However many agents value high to get the business. Then it languishes on the market for a couple of months before they tell you to drop it to what the other agent said. So be cautious.

You just have to drop the price with laminate. Many people do like clean carpets but again not cheap ones. It’s not worth spending the money on cheap carpets but perhaps the EA knows the market in your area and buyers expectations ?

Why not put in engineered wood? Laminate is hardly in keeping with age and beauty. Shame really.

Well, if money was no object and we were keeping it I'd probably do just that... I'd extend it too and have a beautiful orangery type room and a 5th bedroom. My youngest was born in this house and it was bought as our 'forever' home, so I'm quite emotionally attached, but DH's job had to move 😓

The current flooring is the flooring we bought it with. I don't think splashing out on engineered wood would be a good investment in terms of sale price?

However many agents value high to get the business. Then it languishes on the market for a couple of months before they tell you to drop it to what the other agent said. So be cautious.

Yes, we are mindful of this. Ultimately we want it priced to sell.

Don’t be putting engingeeed wood in to sell it. That’s a ludicrous suggestion, it would cost a lot of Money of which you won’t see it back.

Plus people would be less keen to get rid of it and still not be happy. I simply don’t like hard floors up stairs and most folks have carpet upstairs, the agent is right.

Pick your agent on who provides the best service, who has the widest reach, don’t fall for the highest valuation. It simoly means it will languish on the market.

We bought our house with laminate upstairs and ripped it out the day we moved in. If there had been carpet we'd have ripped that out too (the previous owners had LOTS of pets.

We wanted one colour of carpet through the whole house (small house, apparently this helps make it feel bigger?)

So don't put in the effort or time or money. Just price to sell.

I didn’t suggest it to sell it!!! My mistake with phrasing. I would have changed from laminate when I bought it. Agreed - too late now. But buyers might be put off seeing laminate in a big old beautiful house!

We're buying a house with carpet upstairs ripping it out is the first thing we'll be doing.

Carpet is getting less popular these days anyway - many people consider it unhygienic, asthmatics find it harbours dust mites which trigger attacks, and it’s a nuisance to shampoo and hoover. Wool ones are prone to damage from carpet moths. With global warming, better insulation and central heating, British houses don’t need carpet for warmth any more.
I wouldn’t waste your time and money on fitting carpets that the new owner may well just rip out. Leave a blank canvas with the laminate, it’s unlikely to deter many buyers.

If there is nothing wrong with the oak laminate flooring, leave it

Most houses we have been looking at have wood flooring in bedroom as it is more hygienic.

Don’t worry about the garden. At this time, when people are stuck home, a large garden is desirable.

Carpets wouldn’t be a deciding factor for me at all, apart from being frustrated at having to pay for new carpets that are not to my taste if buyer trying to recoup their money!

I can see replacing worn/dirty carpet but if laminate down there is absolutely no need

I think your EA is overvaluing the difference it would make : I would not pay more. Only exception is if your market is strictly first time buyers who would tend to be cash poor/some don’t realise what things cost

Can you put a couple of cheap ikea rugs down if needed?

Agreed.

No point adding carpet. However, it’s something you can add (or offer) if the house doesn’t sell after a while, maybe?

What’s the state of the flooring as it is?

As new owners we ripped out the old flooring if it wasn’t to our taste or knackered

Laminate flooring isn’t wood though. Wood is lovely (usually), laminate is never lovely in a big old house. I think the middle way would be to get some rugs!