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Original poster

Getting property ready for sale is overwhelming

28 replies

VonnieAnn · 04/11/2022 06:38

On a budget and prepping house ready for sale.

OK with basic decorating, cleaning, decluttering but being on my own finding getting a whole house looking good overwhelming.

Its an older house so do one task and it reveals others. I know if I pace myself - eat the elephant a bite at a time - it will all get done but....

Anyone in, or been in, a similar situation and found ways through it?

OP posts:
RambamThankyouMam · 04/11/2022 06:40

Gosh, I really wouldn't bother! It will sell. As long as it's not a total wreck, I'm sure you'll find a buyer at the right price.

Bramblejoos · 04/11/2022 06:41

We bought a house with all yellow walls and doors in the lounge, and giant posters glued on the doors in the hall.
But it had a v long garden!

PermanentTemporary · 04/11/2022 06:42

Oh it's awful.

Tbh I think there's a huge limit on how much you should do. Cleaning and decluttering are worth it up to a point but otherwise...

RoseMartha · 04/11/2022 06:59

I dont think it is worth doing much as the new owners will do whatever they like.

But you can do stuff like

Declutter the sides and remove excess furniture so the pictures show the rooms to the best advantage.

Wash or remove nets if applicable.

Have a good clean if needed.

If the garden needs a tidy do that to improve kerb appeal.

Clean windows and fascia boards.

acornsarenottheonlyfruit · 04/11/2022 07:01

I decluttered and cleaned everywhere, touched up paint, cleaned patio, windows and front door. That was it, did in stages and took about 10 days.

SnarkyBag · 04/11/2022 08:43

I think for now prioritise clean and decluttering. Be ruthless decluttering and just think of that as saving you time packing and sorting when you do come to move.

I remember posting a similar question when we put our house up for sale earlier this year. As it was the estate agent had a buyer or two in mind and we didn’t even go properly on the market just two viewings and done so no time to do any of the touch up jobs. The agents only comment was it was “mrs hinch” clean!

the house we bought needs a lot of work which we knew but the biggest headache when we moved was just how dirty it was. I can live with dated and a bit shabby while we renovate but the grime was disgusting!

senua · 04/11/2022 08:45

being on my own finding getting a whole house looking good overwhelming
Look on the bright side: at least you know that if it's done then it stays done. You don't have OH / DC undoing all your hard work the moment your back is turned.

Mostmarriedcouple · 04/11/2022 08:47

I wouldn’t worry too much, especially as it’s an older house - people will probably be looking to renovate. I just bought a house riddled with mould and dirt, but couldn’t care less as will be renovating

RainbowCat26 · 04/11/2022 09:09

I would just stick with cleaning and decluttering. We renovated our house before we sold and on the completion day the new owners were excitedly telling us about all their redecorating ideas, and a few weeks later we drove past to see the bathroom suite in a skip outside the house!

DeeplyMovingExperience · 04/11/2022 09:32

I did this 18 months ago. It was a mammoth task. Here are my tips:

Be ruthless: if you wouldn't take it with you when you move, then get rid of it now. Donate. Chuck. Or sell on eBay.

Consider putting some of your stuff in storage. I used the company that were going to move us, and they came and took away some of the contents as a sort of first-stage of the move. It made the house feel really light and open.

I replaced one carpet which was stained and looked a bit shoddy.

Get the front of the house looking nice. Maybe flower pots if you have room. Kerb appeal is important.

Put the heating on 1 hour before viewings so it feels really cosy.

Clear all kitchen surfaces before viewings to make the worktop space feel bigger. (I hid away kettle, toaster, everything.)

Lcb123 · 04/11/2022 10:03

It totally depends if houses are very in demand where you live - if you, I'd declutter as a priority (to make it easier when you do move), but not worry too much about cleaning/decorating. Most people would expect to do this once moved in. We are selling a flat with a shorter lease which we knew would be an issue so we did touch up the walls (all white anyway), and cleaned / cleared thoroughly for the photos

PhilInt · 04/11/2022 11:52

I 100% get this. I've been in the same boat fairly recently and it is mentally exhausting. I had to make lists and work in stages. I also had to decide to prioritise and leave somethings alone.

HereForTheFreeLunch · 04/11/2022 12:00

We didn't do anything beyond a good cleaning and decluttering.

For the day of pictures and viewings we had a basket for each room to dump everything in. And a spot to hide said baskets.

We were advised not to paint as buyers would want to do there own painting.

SatinHeart · 04/11/2022 13:14

Declutter, then get some estate agents round to value it. Ask them what else they think is worth doing to prep for photos/viewings.We did this and were told not to do any decorating at all apart from repaint the front door (which was peeling)

With the garden we did pay someone for a couple of hours work to get it photo ready, but most of what they did was pruning and weeding so probably could have just done that ourselves.

WimbyAce · 04/11/2022 14:11

I got it valued as it was and then tidied/cleaned for the photos and viewings etc. Was a pain with 2 small children but managed it. Sadly have to do it all again as it all fell through!

Original poster
VonnieAnn · 04/11/2022 20:03

Taking all your comments and advice on board but glad PhilInt gets it.

OP posts:
strawberry2017 · 04/11/2022 20:10

How much is what you are doing going to add to the value? If it's nothing don't bother!

toastfiend · 04/11/2022 20:22

There are some really over zealous posters on here and I think some of what people tell you you MUST do before putting your house up for sale on other threads is wildly inaccurate. We decluttered a bit (would have anyway to move), but nothing drastic, tidied up a bit (bunged stuff in cupboards), and touched up the paint/went round with a magic eraser and got it to "visitor clean" levels/tidied the garden a bit. The agents actively told us not to bother with doing any more. It took a weekend. We had 7 viewings and had accepted an above asking price offer within 4 days of it going live. I totally understand how stressful it is (although I didn't do this move on my own, I have before), but I genuinely wouldn't panic too much about getting it to a "perfect" state.

toastfiend · 04/11/2022 20:23

When I say on here, I don't mean this thread specifically, but the board as a whole, before anyone gets offended.

NotMeNoNo · 04/11/2022 20:54

You are just trying to get your house looking like a good version of itself particularly for the photos.

For an average lived in house, it needs to look clean, especially anything like showers that get obviously stained, have daily clutter put away and rooms looking neat. Ideally not anything that hints at lack of space like piles of stuff on top of cupboards. If you take pictures it's often easier to see what jumps out like straggling cables or crowded coat hooks.

This is basically presentation, it's not the same as doing major jobs like painting and carpeting, which rarely pay back.

NotMeNoNo · 04/11/2022 20:57

Also I got DH to take kids away, my mum came to help and we blitzed it on a weekend. And spent about £100 on a few flowers/cushions/ornaments to glam up the main rooms. Homesense/Asda/Wilko type of thing.

Salome61 · 04/11/2022 21:07

I had a five bed house and know how you feel. I sold during lockdown and had to do it all myself. I had to do downstairs one day, upstairs the next. After about ten viewings I relaxed a bit and just ran round with the duster/shark daily.

Pack away all your personal photos and as many ornaments as possible.

People tend to focus on the kitchen and bathroom, so clean them to within an inch of their life.

Clear all the kitchen worktops and make sure the bin is empty for viewings. If you cook a strong smelling meal, air the place thoroughly afterwards.

Dress the bathroom with clean white towels, and hide everything else. Keep the toilet seat down.

Clean plain bedding on the beds.

Pot plants out the front for kerb appeal - people often drive past before booking a viewing.

If you use any additional oil filled electric radiators, hide them. I had one idiot who shouted 'oy oy, I see the central heating doesn't work'.

Good luck.

RM2013 · 04/11/2022 21:32

I stressed about this a lot. Before the photos were taken to market it I made sure I touched up any areas of paint that needed a freshen up. Gave everywhere a really good clean, took down personal photos etc - I had read this can help buyers imagine themselves in the house.
i made sure gardens front and rear were tidy (we went on the market late Jun)

i did worry a lot and probably did things I didn’t need to. Unless the house is in very poor repair or very cluttered then mist buyers will see past decor, furniture and belongings and see the potential ie light and airy rooms, good location, garden etc

do the easy fixes that won’t cost you £££

good luck

Original poster
VonnieAnn · 05/11/2022 07:31

I believe I'll be adding value as I'll be turning, for instance, a shabby cluttered bedroom into something very attractive. A can of emulsion, a good clean and declutter and a touch of staging.

I know it's all doable but at times seems daunting as it's a fair sized house and there's just me to do the work. Hence feeling overwhelmed at times. But accept there's no need for perfection or big spends.

OP posts:
martinisforeveryone · 05/11/2022 13:34

@VonnieAnn could you pretend you're hiring someone to do certain tasks, say for two or three hours at a time, but that person is you. That's how I do the regular cleaning. If you view it in sessions like that you'll probably be more focussed and then get a good sense of achievement as you see the progress bit by bit. I also like to keep lists, mainly because I enjoy writing the projects down and especially like crossing them off 😁

You've had some good advice from PPs, I'd add, get on the property portals and do a search for similar properties in a 5 or 10 mile radius ie properties that your prospective buyers might also be viewing and see what appeals to you in the photos and what puts you off eg lots of stuff on top of wardrobes and kitchen cupboards or pushed under beds, houses that are overly styled to sell rather than homes and so on. That might help you cast a critical eye over your own place and spot anything you might otherwise have missed. Good luck.