Selling your house in 2024? Join me in house sprucing!

[Yemelade]

Been scouring for a similar thread, but not seen one so far!

I'm planning to get my house on the market this year, hopefully by May 2024. There's a couple very noticeable things that will put people off straight away if we don't sort out prior to listing (fascia boards/uPVC drainage near roofline is broken and has holes in and looks a mess, plus also no hand rail on the stairs) But also some cosmetic things we need to spruce up to improve curb appeal, as well as the need to declutter.

Tasks on my list also include sanding and reoiling our oak worktops (not been done since they were fitted in 2019) as well as finally getting around to putting a door back over a cupboard opening. The biggest one is sorting out our garden and putting gravel in the driveway that we lined with railway sleepers and membrane last year but never filled with gravel!!

Anyone else care to join me and list what you're hoping to achieve prior to sale? Part of me thinks "I'll just list it as is" but I know not doing these things will go against us financially, plus I'm keen to see how mortgage rates change in the next few months so I'm not in the biggest of rushes!

Please join if you're in the same boat 😊

Managed to get though all my list in approximately 4 weeks. It was a real slog.

6 rooms painted including the dreaded hallway and stairs.
New entryway plastered and painted, box for pipes made, small piece of carpet laid.
Driveway wobbly pavers solidified.
36 fence panels painted.
New kitchen flooring done.
New lights in hallway
Bought outdoor plants in planters to make the front look nicer.
New rug for dining room.

Got valuations done mid march and on the market, had an offer after 9 days 😁👏🏻

Hoping to get mine on by April/May this year. So far we've had sofits and fascias done, replaced the flat roof on the porch. Tidied up the back garden, we've put stones down as the grass was mainly weeds. The two end walls in my son's bedroom were painted but looked terrible as the paint showed every little bump so we have now wallpapered these and I'm really happy with how it looks now. This Easter holiday we've decided to change the bath for a white one as bathroom suite did not match. The toilet was changed for a white one ages ago when the cistern broke - we did the sink last year to match but were going to leave the bath. However it's so noticeable we decided to change it. It's not an easy job and as usual this house has thrown up some spanners along the way! It's now in but we've just sealed it for the second time as it let a bit of water when showing at the back edge. Fingers crossed tomorrow that it has done the trick as it was not easy. Next we plan to put new flooring down in there and paint the walls to freshen it up. We still need to paint the lounge ceiling and I have painted the porch today which looks much fresher and cleaner. Plan to upgrade the electrics as our consumer unit is very old. Boiler needs servicing too. We've already put a new laminate floor in the lounge that I'm very happy with. Considering to do the kitchen floor too if we have the time!

I always think it's daft that we do all these things to sell, rather than having done them before to get the benefit from them ourselves!

Yes, this thread is a lesson in not leaving things till you're selling.

I know a couple who were so pleased with their house and garden after they'd done it up for sale that they decided to stay put.😀

Afternoon all!!

Totally understand the thinking and previous comments re. Not allowing ourselves to enjoy the house whilst we live in it if we wait till before we sell to do it up! For us, they were never significant enough or had any bearing on how we used our home to make it worth it.

E.g., we had an "open" staircase. No hard rail etc. absolutely no issue for two healthy young adults. However since this is a 3 bed family home, we were advised it could be off-putting for young families/baby gates needed etc. We had a joiner visit today to fit a hand rail, really pleased with it and I'll include a picture to this thread! Everything needs repainted and retouched, Including this now of course. Only took them a couple hours.

Additionally, our joiner is coming back tomorrow to install a cupboard around a boiler that sits in our spare room. Again, not been an issue. We just had a curtain up over it and it's never bothered me the whole time we've been here. However on a sale and practicality side, some insurance providers would be iffy about calling it a 3 bed since it's not categorised as a habitable room if a boiler isn't safely enclosed by wall or door to a sleep space. And, again it can be off-putting to young families. This is just what we've been advised by friends in property and as a 3 bed in a desirable area for young families, it makes sense to do the work! Unfortunately for us, no amount of work or painting will want to make us stay. The location is just so very wrong for us!

The "open stairs" before...

Looks great. We also had a new stair rail put in a few weeks ago- makes a massive difference

From curtain/sheet covered hole in the wall to a fully functioning cupboard!

This also used to be a square white box that we just stored the upstairs hoover in at the top of the staircase. Painted one wall green to spruce up a bit and planning to hang a plant there from the ceiling. Looks much brighter and more functional.

All looking lovely

How are we all getting on?

I have made SO much progress, so many tip runs, the garden looks great though we still have so much left to do. Hoping to get windowsills and walls spruced up this weekend, hang some curtains etc and hopefully be finishing up soon.

We've therefore bitten the bullet and have 4 estate agents visiting us from next Friday and Friday 17th. Very excited about that! Hopefully have it up for sale by the end of the month.

Hope you're all doing ok!

Tesco have a garden plant sale on at the moment.

Hiya, joining in for motivation! Hoping to get the house on the market in the next 2-3 weeks. Going to spend bank holiday weekend continuing with the ongoing decluttering (all the bedrooms seem to be full of stuff!). Also need to power wash the decking/patio and paint our gate and balcony and resilicone the shower. Then deep clean! Not doing any major work or repainting (although we did get a new kitchen last year in anticipation). Already done many tip runs, charity shop trips and a boot sale. We are emigrating so the decluttering is a bit more intensive than usual!
Has anyone's house gone on the market yet? Things seem to be moving very slowly around here and I'm a bit worried it's going to take a long time to sell.

Most of the work involving trades is done but now it’s the ‘million tiny jobs’ stage. We really need to be moved by October for secondary applications so feeling the pressure to get it listed now.

House been on the market for just over a week, 6 viewings so far, 3 very interested but need to sell theirs first🙄

That seems a positive amount of interest though! Hopefully at least one of those finds a seller soon!

Just a few tips…Went to market Feb and sold on first viewings three days later. But….i think that is because it’s a popular area, solid house and was well presented. I thought about leaving it until the right time eg garden looked better but if the house is in a sought after area, it will sell.
Dont underestimate how long it takes to get to market: identity checks, EPC, agent contracts, photos etc
Have a solicitor prepped and ready
Get your paperwork in order, guarantees, building certificates etc as well as all the stuff you’ll need for mortgage etc
Pet? Get rid of any sign eg leads, bowls, toys. Take them out!
Fresh flowers for viewings and photos
Toilet lids down!
Paint fence/walls out front
Make beds! I was put off by photos of creased duvets on unmade beds.
Take everything bar kettle off kitchen work surfaces for photos
We are a while from exchanging still because the chain took 8 weeks to close so we couldn’t proceed until now (we sold to FTB) so it’s been frustrating after selling so quickly! Hoping for July/Aug completion so however long you want it to take: add 2-3 months!!!!

We've been on just over a week now, 2 viewings, one of which wants to come back for another look. Hope we might have had a few more than that, but fingers crossed.
Fortunately the photos were done on one of those currently rare blue sky days, so the garden looks lovely - especially with all the spring blooms out.

We desperately hoping to find out onwards place soon - but we can't offer until we have a sale of ours. It's a desperate race, such an awkward system.

Hi all, need to read through the most recent messages, but just thought I'd pop on to whinge about how much I had satinwooding 😭it's all over my hands and arms and it's NEVER ENDING. Hoping to be done soon 😩

Morning all, How's everyone progressing?

I am so glad we did all the small jobs presale. Had 3 estate agents round this week who all commented on the fresh feel of our home and 2 valued higher than our bottom line. We have pictures being taken this upcoming Thursday, and hope to market by next weekend.

I am now allowing myself to start falling in love with houses again since we're another step closer to being in a more proceedable position! I sort of despise how clunky and frustrating the whole chain thing is, selling and finding property in the UK in a chain is problematic!

Hope you're all doing well.

Still doing DIY! Or should I say DI-Cry 😫.

Hoping to get on the market before ever goes on holiday in June 🥺.

Still finishing off the last bits of DIY and then a thorough deep clean this weekend before hopefully getting the agent in to take pictures next week! It's funny how the more jobs we do, the more jobs we find to do...

Di-cry is such a good term! It's exactly that. Job after never ending job!

The property photographers are supposed to be coming tomorrow, but it's also supposed to rain all day... I'm a bit worried cold and wet looking pictures are going to make it seems like it's been up for a long time when it's going to be sunshine everyday soon!

Wondering if I should reschedule... What would you all do?

Hmm, I think I would be tempted to reschedule. It will definitely look better inside and out for the photos if the weather is brighter. See what your agent thinks maybe?

Decided to keep to pictures today in the end! Apparently they have a blue sky tool and Photoshop, and weren't concerned with lighting. All completed now, hope to be live and on selling sites before this bank holiday weekend, wooo!!