About to put our house up for sale. What's worth doing?

[User860131]

Ex council 3 bed semi. Suggested price is probably a little under the average price for our area of the midlands so very much a 1st time buyer's property. Pretty well presented inside and more than average space. Great corner plot with a huge garden. Easily the most valuable house on the street (not saying this to show off just for context)

Downsides; dated kitchen. However almost brand new appliances and good solid wood units. Windows and front door aren't exactly delapidated but definitely need replacing soon.

Estate agent has valued and suggested that we pitch at the top end and plan to have wiggle room if the windows are bought up.

We don't really have excess money. However, we could probably find the funds to replace the windows and door if it was going to benefit. What would people do at this stage? Is it ultimately going to benefit us to do this or better just to take the hit with the price?

See what the interest is first before you start spending .
We'd had a major big spend on a bathroom , all new high end fitments , then a few months later had to put the house on the market as moving away for work .
A few years after that someone I'd kept in contact with said my old house was on the market again .
I took a peek at rightmove all the wallpaper , paint , lighting , curtains etc still my orginals , they'd happily lived with it all , but not my lovely bathroom , all gone and a cheap b & q one fitted !

I’d try to only do cosmetic stuff (which may not be necessary) and take the hit. If it doesn’t sell take it off the market, sort the windows and go again.

Don't spend anything, most people buying like to negotiate and do the work themselves and you may choose UPVC in black and the buyer wanted wood windows in white, so the damage is you could devalue.

I'd always give each room a lick of paint, just neutral, grab some house plants, get nice diffusers and that alone will help. Put clutter, pets stuff, anything that indicates a lack of storage away in a lock up or friends garage for a while, kids toys etc and make sure bathroom clutter is minimum, just keep out the products you use.

Thats generally best practice and good luck!!

We were advised not to do anything to ours which needed a new kitchen and bathroom, had relatively recently been painted but not in neutral colours. Just to declutter and depersonalise a bit. Price it to reflect the work needed. People will put their own stamp on it.

It sounds obvious but I would

• clean it meticulously
• wash windows inside and out
• clean all light switches
• be present when photos are taken (have always taken my own as they are generally rubbish)
• power wash patio & drive
• tidy garden
• couple of pots by the front door
• no Xmas decs until photos are taken.

Excatly this, I would also get rid of any furniture you're planning to get rid of or anything that makes it cramped. If it were me, I'd be getting my exercise bike out and setting up my box room as an office (it's an everything room). Get your appliances off your kitchen worktop you dont use and store them elsewhere. Got shoes and coats in entrance? pack it all out of sight. The agents valuation is based on the current condition and if you're happy with that don't do any big work. Doing the work would only be to attract a buyer rather than raise the price so see what you get before any layout

All good advice here, especially neutral colours and houseplants.
we are in the south west and properties do some to be being reduced before selling, almost seems that the houses are priced a bit higher with an intent to reduce?
so buyers may be looking to knock the price down a bit and the windows are a good negotiating point.

Great advice on here. Also, go around in advance, when you think the house is ready for listing, and take photos of each room, as if they were estate agent photos.

Look at them closely and be really picky about things.

Buyers can be totally unimaginative, so you're also selling a lifestyle, not just a house. Some buyers will literally need to imagine living in it, just how you've got it.

I wouldn't worry about the doors and windows either. Just make sure they're spotlessly clean and people will either accept they can live with them for a while, or they'll use them to negotiate.

Our house sounds similar to yours. When we bought it, it still had the kitchen that must have been installed in the early 2000's (also good solid wood units). The front door and picture window beside it were the originals from 1990, so a wooden door and single glazed window.

We've been in the house 12 years now and I loved designing my own front door, choosing exactly the colour and style I wanted. If it had been done before I bought it, it would almost certainly not be what I would have chosen.

The kitchen was perfectly liveable and still is now, even though it's probably nearly 25 years old! We're looking to replace it next year, but it's so solid it's lasted brilliantly.

I'd do what the EA suggested - list it at the high end and negotiate, or reduce the price later if it doesn't get much interest.

Love ex-council properties though - they're usually decent sized and solidly built! I had one years ago and we couldn't hear a thing from the neighbours, despite them having three screeching children!

I wouldn't be spending any significant amount of money on your house before listing it. The windows may well come up on the survey as needing to be replaced soon, and you may need to negotiate a bit at that point, but it will be cheaper to knock a few ££ off at that point than pay for full window replacement now.

Unless you're in a big hurry though, I would wait until January or preferably February/March to list the house as now is not the best time to sell just before Christmas. Use the remaining time to tidy up the house, do small maintenance jobs and declutter.

Maybe get the boiler serviced and depending on the age of the house get an EICR done on the electrics.

Both to give you an idea of problems and costs to remedy and if there’s no issues, to show potential buyers.

Be aware that EICRs are done to todays standards so will highlight things that are not at those standards, but that doesn’t mean they need changing.

Is there a chance there’s asbestos used in the building materials? Get a report perhaps?