Tips for prepping and selling a run down property

[SortYourselfOut]

Hi - does anyone have any experience of preparing and selling a house that is structurally sound but has basically been neglected ?
A family member has passed away and left their house to us. Fortunately they weren't a hoarder but the whole place is just a mess. Aside from everywhere being filthy (but cleanable ... I think / hope) there are kitchen cupboard doors hanging off, everywhere needs painting, windows could do with being replaced (would you ?). So far, I'm getting quotes for a house clearance company but just how much or little should I do to give it a chance of selling ? Any ideas or experience of this ?
Thanks :)

I think I would clean it but not do any major modernisation. You probably won't get back the amount you spend in any increase in the selling price. There's a risk that what you do may put people off if it isn't just what they want.

For contents, look around for anything sentimental or that you think may have real value (£hundreds, not just a tenner). After that, house clearance is the way to go - very little is actually worth the time and effort of trying to sell one at a time on eBay, FB Marketplace etc.

I'd probably dump the carpets too - a modern refurb would likely use laminate or tiles. If you can achieve a totally empty house, you might consider painting the inside, but using a spray gun for emulsion (check out YouTube). Quick and easy because you don't have so much masking to do.

I think broken things would look better fixed, but I wouldn’t replace windows. There’s a school of thought that says some furniture makes it look lived in, but if it’s tatty furniture, perhaps not.

As far as painting goes, how would it look after a thorough clean? If you price the house very realistically, to take account of the fact that it needs refurbishment, viewers can see what they would want/need to do to make it suitable for them.

Did it recently for a flat

Relative gone into care. It was in a really bad state so could only be refurbished.

We only cleaned, fix the broken things that we could fix

Nothing major at all. We don't live nearby and did not want to wait for a trade to do the jobs we can't do

We got him a price he was happy with

Small jobs aren't worth doing. It won't make a difference if the. Place needs to be done again.

also had to hire a rubbish clearance company

Don’t spend money on things like windows. I probably wouldn’t paint it either as whoever buys it will be doing things like rewiring and will repaint anyway.

Make sure it is priced to take account of any substantial refurbishment so you don’t get CFers wanting to knock money off for that reason.

You have two usual markes, people who want to do something up, or people who want turn key. Spending just a bit will not make you extra money, as the people who want to do it up have their own vision. I would just make sure it is clean and as presentable as possible without spending. Doing the whole thing up properly to sell will probably be exhausting and might not make you any additional money.

I would t really do anything.
clear contents.
clean clean and clean again.
don't worry re carpets no need to remove those like somebody else mentioned.

whoever buys will be doing the whole so that’s not necessary.

ensure the details are written to attract suitable and relevant buyers, don’t assume the agent will do that, I’ve seen some really and copy and pastes before in these situations eg “ a charming cottage” = a barn in need of full renovation. “Perfect family home” = no plaster on the walls. “ mains gas working when we tested it” = no mains gas in the entire village.

If it's basically an ok house, not needing modernising but just cosmetic updates, floors, kitchen and bathroom are vaguely presentable, it's worth cleaning and painting if that would put it into "ready to move in" condition. Things like the cupboard doors might just need a repair plate and couple of screws.

If a buyer would almost certainly need to strip out and do major renovations, heating, rewiring etc, just have it empty, swept out and clean enough it doesn't smell weird.

Thanks everyone, really good info here.

The EA advised us to make sure the house was clean, but not to spend any money on it. It was obvious anyone buying would have to decorate, so there was no point in us spending time and money doing it.

Remove clutter
Deep clean
Air the property if needed
Bicarb on carpets overnight if they're smelling musty
Pay attention to any mould (love this and have used cotton wool soaked in bleach overnight on grotty grouting before)
New cheap toilet seat
New cheap white bed linen (e.g. Primark) and throws (e.g. Ikea)
Paint the walls white
Fix the small diy jobs
Clean up the garden
New cheap curtains e.g. https://www.dunelm.com/product/sheer-elegance-slot-top-single-voile-panel-1000112084?defaultSkuId=30437595

Just clean it as well as possible and sell it as is - it really isn't worth spending money on doing it up unless it's in such a state at present that it's unmortgageable. Ther will always be people looking for 'doer-uppers'.

Was the house specifically left to you or are you the residual beneficiaries of the will ? If the latter then it's simpler if the executor of the estate sells the property and gives you the money rather than transfer the property into your name for you to sell. There'll potentially be Capital Gains Tax to pay on any increase in the value of the house from what was declared at probate, which is another reason for not gonig to a lot of expense in improving it.

Personally, I'd clean it and then pay for a full survey. That way you will have all information on what may or may not need doing and can get a valuation that reflects that.

You can share the survey with potential buyers who might be put off by unknowable works or who may try to undervalue the home to reflect repairs that are not necessary.

I think that is a really good idea to get a full survey done. Well worth the money.

I wouldn't get a survey done unless you suspect there is something seriously wrong.

My house has some very wonky door lintels and cracks in the internal walls so I got a structural survey done to see if it was subsidence so that I would be prepared if any potential buyers asked about it. It turns out it is normal settlement (it is an old house) and that it is not structurally unstable. It cost me £500 and not one viewer asked about it.

If there are serious problems that a potential buyer's survey picks up then you should be prepared to negotiate on the price, but for things that are obvious, like needing re-wiring or new windows or that the roof has leaked and will need replacing, then the price should reflect it to begin with.

Just make sure it's nice and clean

In my experience "do-er uppers" go for almost the same amount as normal houses anyway so not really worth spending much on them.

I agree with others. Clean it, tidy bits like cupboard door hanging off and price it adequately as doer upper.
I so wanted a doer upper but they either sold within hours if priced right or were costed 30k under done up house yet needed 60k works...
Many people will love doer upper

I would echo cleaning it and removing most stuff but maybe leave some furniture to help people visualise the space.

Deal with things that smell or are easily repaired but don't spend a fortune. E.g. damp lino. If the boiler is in reasonable condition get it serviced. If it has a working fireplace get it swept.

Cut back a very over grown garden and jet wash the patio if it's slippery.

We had a similar house thoroughly cleaned and had a broken window handle, loose skirting, broken curtain rail and similar things fixed. Then got it painted white right through and had the carpets cleaned. Also the patio jet washed and garden cut back. We did some of it ourselves and a local workman did the rest. Altogether it cost around 3K and the house was transformed and sold quickly.

I wouldn’t be doing any modernisation at all - the property will appeal to a variety of people - a buy to let landlord looking to add to their portfolio, a builder looking for a project, or just people looking to buy a project and renovate to live in.

I’d be just getting the house cleared and cleaned and make it presentable! I’d rip up any carpets and not put any flooring down - it’s a blank canvas for the new owner - this would get rid of any smells.

As a buy to let investor, most of my portfolio over the last 25 years have been properties that were in a deceased estate and I’ve brought some properties in awful condition - but it’s all about the visionary and what can be created in the space.

What most of everyone else said.

Clear it out, clean it to within an inch of its life. Inside and out. Including the garden, get it mowed, bushes trimmed. Patio/drive cleaned etc

Don't spend money or time redecorating or refurbing anything.