Presenting a house for sale; are these deal breakers?

[KatyMac]

We have a bog standard 3 bed terrace

If we were to out it on the market would these be a deal breaker for the average purchaser?

1. currently using the through lounge as a bedroom (disability)
2. there for the kitchen diner is a little full of sofa and table & chairs
3. the conservatory is a workroom
4. caravan on one half of the drive

I could move upstairs short-term & turn the rooms back to 'normal' use, it would be annoying/somewhat painful but doable

I could rent a space for the caravan

I could put the workroom back upstairs

And I could also pay for storage to make everything more streamlined

How do I prioritise? And which would be worth doing?

@IDidBegin thanks - I can see beyond a lot too

@Plmnki I know - its just so pants doing it tho'

Im such a procrastinator I'll be packing in 2030!

None of those things are deal breakers or even worth worrying about. Buyers aren’t stupid and know you’ll be taking all your stuff with you, and they can use the rooms for whatever purpose they want. They’re not going to see the bed in the lounge for example, and not realise they can put a sofa in there instead.

It’s easy to say “oh I can see beyond that” but buyers may well see three houses in a day. You need to make things easy and clear.

Buyers aren’t stupid. I remember once seeking an episode of ‘selling houses’ with Sarah Beeny. A show where she gave people advice on what to do to their house to
make it more attractive to buyers.

One house the couple were using the dining room as a second sitting room. Sarah Beeny was telling them to put a dining table
in it to show it could be used as a dining room. They refused and said surely buyers would be able to see they could put a dining table in there if they wanted. Sarah Beeny was arguing with them, saying no, buyers find it hard to imagine how to use a room.
They still refused to do it.

First lot of buyers walked in, first thing they say, ‘nice room, I think we’d use this as a dining room.’

I know they aren't stupid but you can't even see the shape of the lounge/bedroom as the wardrobes hide the alcoves (they were too wide to ho back against the wall - thank goodness I couldn't afford to do the built in ones yet)

So i think its a good call

they aren’t deal breakers but the house will sell much faster and probably for a better price if you can get it set up like a show home.

storage unit. We spent several weeks decluttering and moving stuff in there. Got the house to show home standards - also bought plants for the front and hired blokes to do the garden.

check the photos as the agent does them. Get flowers for inside and set up each room like it would be used.

we did this and booked a couple of weekends of viewings and then it sold and we could go back to normal

True & I have big photo lights that can help if its not the best weather/light

DH is totally on board now and making his own plans about decluttering and reorganising

When we sold last year, the estate agent did house dressing for us for the photos. She said she could explain anything away at the viewings, as long as the photos were good. For the bedrooms without a bed she had a blow up air mattress which she dressed with really lovely bedding, blankets and cushions. She brought plastic plants, beautiful lamps etc and they looked great. She spent about 3 hours in all dressing the house and taking photos. She left it all in place for a week for the first viewings, after which we had 3 offers, then it all went back.

This was a local independent agent. She was actually cheaper than the bigger more well known ones we had round, and was truly excellent. I once had a photographer start taking pictures without even bothering to move my washing basket or shopping bags when he came a bit early!

My advice is talk to local agents to see if any will help you out with the dressing, and pick carefully.

90% of people lack the vision to see what a house could be like without those things in it. Presenting a house for sale in its most desirable light is really key to get the top price

Stuff DVD's and anything else cluttering up space in a box in the loft. After decluttering It's worth getting a professional clean including windows and a garden tidy.

I've started

4 tables lent to a friend
Printer and 3 items of furniture (emptied) listed on Facebook
Stool taken by friend

3 cupboard 2 drawers in the kitchen sorted & they work better for reorganisation

New light fitting bought from fb so I can keep my lovely Tiffany ones(!)

DD is going to body double me tomorrow while I clear some photos & later in the month we are going to address some of her things left in the house

& as i haven't worn makeup in 8 years that's going in the bin tonight!

High heels soon

I've started

4 tables lent to a friend
Printer and 3 items of furniture (emptied) listed on Facebook
Stool taken by friend

3 cupboard 2 drawers in the kitchen sorted & they work better for reorganisation

New light fitting bought from fb so I can keep my lovely Tiffany ones(!)

DD is going to body double me tomorrow while I clear some photos & later in the month we are going to address some of her things left in the house

& as i haven't worn makeup in 8 years that's going in the bin tonight!

High heels soon

Oops

Well done! 🎉

Thanks I am feeling proud that Ive started - now I just need to keep on with it

Nothing shouts class like an old caravan on the driveway imo.

🙄😆😆😆 she's vintage! Not old!

It's a business vehicle not a tatty old caravan which is why it will be away from the house

1 light fitting up
Part ordered from Ebay for the next
Cupboard emptied, sorted, DD taken her bits from it to her house, binned a load
Listed bricabrac on facebook

Haven't done the make up though, maybe tomorrow

Spent too long on house porn on right move; I can't do any viewings until this house is on the market

I moved from a house to a bungalow as I could no longer manage the stairs.

Most bungalows or flats are smaller than houses so rather than pay for storage be ruthless now and declutter - rather than store and then move and then declutter.

If you need to present the rooms as bedrooms upstairs can you get some beds through freecycle? You can always freecycle them again when you sell up.

I love my bungalow even though the move was very stressful. It will definitely be worth putting the time in to get your house straight and presentable to buyers to help you get the best price. For me there is so much joy in not falling down the stairs and being able to go into my bedroom during the day rather than being limited to doing the dreaded stairs once a day.

We are pretty much living downstairs anyway - its such a waste

Im getting rid - so much on Facebook (often for free) already and the bin has never been so full

We have 3 bedrooms and 2 beds the third room will be set out as my workroom i can't do without one

The advice we got was to go around and take photos. Then look at them imagining you were looking to buy. It's quite an eye opener.

We used an airbed in one room.

Whoops the time line moved up considerably!

I have 6 months to sort this! gulp

I currently have 48 listings on Facebook marketplace, I have sold 2!

3 light fittings replaced

60% of one room moved

Large item being viewed from fb tonight

All kitchen cupboards and drawers have had a first pass and excess removed

You go @KatyMac! I did this relatively recently and it's SOOOO HARD but does feel good as you make progress. If you haven't already take before and after photos -- fun to see how much change you can make.