Floors and/or kitchen to sell?

[VeryFlossy]

I want to do my house (due to marriage breakup). We bought a a renovation but the downstairs floors and kitchen haven't been changed.

The floors are patchy and desperate, we were planning hardwood throughout.

I could afford the hardwood, especially if we get it back through sale, but the issue is that the kitchen is 1990s and, whilst functional, seems silly to replace the floor around it. I can't afford a new 'good kitchen'.

Options:

1. hardwood floors and cheap new kitchen
2. hardwood floors leave old kitchen in place
3. hardwood floors except kitchen
4. cheap carpet in living areas, leave kitchen

The house is worth approx 650, but this is the South East, so this is 'just' an extended 3 bed semi on an average road. Whilst I'm trying not to lose money, selling quickly is a priority.

I also have a garden in a very sorry state, that really needs a new patio, maybe the budget is better spent there?

Please help!!

I doubt you will make the money back. I would just sell as is. I wouldnt pay extra for a house with new flooring as i would rtaher choose my own and the kitchen will cost you more than it will add to the house price unless you are very clever and get a second hand one and fit it yourself.

You could ask an estate agent if you want to check.

Thanks so much @Geneticsbunny for the reply.

I do agree I don't think I'll get the money back, I'm just worried that it is currently so tatty it will stop it selling at all. (It is clearly not a 'total reno' so not attracting that buyer).

Perhaps the cheap carpet might be my best bet, or I could do laminate in the kitchen, I just hate it so much!

Id' sell as is and move on.

If it needs a new kitchen then a bit of dodgy flooring wont put anyone off.

Sell as is. Many people would rather put in their own kitchen than have a new one with the wrong features.

Without photos it’s difficult to know what to advise. If the kitchen is serviceable it should be fine.

If the floor is dangerous I would make it safe.

I misread and thought you wanted to update things for YOU to live in it. I was going to suggest just changing the kitchen doors. We did this in a previous property and the new handles/doors make it look like a new kitchen.

As you are selling, I agree with others- do nothing!

When my nan moved to a care home, myself, mum and aunt spent weeks painting and doing up 'bits'. New laminate in the kitchen, new oven, new sink etc. Some agents said to re-paint and some said don't bother. I look back and regret the time we wasted. We got no additional money for the house and in the weeks we wasted painting, the house likely lost value due to the market.

Why do you want to put expensive hardwood flooring in a house you are selling? Either don’t touch it at all or if you want to do a quick makeover do it on the cheap and add inexpensive laminate flooring. It could really lift the looks.

I also have a garden in a very sorry state, that really needs a new patio, maybe the budget is better spent there?

Again, gardens are a very personal choice and you could spend on a patio that the next person would just rip up.
Best to get the garden cleared and looking as presentable as possible without doing anything further.

Would you share a photo of the garden?

I also have a garden in a very sorry state, that really needs a new patio, maybe the budget is better spent there?

I mentioned my nans house up thread. DON'T waste money on a patio! Mow and get shrubs tidy/neat. Again, at my nans house we wasted time and money on the garden (along with painting inside which I mentioned). We bought some new shrubs and made the borders look nice. The new owners removed all the borders and shrubs- so again, a complete waste of money.

Don’t do anything. It’s not worth it. I used to flip properties and people like thinking they can ‘add value’, even though that usually is done by adding space.

I would get a local estate agent round to see what they think. The housing market isn't great for sales at the moment.

I would make sure its as clean and tidy including garden as can get it, maybe using professional cleaners for end of tenancy clean or a one-off clean. I would not do a patio, cheap kitchen or expensive flooring. If living room carpet is very badly stained would put in new beige carpet if not cleanable with a rug doctor or similar. I am not sure if in the current market people think they can make money doing houses up. I would not but historically we were always getting our money back, house selling quicker. Now if you do work you may not get money back.

It will still sell looking at bit tatty as long as your realistic with its value - and how much the market/affordability has changed. I agree with others that your not going to get the money you spend back. Better to do a good tidy and sell as is.
Think the market will get worse this year in terms of prices softening so try to get that opening value right. Make sure its a bit cheaper than comparables and you should get interest. If you overprice you might get stuck in a cycle of reductions chasing the market down.