Should we redecorate before selling, or just reduce the asking price?

[Glimmerleaf]

I separated from my ex 2 years ago and we now need to sell the family home (where I'm currently living with the dc). For many reasons, we weren't able to keep up with the house internal decor, so it definitely needs some tlc, although not major building work or restructuring.

At the moment, quite a few rooms need painting as the walls and woodwork are peeling/ chipped, and the kitchen and two bathrooms look shabby and need to be replaced (although they are functional), and it needs new carpets. There was a roof leak which has now been sorted, but one of the bedroom ceilings has got waterstains on it and needs painting.

We've signed up with some estate agents and they have shown some people round, although it's not on rightmove yet.

All of the people who were shown round have said that it needs too much work for them. (To be fair, one lot wanted to do major changes with the kitchen/ dining room/ living room, and convert the garage, so that wasn't anything we could help).

It's a 4 bedroom character detached house, with a large garden, in a quiet lane, within 5 minutes walk of the high street of a nice market town in Sussex. It is a lovely house, but just needs updating.

The estate agents have priced it at £850k.

I guess I'm wondering - should we repaint and decorate the rooms before putting it on rightmove? Would the state of the walls and woodwork be putting people off? The whole house is clearly a bit of a project and I don't know if anything we can do now would really make any difference or if we should just reduce the price now based on the feedback we've had.

My ex and I would like to sell asap, but obviously we are hoping to get the best price we can. But I really don't want to put it on rightmove and have it hanging around for ages then have to keep on reducing the price, so would like to give it the best chance possible.

I think it sounds like a lovely house with little competition - so would stick with your £850. Often these homes are lived in for a long time (schooling) so someone might stretch to it and replace the K&B later - so I think a quality paint refresh is essential so that people can move in to a clean, bright home and have nothing to do immediately as the current K&B are functional but dated - but they will feel comfortable etc.

I would maybe make the lounge and master bedroom even garden very aspirational and staged with luxury accessories - lamps, mirrors, rugs, plants, fresh flowers etc - to generate a few spots around the home of a wow factor. This stuff you can pick up cheap or second hand and take with you.

Best of luck to you. Beware EA talking you out of the repaint as they want it on the market asap and they don’t care if you get 800 or 825 as that differential is a tiny fraction of their commission - they just want as many sales over the line as quick as possible.

I would paint the house throughout. And possibly new carpets but not expensive ones. In the area I live there are plenty of house on at 850k and more that need work. Yours sounds like it is mainly cosmetic and if it’s clean and fresh throughout it’s more likely to attract buyers, even the ones who want to knock walls down want a move in ready house before they start the work.

agree, people can worry with stains on ceilings that there is an unresolved leak somewhere.

we used a product in a can (stain stop or something) which was better than painting over it where sometimes the stain shows through

you can get also spray cans for skirting board paint which can be useful for small areas

BelzPark nails the approach! That's exactly how these particularly desirable family houses change hands. I also agree with the advice on dressing the house with contemporary stuff that you'll take with you. Nice bed linens etc.

We had a house with tired kitchen and bathroom to sell and painted every room white before putting it on the market,. It made a huge difference. Conering the damp stain is very important.

I’d paint the water stained ceiling then put it in at £775k. Sounds like it needs renovation.

This. Pay for decorators or do it yourselves. Also get rid of any dated clutter so the rooms look bigger and people see a blank slate.

You could also negotiate an unusual contract with your estate agent. E.g. normal commission up to 825k and then a higher commission % over a certain value? To encourage them to not just want you accepting the lowest offer.

I would paint pretty much everywhere that looks rough, definitely stain stop the ceilings etc. and see what you can do to make rooms look less tired. I repainted my bathroom in a rich deep teal and it moved it from almost needing a new bathroom to being pretty much completely fine. (Editing: I also replaced a mirror with a really smart one with a basic glass shelf under it, and got rid of the absolutely terrible bath taps and replaced with ones from a charity shop for a tenner. Worth thinking about things like repainting the side of the bath etc if relevant I think too. I reckon it will be surprising what a difference a few weekends of painting will make.)

My recent experience. House went on market, had 2 viewings in a month. All said it needed 'a lot of work'.

We totally redecorated throughout and in 3 weeks have had 12 viewings and an offer. The general feedback has been that it's a turnkey property!!!

If it's not on rightmove yet, what makes you think it wont get 850k? If they said it might be 900 or 950 in its current state, I wouldn't bother decorating until it's been on Rightmove a month or so and you haven't got anywhere. It's a slow market for properties in any condition right now.

I remember watching one of those property programmes where they staged a house. Stuff like fancy brand name fridge etc - the valuations before and after were very significant between the estate agents. It was seen as a really aspirational house and sold at asking price - which is ridiculous because the first impressions that bumped the price up £30k were items that were being taken with the buyer!

Don’t know if you can afford to treat yourself to your next sofa etc. I am sure you need every penny of this sale.

I would redecorate and stage and then get it revalued by a few agents. Sometimes when it’s a poor market there is lack of stock as people hold off putting house on market or they withdraw property - which means there is less houses and maybe more competition so that you can still get a good price - especially with a unique already rare type property like yours which people consider for the long term (decades).

Def get it revalued after the declutter, decor, staging.

Are you in any real rush - could you look at remarketing at the end of August?