'Dressing' a house to help it sell.....

[Adrian Brentnall]

HI All We've all seen the 'my house won't sell' programs on the TV - where the expert swans in and with a few vases of flowers and a couple of candles here & there, miraculously converts an un-sellable house into something that's eagerly snapped up by the first family to view.

OK - so the TV programs are going to be 90% er .... fertiliser .... - but here's a question.

Our bungalow seems to be taking longer than we'd like to sell. It's set up at the moment for 'our' needs - has two double bedrooms (only one has a bed in it at the moment), one quite small bedroom (currently used as a 'hobbies' room) and a large 2nd bathroom with jacuzzi and power shower.

Our agent seems terminally clueless.... so I got to thinking.....

How about.... Ditch the jacuzzi. Put the fittings from the 2nd bathroom into the smallest bedroom - so we end up with 2 bathrooms - one with bath and one with power-shower. Turn the existing large bathroom into a good-sized double bedroom. 'Dress' the new double bedroom and the existing spare bedroom so that they look like bedrooms, rather than just 'spare' rooms.

Sounds like a lot of work, but I don't think it'd take all that long, and I can do the work myself.

Net result would be 3 double beds rather than 2 - only thing we'd lose is the jacuzzi.......

Of course - anybody buying the house could just as easily do this for themselves - but (if you believe the TV progs) potential purchasers don't have the necessary imagination to see this...

So - leave everything 'as is' - or put in a bit of d-i-y effort to make the place more saleable ? your opinions please.....

Thanks in advance Adrian Suffolk UK ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[Ian Cornish]

Having moved recently, I can say that "dressing" and a little bit of tidying up does wonders.

3yrs ago, my old 2 bed mid terrace was on the market for 6 months. 1 offer, 40k below asking price (half price!). Main problems were: 1) ex was a smoker, 2) ex's stuff (tons of it) still all over the place. Remedy: Message to Ex (get your stuff from the skip by certain date) paint all ceilings & woodwork reposition the furniture. Get a friend you trust to tell you the truth (and truth hurts) and get them to appraise the house.... more work...gutted the kitchen, new B&Q units, some landscaping in the gardens etc.

Net result... property back on the market after spending 6 months doing the work. Market prices had fallen a little...sold for more than the asking price within 2 months (had 2 buyers "competing").

So, in short, yes, DIY does help, but only the right kind. Not knowing your house, and I'm not an expert... make the 2nd bedroom a bedroom (stick a bed in it - get a cheap 2nd hand one, then sell it on when you don't want it anymore). Ditch the jacuzzi etc, make it another bedroom. Make last bedroom a study. Look objectively at the other rooms... lounge, dining room, kitchen,etc, and the outside too.

HTH.

Adrian Brentnall wrote:

[david lang]

Ian Cornish"

[Ian Cornish]

[Adrian Brentnall]

We've already had a tidy out - but there's probably (certainly !) more that we could do.... also done a 'strategic repaint' where necessary...

Kitchen's only about 4 years old and in pretty good condition. Gardens aren't 'ideal home' style - but are reasonably tidy.

Well done !

Might even be able to borrow one from a neighbour - even better !

Yes - that's how I was thinking

Got one of those (study) already

At least if we went for the '2 bedrooms' plan then there'd be one with a shower and one with a bath.... - the shower cubicle is a free-standing fiberglass one - so it'd be a doddle to relocate it.

Done that - again some repainting and general tidying / finishing off..

Very much so - thanks Ian Adrian

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[Adrian Brentnall]

[Owain]

Might be better to have a small desk/dressing table with computer (you can pick up old laptops for peanuts, it looks swisher and takes up less space than a desktop) in the 2nd bedroom. You don't want to miss the opportunity of presenting a third bedroom as a bedroom.

If it's a bungalow it may appeal to retired people more, they may be more interested in space for children and grandchildren to stay than a home office. Try and aim to widest possible market.

Outside very important - first impressions formed before people cross the front door. Some tubs and bedding plants cost next to nothing. Paint front door. Nice ding-dong doorbell, not cheapy. Trim hedges. Garden furniture - being sold off cheap now as end of season - show the garden as an extra room - families will want entertaining / child play space, retired people may spend more time at home.

And there is no excuse for clutter or uncleanliness anywhere. Not that I'm suggesting, but it's surprising how accustomed to our own mess we can get.

Owain

[Owain]

Yes, but bedrooms take precedence over dreams (usually).

Owain

[timegoesby]

Sounds good. Body jet showers help sell a place in north London. I'm not sure if they add value in your area.

The TV shows are right, most do not. Those who do, will rightly drop your price as they see work ahead.

See my post on this point

of luck.

[timegoesby]

I find that a new stainless sink unit top, a one handle mixer and downlighters over appeals to a woman. It looks clean and new and the bright light makes it sparkle. People like new things and a new sink top means they are not using what you used. All that can be done for less than =A3100. Make sure the agent always turns on the kitchen lights when showing people around, otherwise they may not notice the new sparkling sink unit and mixer.

[Adrian Brentnall]

Coo - this is getting all a bit metaphysical ! Here's a question.

If I went ahead with the planned reorganisation, what would I need to do with the existing electrics in the ex-bedroom / new bathroom. It's a couple of 13A twin sockets - is it sufficient to chokky-block the ring main and fit blanking plates to the back boxes. Could crimp if that was better. Likewise light switching - blanking plates and pull-switches in the ceiling ok ??

Thanks Adrian

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[Adrian Brentnall]

Yes - as I said before we already have a separate study with two desks and two computers - so more study area seems a bit extravagant . The current 3rd bedroom is pretty small, and (taking your point from the end of the post) fairly cluttered. It'd make more sense as a bathroom, I think.

Yes - good plan - flexibility is the keyword.....

UPVC - though it could do with a bit of a scrub !

Yes - had a go at all that too..... but thanks for reminding us.

Guilty as charged, m'lud. In order to empty the 'soon-to-be-bathroom' I'll need to put all of my radio and electronics 'toys' neatly back in their boxes......

- I guess the way to look at it is that if we put ourselves out and live in a state of unnatural tidyness for a few months then we can get this place sold and get back into our 'normal' state in a new house all the sooner. (What a messy sentence - you wouldn't think that dear old Dad was ane English teacher !)

Think it's time for one big push.....!

Kind of frustrating - we're looking to move to the south-west of Ireland - and had an email just a couple of days ago from one of the agents over there - they're having an 'end of season auction' - 20 or so properties up for auction at silly guide prices - be great to be able to get involved in that, but need to get this sale sorted first !

Thanks for all the advice Adrian Suffolk UK ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[Bob Smith]

"Adrian Brentnall" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

I had a mid terrace with a "junk room" loft conversion (not a bedroom due to building regs etc). Went for ages without selling, even though we had about 10 people look at it.

I changed estate agents, then got on decorating. Did the loft in "house doctor" neutral colours, stuck an old duvet on the old bed, put a throw over the 2 large fold out spongy chair beds, stuck a picture on the wall, hid all the junk in cupboards.

One couple came around, and the lady would not go up the stairs (it was an open wooden staircase, and a bit steep) because she was scared of falling through!. Waste of my time decorating I thought.

An older couple came around. He thought the ancient carpet on the main stairs was nice because it reminded him of one his parents had (?). They put an offer in at the asking price. The same price one estate agent refused to put the house on for when I was switching.

Also, on the occasion I sold the house, I purposefully made some fresh coffee to make the house smell. I have heard fresh baked bread works too.

You would have thought estate agents would be able to give some house doctor tips, but they always said it was fine.

Bob

[Owain]

Yebbut you're going to present the study as a bedroom. Or a bathroom. So you need a study space somewhere.

Well, it all has to be packed for moving anyway, so it might as well be packed before selling.

Owain

[Ian Stirling]

What sorts of people are being shown round?

[Adrian Brentnall]

Yebbut nobutt - we have currently 3 beds, 2 bathrooms, misc other rooms _and_ a study.......

The only changes I'm planning on making are turning a big bathroom into a (big) bedroom, and a small bedroom into a (small) bathroom.....

Probably easier with pictures

True ......

Adrian Suffolk UK ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[Adrian Brentnall]

Yes - that's the sort of thing I had in mind - make the bedrooms look like bedrooms by putting beds in them.......

Yes - you would think that the agents would offer 'handy hints' - but it seems that ours just aren't being all that proactive......

Thanks Adrian ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[Adrian Brentnall]

The sort that haven't wanted to buy

A fair mix of families, and what used to be called 'dinkies' (dual income no kids). Last one wanted the big garage to house his e-type and his Maserati - but think he wanted something a bit 'quainter' in terms of accomodation. Even though we're out in the country there are school buses & etc - so that shouldn't be a handicap...

I do waih that the great viewing public could be brutally honest and, on leaving, say 'thanks but no thanks'. The kind of feedback we've been getting (2nd-hand via the agents) simply doesn't make sense..... not that we seem to be getting very much feedback anyway....

Ah well

Adrian Suffolk UK ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[John Cartmell]

Hint:

Get rid of all those essential things you need for living. Go around a few new house showhouses for ideas about what is acceptable.

[Owain]

I didn't realise you lived in a mansion :-)

I find floorplans *very* useful as part of the property particulars, it really helps imagine how the house 'flows'.

Owain