The hardwood may not need a full refinish. If it wasn't too bad before carpet was put down, the carpet was vacumed regularly, and no leaky kids or pets or spills made wet spots that were left wet, it may only need a good cleaning and a buffed wax job. You can spot-stain any bad spots, (like where grit filtered though in traffic paths) once it is clean, before you wax. Hardest part will be getting that damn tack strip up without doing damage. If carpet cleaners got those nails wet, there will be rust spots. Plus the holes will need filling. If pad was glued to floor, or if it self-welded like it sometimes does due to pressure and chemistry with the floor finish, you are probably SOL and will have to scrape and sand.
Naw - it's very common to have rugs over hardwood, and state that. Believe it or not, a lot of folks LIKE carpeting, and aren't just hiding icky hardwood floors.
I mean, if you're Mr. Flip This House - OK, do the hardwood floor thang.
But most people are actually trying to LIVE in their houses, and make a living, and have fun with friends, and tend to kids, etc. etc. etc., when they're fixing to sell. I just think there are other factors here other than totally sprucing a house up for market.
Sanding/staining/etc. is a BIG hassle. Getting a new carpet in isn't.
It's the different philosophies in selling houses. I'm in the midddle. On one hand, you aren't going to move something in the market very well that folks have to put a fair amount of money in just to get their family and furniture in - although some folks say just sell as is. On the other hand, IMO it's just nuts to spend $$$, mucho energy and time fixing up *somebody else's house* when you're trying to actually, y'know, LIVE a LIFE in THAT HOUSE.
So, IME and from folks in family and friends in real estate, a decent in-between philosophy is to fix things that most folks would find hard to live with and that might signal worries about the house condition, and that's it. Mebbe the house that Lisa LaPorta has fixed up for HGTV next door, or that Mr. Flippit has granite-countered, travertine-bathed, and hardwood-floored down the block, will move a little faster, but you'll get a decent price and actually not have to visit the doc for a back problem and the marriage counsellor before it's over.
Never read it, but the scenario is easy with anyone working on commission.
Do you want 3% of $200,000 today or do you want to risk waiting because you may get $205,00 next week or the week after. Or you may not get another offer for two more months and it may be even less? OK what do you want to do?
Hardwood floors are always a feature, whether covered or not. I sure would not put down new carpet or refinish the floor unless it is a real buyer's market there. If you know the entire floor is in good shape, might consider taking up carpet in dining room or whatever is stained worst, or just pull up a corner so it can be seen. If you go to the trouble and cost of refinishing, you may end up with a buyer who wants to slap carpet down on top of it. We have a condo neighbor who tore up
5 rooms of brand new laminate wood flooring to put down tile when he purchased the unit :o)
I agree 100%. Earlier this year we had all of our carpet pulled up and the floors either refinished or (in the case of our kitchen) installed. I bought one of those Shark electric sweepers and two Swiffers to keep the floors clean, and we are totally amazed at the amount of dirt we're picking up on a daily basis. It sickens me to realize that at least half of that dirt remained in our carpets and our grandbabies were crawling around in that filth! I think more of us are now aware of how unhealthy carpeting really is, so I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick house sale to do away with carpets and refinish the floors!!!
"On the other hand, IMO it's just nuts to spend $$$, mucho energy and time fixing up *somebody else's house* when you're trying to actually, y'know, LIVE a LIFE in THAT HOUSE.
So, IME and from folks in family and friends in real estate, a decent in-between philosophy is to fix things that most folks would find hard to live with and that might signal worries about the house condition, and that's it. "
So, based on that, you'd go and spend money for new carpet, when you could thow out the old carpet, have the existing hardwood floors refinished, and have hardwood floors to show, for less than the cost of new carpet?
I'd look into it first. But it isn't just the money. It's the time, too. But I'm not convinced carpet wouldn't be cheaper. The O.P was talking about one room with the ratty carpet, IIIRC.
This is a very rational approach, but unfortunately, many home buyers are not rational and don't have the ability to visualize what the house will look like once the floors are either finished or new carpet is installed. All they see is ugly floors and they can't get past that problem.
I was selling a very nice house last year, and the only fault with the house was worn out and stained carpet. In the sales flyer I clearly stated that I would replace the carpet in the house with a high grade carpet in whatever color/texture the buyer wanted. I didn't want to waste money installing new beige carpet if the eventual buyer really needed/wanted blue carpet. The one piece of feedback I got from most agents who showed the house was that the existing carpet was a real put-off for their clients regardless of my committment to replacing it with whatever the client wanted.
Things rocked on this way for several months, then I threw in the towel and installed inexpensive beige carpet. The house sold to the second family who saw it after the carpet replacement.
My opinion exactly. Given a choice and a time machine I would shoot the first cave man who ever pitched a bear sking on the cave floor. They are nothing but a dirt trap and a money pit trying to keep them clean. Just had my dining room and kitchen vinyl replaced, wanted to continue into the living room...Ah no, she just HAD to have new carpet. Didn't have that light colored one a year before she was agreeing with me. Will probobably have it ripped out next summer.
Things that should never be in a house. Carpet. Sliding patio doors. Wall paper (unless the one insisting on it is going to do the re-do when needed).
Carpet in the dining room? Ouch. We ripped up the vinyl in ours (halls and kitchen too) and put down bamboo. It turned out to be about the same price as half-decent vinyl, by the time it was all done.
Re: wall paper. Boy I guess! I had wall-paper from hell in my downstairs bathroom. The nutcase that installed it did it over an unpainted and unsized skim coat of drywall compound. What a mess. I would have been better off ripping it down to the studs and starting over. Paint still doesn't want to stick to the walls.
The bride is right, as mentioned here before. Check the stats or trends with your Realtor. I say go with the oak floor - I don't think they make 'em like that anymore, besides ya don't know what's under "skunky" carpet except a need for a good cleaning. Your wood floor is a value on your house now, make is show up in the sale. Forget allowances, etc. (if it's broke - fix it) IMHO things very much depend on the buyer and their intentions for the house and we don't always know that, so you have offers and counter offers. A primary occupant can enjoy less work in the future if the house needs less attention. You say "good shape". Would you buy it.. change it... move in a "turn key" home and enjoy it?
An Investor may simply change the carpeted rooms, lease for years and deal with it later.
Asking and getting is what the "right" buyer and the seller are willing settle and who is motivated the most.
Oren "My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."
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