Getting a house ready to sell -- advice please!

[profmom]

We often think about selling our house, but I don't see how it could sell in it's current condition. It was built in 1974 and still has medium brown carpet, linoleum in the kitchen & bathrooms, dated ceiling fans & light fixtures, metal mini-blinds, wallpaper in the bathrooms (& kitchen, but the kitchen isn't too bad with a faux-paint-looking paper), etc. One good thing is that we had the front landscaping re-done a year ago.

 

Where do I start?? How can I find out what the latest paint colors are? Where can I go to learn all about floors (tile, wood or "wood," carpet)? A friend told me that you should only be able to see 2 different kinds of floors from any view in your house. Where do I go or what should I read to learn information like this? My Better Homes & Garden subscription has only been minimally beneficial.

[specialmama]

Oh I so wished I lived near you. I love stuff like this.

 

Be easy on yourself, as you're just looking to please the most people possible. Go to a Home Depot and ask for the neutrals. Can't go wrong with neutrals, especially when you're selling.

 

Personally, I love cinnamon colours, rusts, cayennes, coppers, goldenrods, sage and heather greens... but I would only suggest using trendy colours if it coordinates with what you have to decorate. That is why neutrals work best when selling: they match what you have, and the buyer can visualize what their things would look like in the rooms. HTH!

[Mrs Mungo]

We often think about selling our house, but I don't see how it could sell in it's current condition. It was built in 1974 and still has medium brown carpet, linoleum in the kitchen & bathrooms, dated ceiling fans & light fixtures, metal mini-blinds, wallpaper in the bathrooms (& kitchen, but the kitchen isn't too bad with a faux-paint-looking paper), etc. One good thing is that we had the front landscaping re-done a year ago.

 

Where do I start?? How can I find out what the latest paint colors are? Where can I go to learn all about floors (tile, wood or "wood," carpet)? A friend told me that you should only be able to see 2 different kinds of floors from any view in your house. Where do I go or what should I read to learn information like this? My Better Homes & Garden subscription has only been minimally beneficial.

 

How much money are you interested in investing? We owned our house in NC for 5 years. We put laminate down in the common areas (except the kitchen which had tile). We painted all of the rooms but we just painted over the wallpaper because it had been glued directly to the drywall and wasn't coming off without a fight. We updated the kitchen and bathroom faucets and lights (honestly that was a pretty minimal investment for how much better it looked). We put new mirrors in the bathrooms. We put wainscoting in the kitchen and the kids' bathroom. We put a new vanity in the kids' bathroom. We had the outside of the house painted professionally. We put in 2" faux wood blinds in most of the windows. All in all, we probably invested around $5,000 over that five year period.

 

The only thing I did right before selling was clean really well, clear out the clutter and replant the flower beds with annuals (it was in the middle of a drought and everything I had in there had died).

 

We made about $20K off the house, after all of the real estate commissions were taken out and we paid a $3K carpet allowance instead of recarpeting the bedrooms.

 

But the biggest benefit? How fast it sold. There were other houses on my street that had been up for sale for a couple of months. They still had the early '90s flowery wallpaper and the lights put in by the builders. Mine sold in 8 days. We didn't do any big remodeling, just a series of small projects that helped the house look updated (it was 6 years old when we bought it so 11 years old when we sold it).

[Heather in AL]

Definitely neutrals. What's trendy in your area might not be popular with a buyer. Trendy here when we were house hunting were golds and olive greens. Not my first choice. Or second.

 

When we updated our other house four years ago, we bought new fixtures at Home Depot and Lowes. When house hunting, we had to hold in our giggles when we saw the same fixtures in much higher priced homes. Some were as cheap as $15. This cracked us up!

 

We left our alumimum blinds---I just cleaned them. If yours aren't neutral, or if they look old, you might want new ones. Depending onthe size of the windows, you might be able to get the faux wood ones----four years ago, we paid about $25 per window for ours---installed.

 

I would also vote to get rid of wallpaper...but that's mostly because I don't like it. I got overloaded on it several years back, and I'm totally paper free now. But that's me. If it's not flowery, you might be able to leave it, as long as it's not stained, torn, or really dated.

 

It's a HUGE undertaking, but IMHO, it's well worth the effort. Our buyer was looking for specifics, and we happened to have them. By having everything updated, they had nothing to ask us down on price for, so we got our asking price (unheard of around here...everyone haggles!). I guess, we tried to make the house as "perfect" as we could, as most people want to move right in. I even cleaned the carpets after we moved out.

 

Good luck to you. Wish I was there....I LOVE painting, tearing down wall paper, decorating...aahh... :lol:

[Ellie]

We often think about selling our house, but I don't see how it could sell in it's current condition. It was built in 1974 and still has medium brown carpet, linoleum in the kitchen & bathrooms, dated ceiling fans & light fixtures, metal mini-blinds, wallpaper in the bathrooms (& kitchen, but the kitchen isn't too bad with a faux-paint-looking paper), etc. One good thing is that we had the front landscaping re-done a year ago.

 

Where do I start?? How can I find out what the latest paint colors are? Where can I go to learn all about floors (tile, wood or "wood," carpet)? A friend told me that you should only be able to see 2 different kinds of floors from any view in your house. Where do I go or what should I read to learn information like this? My Better Homes & Garden subscription has only been minimally beneficial.

Remember that "neutral" doesn't mean white. Sage green is a neutral, for example.

 

The shows on television that do staging usually get rid of wallpaper. It would be nice if you'd strip it instead of painting over it.

 

They also get rid of dated window treatments, so your metal miniblinds might be a no-no. You can use just simple curtains.

 

And they change/replace light fixtures, maybe ceiling fans. A can of spray paint works wonders.

[i.love.lucy]

Do you have HGTV? If not you can always visit their website and there is a forum there for selling/staging tips too. Have you sought the advice of an expert Realtor in your neighborhood? Investing tons of money in your neighborhood might be a big mistake, you have to know who your buyer is and the Realtor will be able to tell you that.

 

The three most important, even before a Realtor comes is:

CLEAN

DECLUTTER (make it almost look like you have too much space)

NEUTRALIZE (I agree about possibly covering up the wallpaper, but not necessarily redoing the floors)

 

We used drywall plaster to create a Tuscan effect on our walls to cover wallpaper that we couldn't remove. It's lovely, if I do say so myself, and a fraction of the time and cost that removal would have been.

 

There is a great show on A&E called Sell This House that redoes homes VERY inexpensively, using what you have and some paint. Check out the photo gallery of befores and afters for some great ideas. I swear it's mostly paint!

Edited May 17, 2009 by i.love.lucy

[HeatherInWI]

But don't use dark neutrals!

 

I've been house-hunting recently, and one thing I notice is how dark the wall colors are / how many coats they will take to paint over. I'm not even thinking about visiting the one in our area where most of the interior is red -- that would be a repaint nightmare. Light neutrals are good, and either hardwood floors (or if you must carpet, beige) or a flooring allowance (yes!) would be draws to someone like me.

 

Another tip -- check to make sure all your doorknobs and cabinet knobs are tight, hinges are tight, etc. One fairly new house we toured had every knob loose, the closet door hinge broken, etc. Sure made me wonder what other ignored maintenance there was there!

[profmom]

Thanks guys! This is helpful information! I went to the A&E link and set Tivo to record Sell This House. I also spent some time on the HGTV site, and requested some decorating books (2009 or 2008) from the library. I even found a book all about flooring!

 

I appreciate the advice about neutrals -- and I was thinking neutrals meant white or light beige!

 

Would it be possible to do a bunch to the house & sell it this summer? Or, have I neglected improvements & upgrades for too long (and need more time to work and have work done)? I don't think I want to try to sell during the school year because of having to pack up school on a moment's notice. It's not urgent that we leave. We feel crowded but generally like the house and could stay another year.

 

I wish all of you lived here too! I don't enjoy decorating, painting, and home improvements -- my perfectionist side ends up paralyzing me because I want it to be perfect, and I don't keep up with decorating shows, magazines, etc. enough to know what to do.

 

See...like this: I have dark stained wooden beams in my living room's 70's vaulted ceiling. Should these be left the way they are or painted to match the cream trim in the room? (Or ?) :confused:

 

Thanks again!

[Mom2boys]

If I were you, I would watch "Designed to Sell" on HGTV for inspiration and ideas. And, I would take down all the wall paper and paint the walls light, neutral colors. Definitely declutter, and remove family photos from view.

[ElizabethB]

With dark beams I would go with white.

 

Don't paint over wood!

 

Being military, we've lived in a lot of places, and we've bought, sold, and rented many houses. White with wood always looks nice to everyone. Any type of color will offend someone. Also, older houses are usually dark, they need a lighter color.

 

Can you post some pictures?

[Brindee]

 

Being military, we've lived in a lot of places, and we've bought, sold, and rented many houses. White with wood always looks nice to everyone. Any type of color will offend someone.

Ummm, yeah, like me---For some reason certain greens, even sage green, make me feel almost nauseous. Strange, I know, BUT, there just may be someone else like me that would not see all the GOOD things about the house if they had to look at green walls! Just a thought! :tongue_smilie:

[specialmama]

:iagree: With wood beams, I'd stick with a warm white, not like bleached hospital white or anything LOL. I also second the idea of pics! Especially so we can get a feel for the color of those beams. You could do "before" and "after" shots.

 

I've moved too many times to even want to admit. Whenever we listed for sale, we did some sneaky stuff to beautify. The best was this: if you have small nail holes in the wall, fill them with white toothpaste. Tried and true. Minty fresh to boot! ;)

[westcoastmom]

Not knowing where you live and what the current inventory, selling conditions are like, I have heard in every place that I have lived that a well priced house set up to sell will sell in a few weeks in any market.

 

When and if you do actually sell you want to get rid of all the clutter. Think show home even if it means boxing up and putting a ton of stuff in storage. (If nothing else, this will likely make the eventual move easier) Small closets with only a few items on hangers will look spacious.

 

Neutral colors will appeal to a lot more people and light colours make things look lighter. Lots of lights are good so if you have rooms that are darker, use lamps to bright them. People like space so even if you have a small house, try to have a few small pieces of furniture well placed.

 

If you can get rid of the wallpaper and paint. If worse comes to worse paint over. I personally would not buy a house with wallpaper that has been painted because that is a huge pain to deal with even if the wallpaper was or is glued on.

 

Medium brown carpet sounds ok as far as colour goes. If the linoleum is really dated, I would cover it even if it meant buying peel and stick linoleum tiles from Home Depot. I would definitely change dated ceiling and light fixtures even if it means getting cheap ones. (You can always scour craigslist and see if you can get something there)

 

Unless the metal mini blinds are in disastrous shape, those sound fine. It is always better to show a house with the blinds pulled up.

 

Keep in mind that with selling a house, kitchen and bathroom updates usually reap back most of the money spent other areas less so. Part of it will depend on how much you have to work, what people in your area like. Where I live hardwood or laminate is very popular.

 

Also when it comes to showing your house, make sure it is extra clean and totally clutter free with minimal furniture. Flowers on the table are nice touches. I personally would never use a stager again as we had one ruin our house, but I would consider renting furniture, accessories to create a better look. The smell of fresh baked bread and/or coffee can be very helpful for showing. Unless you are very, very sure of what price would make it very well priced, it is worth it to get several quotes to know what to price it at.

 

The landscaping sounds good. If needed, get hanging baskets, pots of mums or whatever is in season, or plant a few more things. You want to create good first impressions from the outside in as most people buy with first impressions.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Okay, it's Anne again....the buyer from hell. If I were looking at a 1974 house, I'd probably come in the the mind of gutting baths and kitchens, but also of the mind that I'll be living in the house as I do it. So....don't update those rooms other than making sure they are absolutely clean and the appliances are in working order. As long as the tiles aren't falling off the bath and the linoleum isn't worn to the floor boards by the stove, old is okay....dirty and broken is not.

 

Strip your wall paper and paint antique white in all rooms where you strip. Don't repaint your wood work unless your going to do a really good job. Clean it well but leave it rather than do a sloppy job. Please don't paint "beams".....god no! don't repaint them.....PLEASE!

 

If you have hardwood floors under the rugs....strip the wall to wall carpet out and clean the floors. No need to refinish.

 

Make sure the light fixtures work in all the rooms. It's not necessary to update them unless broken or very, very garish. If you want to invest....make sure your electric service and breaker box are up to code and have adequate amps for all of today's electricity needs.

 

Make sure your roof and gutters are in good repair.

Clean your chimmney/wood stove.

Have your heating and cooling system inspected and repaired.

Have your hotwater system inspected and repaired.

Sweep your basement well.

 

For those on septic.....don't pump your system within six weeks of listing unless you have several previous (like 10 years) pumping bills. A just pumped system says...."I don't work well, but pumped out I'll pass inspection for sale and the new system and field is on the buyer's books." I'll walk and everyone else should too.

 

 

Clean the grease stains off the garage floor.

Replace broken shutters.

Make sure faucets don't leak.

 

Clean up weeds and overgrown shrubs on the propery.

 

 

In short make repairs and clean but don't update. Your buyers will have their own ideas and given the age of the house most rooms will get a complete makeover by the buyer.

 

Do their decluttering and stripping for them. You want them to be able to say....this room is ready for what ever I want to do with it....not "Oh god, why did they just paint the feature wall silver? or Well, it's too bad they just replaced the kitchen floor when we're going to build a large kitchen extension."

 

Your house price should reflect that it's clean, but old and need of a facelift. Just don't start one yourself.

Edited May 17, 2009 by Anne Rittenhouse

[alpidarkomama]

Our house went on the market a week ago... we completely replaced the kitchen, redid all the carpets, repainted the whole house inside, took out one deck that was too much $ to fix up, fixed up the other deck, and cleaned up and minimally landscaped the yards. We hired a wonderful contractor and had him pick out everything. It was great not having to make a single decision, and he knew what would make a house show well. The walls are all off-white, the trim is all white, the carpets are beige, the new cabinets are maple, and he picked out a really nice faux granite laminate for the kitchen counters. We spent about $20K all told. It definitely didn't raise the "value" of the house by that much, but we're hoping it helps it sell much faster. It looks terrific. With 4 kids under 6 I just couldn't spend any time worrying about the details. :)

 

We also decluttered a TON. Sold/got rid of some Good Will-quality furniture. Got rid of any extra surfaces that were just clutter magnets. I can't believe how many vanloads went to Good Will. I never thought we had much stuff, but I do now! I still want to do Level 4 decluttering. It has made it very easy to keep the house clean. In about 75 minutes I can get the house cleaned up and get all 4 kids out the door if a realtor calls. We do have someone coming 2x/month now to deep-clean the bathrooms and do all the floors. That definitely helps a lot.

 

Instead of fixing blinds or buying new window treatments, we just tossed out the ones that looked bad. The ones needed for privacy were still in good condition.

 

I bought one vase of fake flowers (my first ever!), and it's nice to have them sitting there since we don't have many plants because of so many young children.

 

We got the entire house ready in about 8 weeks. We didn't do much of the work ourselves, though. Good luck!!

[Happy]

Drop by the 'Buying and Selling' forums at http://www.gardenweb.com Click on Home Forums, then Buying and Selling. There is also a very active (and opinionated) Home Decorating forum. You don't have to register to read, but registering is free if you choose to.

[profmom]

Thank you all! I've now watched an episode of the HGTV show and spent some time reading at gardenweb! I think watching the shows you guys recommended are going to be very helpful! I feel better -- not as overwhelmed!

 

In talking to dh, he doesn't want the pressure of trying to get it ready for this summer. I think we'll get started with clutter, neutral paint, and light fixtures and then figure out what to do next.

 

Our roof was replaced last year and the heating & air units (inside & out) were replaced 3 years ago. The kitchen is a good size, and the cabinet doors have arched, beveled panels with updated pulls. (I like how they look.) Since we've lived here, we've also put in a sprinkler system and replaced the wood privacy fence in the back yard. (And I've already mentioned new front landscaping.) So, maybe we're not as bad off as I was thinking (?). I hope that we'll get a lot of inexpensive updating (and clutter) done this summer and then consider the floors again.

 

We're the kind of buyer that wants the house to be ready to move in, and I see that others would rather update themselves to get what they want. I think I'll start a poll! I'm curious which way most people feel!

 

Thanks again for your help! I'll be reading back through your responses again as we get going!

[lynn]

declutter. establish morning, afternoon and nightly routines so you are always ready to show to potential buyers.

[profmom]

Ok. I took some pictures to show my brother, who is going to come down and help us for a bunch of work! If you like this kind of thing and want to see them, send me your email address. (I uploaded to Walmart.)

 

Thanks again for your help!

[Sharon in SC]

Oh I so wished I lived near you. I love stuff like this.

 

Be easy on yourself, as you're just looking to please the most people possible. Go to a Home Depot and ask for the neutrals. Can't go wrong with neutrals, especially when you're selling.

 

Personally, I love cinnamon colours, rusts, cayennes, coppers, goldenrods, sage and heather greens... but I would only suggest using trendy colours if it coordinates with what you have to decorate. That is why neutrals work best when selling: they match what you have, and the buyer can visualize what their things would look like in the rooms. HTH!

 

:iagree: Neutrals are always a winning number when selling and I am partial to the same colors as you! :D