What upgrades would you concentrate on for selling a house

[PrincessMommy]

Coming to the hive for wisdom.  We'll be putting our house on the market within the month and we want to get a good price for our current home.   I have a little money put aside that we were saving to do some upgrades.  We've already painted the kitchen cabinets white and painted the kitchen walls.  I'm going to upgrade the faucet in the kitchen.  We've also spruced up the deck with a new coat of stain.

 

I'm setting my eyes on our bathroom floors.  We have a nice soaker tub, but the floors are ugly square white tiles.  They don't look like subway tiles.  They are the 4"x4" white.. on the floor, around the tub, and up the shower stall.  The previous owner put it in so it's only about 5-7yrs old.

 

The contractor suggested we lay new tile over old.  I don't know...does that work well?  Anyone have any experience?  Is that the kind of thing that sets and house inspector off?   We want to save the tub and the cabinets/sinks so I want to be careful if we demo and relay tile.  Of course, demo is more.  I would do it, but I'm not sure my dh is willing to help.  Not sure I can demo alone, so I'd need to get the contractor to do it.

 

Also, where else would you put money if you have some to spend to update you house?

 

FWIW, Roof, HVAC, Double Oven, dishwasher, & Water Heater are all less than 10yrs old, Some are less than 5yrs old.  We have granite countertops that seem old. Our realtor said we shouldn't need to upgrade those... but I' don't know.  I think they're ugly.  It's the brown speckled type.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2017 by PrincessMommy

[Catwoman]

The bathroom floors don't sound terrible. Can you post a picture?

[Carol in Cal.]

I would suggest asking two realtors.

There are probably local tastes in the mix, and also they should be able to tell you what the payoff would be for a change--would it make the house sell for more?  More than the cost of the work?  Or would it just make it sell faster?  More than the time spent in chaos while the work is being done would delay it?

 

Conventional wisdom is to update kitchens and bathrooms, but I'm not so sure that that is always necessary.  Definitely you want curb appeal--the house needs to look good from the street.

[Guest]

Counters- kitchen first, bathroom second- especially if you are possibly expecting first time buyers. They have odd expectations. If you don't have granite or solid surface and can swing it, I would try at least the kitchen. Next, paint and curb appeal. We've sold a lot of houses and it always blew my mind that people cared more about the counter tops and new paint than the age of the roof, windows, or AC. But people want easy, and when they have house fever many of them aren't thinking about expensive non-fun things like windows and HVAC systems down the road. Save some money for storage to declutter and stage at the end! Good luck! 

[PrincessMommy]

Here's the photos:

 

 

[Pink and Green Mom]

Our neighbor did tile over tile (to save money).  She regrets it every time she walks on it or tries to close the door - they don't open/close right because the floor has been raised just enough to make the door too long.  Also, when you move from a re-tiled room to a not re-tiled room, you do notice a change in elevation on the floor.  I know it is only an inch or so but I was surprised how much of a difference it makes.

[Crimson Wife]

The tiles are "meh" but the bathroom counters would actually be more of a concern to me. The tiles could be hidden with a large bath mat until we could upgrade them.

[Artichoke]

That's a lot of white.   Could you possibly paint the bathroom vanity or replace them?  It would be less expensive than new tile.    

[PrincessMommy]

The tiles are "meh" but the bathroom counters would actually be more of a concern to me. The tiles could be hidden with a large bath mat until we could upgrade them.

 

Maybe if we did a dark double sink countertop to contrast with all the white?

 

The walls are a chocolate brown.  It tried to decorate ( :laugh: ) with blue to subdue the brown.  It may be too much for another owner.

[TechWife]

The only thing I would change about that room is the finish of the fixtures, towel rings  and the shower door trim. Find out what finish is going in new, upscale construction in your area and go with that. Then, spend some money staging the room -  a few luxurious towels, a nice bath mat and some minimalist style, small decor items. Get cute baskets for items in the cabinets and those that have to be on the counter. Add a scented candle - sort of aim for the spa look. 

 

If you want to change the wall color - go with a grey. It's very popular right now. 

 

I wouldn't worry about changing either the countertop or the floor tile. I think the subway tile that is so popular right now is going to look dated in about five years. If you choose to make a change, put in a neutral counter top (this from the woman who is selling her  mother's house with a rust countertop and peach color wall tiles in one bathroom). 

 

A qualified contractor would be able to demolish and lay new tile flooring without damaging any of the other things in the room. They will actually take the toilet up out of the floor and put it back when they are done. The other items are easy to work around. 

 

 

 

 

[lewber]

I wouldn't replace those tiles either. I'd paint the walls a nice spa gray/blue and get some fluffy white bath mats and towels and work the spa angle.

You could try to update the bath faucets and cabinet handles but be careful with the bath faucets. We had a very similar bath and replaced the faucet. But couldn't find a new faucet to line up with the holes. Then they need filled. It's hard to make that look great. Pick your faucet carefully.

For what it's worth, we had a bathroom very similar to that, and we replaced the floor tiles and a put in a new vanity, leaving the expense of the big tub and tiles alone. It's easy enough to coordinate with white tile and it made a big difference. We also got a new shower door. We did that all after we bought the house.

Edited April 5, 2017 by lewber

[Seasider]

I'd scrub that bathroom floor til it gleaned and buy some fresh throw rugs to put down. Tile over tile is the cheap option but it is definitely noticeable. Tearing out the old tile can be tricky unless you're absolutely sure what lies beneath what you see (could there be another layer - one with asbestos? What year was your home built?).

 

Clean clean clean is most important. Get high wattage bulbs in every (clean!) light fixture. Scrub window and door tracks. Touch up paint.

 

Before doing anything spendy, do ask the realtor. It's easy for us to look and say what we think should be different, but your local agent can best tell you what's on trend in your own market.

[TechWife]

Tearing out the old tile can be tricky unless you're absolutely sure what lies beneath what you see (could there be another layer - one with asbestos? What year was your home built?).

 

 

It could be a rotten floor, too. 

 

I found a great product I used on the vinyl floor in my mom's kitchen/dining area, it worked wonders. It's called Rejuvenate All Floor Restorer. You have to clean the floor first then use the restorer. There's a video on the Home Depot website. I thought it was probably showing an exaggeration, but it really wasn't. 

[Bootsie]

I would not change the tile, unless there is somve obvious damage, wear, and tear, which it doesn't look like from the picture you posted.  I have never done it, but friends who have tiled over tile did not like the way it turned out.  Are the walls painted or is it wall paper?  I would consider painting the walls as several others have suggested. I would replace the pulls and handles on the cabinet doors and drawers.  Unless you want to replace the brass fixtures, I would suggest a white handle (or a color to match new wall paint); in other words I would want them to either blend in with the cabinets or be a pop of color that is present somewhere else in the bath.

[prairiewindmomma]

I wouldn't swap out the tile.  I would have the gold trim on the shower sprayed oil rubbed bronze, and I would repaint the bathroom into a nice spa like color--comfort grey, sea salt....and buy nice staging items that you can take with you into the new house.

 

I'd make sure the front exterior looked awesome for your staging photo on the house---fresh flowers, gorgeous wreath on the door, etc.  

 

I'd pay to have the house deep cleaned, and I'd have a inspection done so that you know if there are any major issues going in before you have to deal with a buyer's inspection.  You can take care of things upfront if need be, or know that you've got some price adjustment to do.  It's a ugly place to be in if you're midway through the sale and you discover a long to-do list to get you to closing.

[umsami]

For the bathroom, I think you could do a lot by changing the fixtures and cabinet pulls/knobs and then adding the spa ideas as suggested above.

 

I recently updated my kitchen and bathroom faucets and it made such a ginormous difference for very little $$. 

[Catwoman]

My priority would be to spend the money on a new shower door and fixtures rather than on the tile. A new shower door and new faucets and handles in the tub and shower (I can't see the ones in the vanity sinks) would make the whole room look new. If you want to make the room look larger and brighter, repaint the walls.

 

I wouldn't do much beyond that. It's already an attractive room. White tile is classic, and if you have a few new "wow" things like a really nice new shower door, the buyers' eyes will be drawn past the tile to the new fixtures.

 

Also, is that cabinet across from the vanity something you can remove? I think the room would look larger and sleeker without it.

 

What kind of kitchen countertops do you have?

[OneStepAtATime]

I wouldn't swap out the tile.  I would have the gold trim on the shower sprayed oil rubbed bronze, and I would repaint the bathroom into a nice spa like color--comfort grey, sea salt....and buy nice staging items that you can take with you into the new house.

 

I'd make sure the front exterior looked awesome for your staging photo on the house---fresh flowers, gorgeous wreath on the door, etc.  

 

I'd pay to have the house deep cleaned, and I'd have a inspection done so that you know if there are any major issues going in before you have to deal with a buyer's inspection.  You can take care of things upfront if need be, or know that you've got some price adjustment to do.  It's a ugly place to be in if you're midway through the sale and you discover a long to-do list to get you to closing.

This.  More than doing some big ticket remodeling there are simple things that can be done to make a house move more quickly on a market.

 

1.  Don't waste time/money swapping out the tile and definitely don't lay new tile over old unless you really have the time and the money to rip it all out and start over.  Just do as others have said, clean it really, really, really well and put nice bath mats over it.  Maybe replace the counter if you can find something affordable.

2. The gold trim looks dated.  See if you can spray it or in some way change it out.

3.  Agree, repaint the bathroom something that will be more spa like.

4.  Yes to really sprucing up the outside (without spending a ton of money).  Get rid of all weeds.  Get rid of all mangled looking or dead/dying plants.  Get rid of any plants growing up through the sidewalk.  Trim back trees so the house shows well and looks well maintained.  Plant flowers or put some flowers in pots near the entrance.

5.  Clean, clean, clean.  Deep clean.  Floors, baseboards, windows, grout between the tile, curtains, etc.  Make it sparkle.

6.  Declutter.  Like really, declutter.  Clear out and off anything you can.  If you have built in shelving keep only a minimal amount of items.  Nothing on counter tops unless it looks nice and is decorative and even then keep it minimal.  Clear out bathroom cabinets.   People will sometimes open those up to check the plumbing.  Make it look like you have oodles of storage space and plenty of counter top space.  If you have a lot of heavy furniture, consider renting a storage unit to store a lot of it in so the house looks roomier.

7.  Pay for a home inspection so you aren't caught flat footed with unexpected repairs.  Make sure everything works that should.

8.  Make sure when people come to look that all the light bulbs are working.  If a room looks dark add light, either through opening curtains during the day or adding a floor or table lamp at night.

9.  Before any viewing have a list of things that you can check quickly to make certain everything looks nice (such as confirming all toilets are flushed and no dirty laundry is lying around and there are no dirty dishes in the sink, etc.).

10.  Unless your area is a strong sellers market I would slightly under price your house.  It encourages multiple viewings early on and sometimes can generate bidding competition even in a soft market.  Overpricing because you expect them to negotiate down from your asking price can backfire and cause a house to sit for a long time.  When a house first goes on the market is when it normally generates the most interest.  You want that traffic right at the beginning to come in your home, not just glance at it in the listings.

11. Whatever your realtor says, do your own research as well.  Go visit comparable houses on the market that would be competing with yours.  Look at how they are presented, what special features they may have, any deficits, location and the price per square foot.  Don't be afraid to discuss price concerns with your realtor.

12.  Sometime before that first showing have a friend who you trust to be honest (not a Negative Nancy or a militant Martha Stewart but someone realistic and honest) walk through your house.  Ask them to be truthful about your house and how it is presenting.  Ask them to walk through not as a friend but as a potential buyer.  Take their feedback into account (if you disagree, you don't have to act on their advice but listen with an open mind).  

 

Good luck.

[PrincessMommy]

Thanks everyone.  This is so helpful.  I really like the idea of changing the fixtures in the bathroom and repainting.  Much more doable too. 

 

I have this great tile grout cleaning stuff I used when we sold our old house.  I'll use that to spruce up the tile.   The shower needs to be re-caulked and cleaned.. I like the idea of getting a new shower enclosure.  It's very dated looking and discolored from water/soap scum.

[PrincessMommy]

This.  More than doing some big ticket remodeling there are simple things that can be done to make a house move more quickly on a market.

 

1.  Don't waste time/money swapping out the tile and definitely don't lay new tile over old unless you really have the time and the money to rip it all out and start over.  Just do as others have said, clean it really, really, really well and put nice bath mats over it.  Maybe replace the counter if you can find something affordable.

2. The gold trim looks dated.  See if you can spray it or in some way change it out.

3.  Agree, repaint the bathroom something that will be more spa like.

4.  Yes to really sprucing up the outside (without spending a ton of money).  Get rid of all weeds.  Get rid of all mangled looking or dead/dying plants.  Get rid of any plants growing up through the sidewalk.  Trim back trees so the house shows well and looks well maintained.  Plant flowers or put some flowers in pots near the entrance.

5.  Clean, clean, clean.  Deep clean.  Floors, baseboards, windows, grout between the tile, curtains, etc.  Make it sparkle.

6.  Declutter.  Like really, declutter.  Clear out and off anything you can.  If you have built in shelving keep only a minimal amount of items.  Nothing on counter tops unless it looks nice and is decorative and even then keep it minimal.  Clear out bathroom cabinets.   People will sometimes open those up to check the plumbing.  Make it look like you have oodles of storage space and plenty of counter top space.  If you have a lot of heavy furniture, consider renting a storage unit to store a lot of it in so the house looks roomier.

7.  Pay for a home inspection so you aren't caught flat footed with unexpected repairs.  Make sure everything works that should.

8.  Make sure when people come to look that all the light bulbs are working.  If a room looks dark add light, either through opening curtains during the day or adding a floor or table lamp at night.

9.  Before any viewing have a list of things that you can check quickly to make certain everything looks nice (such as confirming all toilets are flushed and no dirty laundry is lying around and there are no dirty dishes in the sink, etc.).

10.  Unless your area is a strong sellers market I would slightly under price your house.  It encourages multiple viewings early on and sometimes can generate bidding competition even in a soft market.  Overpricing because you expect them to negotiate down from your asking price can backfire and cause a house to sit for a long time.  When a house first goes on the market is when it normally generates the most interest.  You want that traffic right at the beginning to come in your home, not just glance at it in the listings.

11. Whatever your realtor says, do your own research as well.  Go visit comparable houses on the market that would be competing with yours.  Look at how they are presented, what special features they may have, any deficits, location and the price per square foot.  Don't be afraid to discuss price concerns with your realtor.

12.  Sometime before that first showing have a friend who you trust to be honest (not a Negative Nancy or a militant Martha Stewart but someone realistic and honest) walk through your house.  Ask them to be truthful about your house and how it is presenting.  Ask them to walk through not as a friend but as a potential buyer.  Take their feedback into account (if you disagree, you don't have to act on their advice but listen with an open mind).  

 

Good luck.

 

We're in the throws of decluttering right now.  I plan to rent a storage unit after Easter and pile it in.  Right now our garage is our storage unit.  Its amazing how quickly it's filled up with just boxes.  Furniture all over the house is labeled "Storage"  :laugh:

 

We had someone come by and clean up our yard and lay mulch.  It looks so great.  I'll buy flowers to go with what i already have as we get closer to opening day.

 

We're fortunate that our neighborhood is very popular.  I don't know what we're going to list it for though.  Last year my neighbor's house sold for 50K more than I thought the houses were worth (I've been watching prices).  It was upgraded to the hilt, but still- 50K - whoa.  I was happy because I thought it meant a positive direction for all the houses.  However, we've also had a few foreclosures on our street in the last 6mos.  That has brought the prices down since neighbor's house sold.  I'm sure the new owners are not happy.  I'm not either actually.  I don't want to sell it for less than we bought it for.

 

[Guest]

Things people will see from the curb and within the first 3 minutes of their visit. People are funny. If the like what they see immediately, the find reasons to like the house. If they don't, no amiunt of quality upgrade 7 minutes in will make a big diff.

 

Look very critically at your driveway, front yard, front door, entryway, facade and roof.

[Guest]

I would not get an inspection prior to listing. In some states if you do, you have to disclose it and attach it along with Sellers' Disclosure. Some buyers don't understand how common findings are in inspection reports and will be scared off before they set foot in the house. Let them fall in love with the house and want it before they find out it's flaws- it will have them. Particularly if you get multiple offers, you won't have to deal with fixing much or you can just take it off the sales price which will reduce the realtor commission you're having to pay rather than have to eat it yourself before hand. If you want to get the HVAC or something checked out, just pay for the normal yearly check, but I would never pre-inspect a house that didn't have obvious issues. Just my two cents.

[Scarlett]

The only thing I would change about that room is the finish of the fixtures, towel rings and the shower door trim. Find out what finish is going in new, upscale construction in your area and go with that. Then, spend some money staging the room - a few luxurious towels, a nice bath mat and some minimalist style, small decor items. Get cute baskets for items in the cabinets and those that have to be on the counter. Add a scented candle - sort of aim for the spa look.

 

If you want to change the wall color - go with a grey. It's very popular right now.

 

I wouldn't worry about changing either the countertop or the floor tile. I think the subway tile that is so popular right now is going to look dated in about five years. If you choose to make a change, put in a neutral counter top (this from the woman who is selling her mother's house with a rust countertop and peach color wall tiles in one bathroom).

 

A qualified contractor would be able to demolish and lay new tile flooring without damaging any of the other things in the room. They will actually take the toilet up out of the floor and put it back when they are done. The other items are easy to work around.

 

Agree with all of this.

 

I don't understand that tub though....looks divided somehow.

[OneStepAtATime]

I would not get an inspection prior to listing. In some states if you do, you have to disclose it and attach it along with Sellers' Disclosure. Some buyers don't understand how common findings are in inspection reports and will be scared off before they set foot in the house. Let them fall in love with the house and want it before they find out it's flaws- it will have them. Particularly if you get multiple offers, you won't have to deal with fixing much or you can just take it off the sales price which will reduce the realtor commission you're having to pay rather than have to eat it yourself before hand. If you want to get the HVAC or something checked out, just pay for the normal yearly check, but I would never pre-inspect a house that didn't have obvious issues. Just my two cents.

Actually, I did this with every house we sold.  We got the inspection, fixed lots of little stuff that was easy and cheap to take care of, found some things we hadn't known about and took care of those, disclosed up front exactly what we had done, and the houses all sold quickly.  Buyers and their agents were please that things were already taken care of and I was so detailed in explaining exactly what was done and when.  They were reassured that there was no hidden major flaw.  Plus, when they did their own inspection they weren't freaked out by lots of stuff coming up because there just wasn't that much left and they also knew that we had priced our house with any remaining items in mind so they didn't try nickel and diming us on the price.

 

Conversely, I have seen house sales fall through at the last minute because there was some hidden issue the seller was unaware of that the buyer got scared off by in the inspection.  Or the buyer and the seller could not come to an agreement on dropping the price to cover the issue.

Edited April 5, 2017 by OneStepAtATime

[madteaparty]

I just sold and regret all the $$ we put into that house. We didn't think we would sell, so we did nice things. You never see that money back.

I'm advising anyone that asks now to spend a little of extra cleaning/declutter/storage/painting, and then save my $ in case it takes longer than I'd like. I'd do what fifiruth recommends above.

If the house is "move in ready", then the above would suffice.

If it needs work, then prospective buyers would probably want to do their own.

[Seasider]

I would not get an inspection prior to listing. In some states if you do, you have to disclose it and attach it along with Sellers' Disclosure. Some buyers don't understand how common findings are in inspection reports and will be scared off before they set foot in the house. Let them fall in love with the house and want it before they find out it's flaws- it will have them. Particularly if you get multiple offers, you won't have to deal with fixing much or you can just take it off the sales price which will reduce the realtor commission you're having to pay rather than have to eat it yourself before hand. If you want to get the HVAC or something checked out, just pay for the normal yearly check, but I would never pre-inspect a house that didn't have obvious issues. Just my two cents.

Agree 1000%!

 

Of course you must be honest and disclose known issues. But if there's something that hasn't caused you to notice it before now, don't go looking for it.

[PrincessMommy]

Agree 1000%!

 

Of course you must be honest and disclose known issues. But if there's something that hasn't caused you to notice it before now, don't go looking for it.

 

Yes, we have to fill out a disclosure form for potential buyers.   Fortunately, this house has been pretty good as far as maintenance.  We've had some wood-rot around the windows which we have taken care of over the years. 

[OneStepAtATime]

Agree 1000%!

 

Of course you must be honest and disclose known issues. But if there's something that hasn't caused you to notice it before now, don't go looking for it.

Here is where I get a little confused.  Unless they are paying the full cash price up front and buying with an As Is clause, they are going to have to get their own inspection.  It isn't like everyone can stick their head in the sand and assume if they didn't see it it isn't there.   If it is something big, it will come up in their own inspection after you have already accepted the initial offer and are in the process of working to finalize the sale. Even if it is a lot of little things instead of one big thing, buyers can freak out over too many little things that an inspection says need addressing. At that point you may be caught flat footed and might not have the time/resources to address the issue(s).  Maybe you spent all your free cash on cosmetic stuff and now you have an issue that has to be addressed without the resources to address it.  Then you have to drop the price and hope the buyer will be o.k. with having to deal with the issue on their own.   Or you have to address the issues immediately and get a second inspection to confirm they were dealt with before the buyer will agree to the deal.  If they accept the new price you still may have to delay the sale while issues are addressed and maybe you have already offered on another house but cannot move without this sale going through.  Now both sales are tied up waiting for you to address the issues. Or the buyer may choose to walk away when you are all pretty far into the process of selling the home.  That means now you still have to address the issue and also face putting the house back on the market but you lost the momentum of those first looks right out of the gate and may lose the house you offered on.  

 

Quite a few real estate deals do not go through at the last minute.  The two biggest issues are usually financing and something unexpected coming up in the buyer's inspection.  A seller cannot control the possible financing issues of the buyer.  They CAN be proactive in making sure their house looks good on an inspection.

 

Personally, I'd rather know and deal with things ahead of time than worry that their inspection will tank the deal.  Every time we sold a house we did our own inspection first.  Didn't cost all that much, saved a lot of headaches and all three houses sold quickly.

[Seasider]

Here is where I get a little confused. Unless they are paying the full cash price up front and buying with an As Is clause, they are going to have to get their own inspection. It isn't like everyone can stick their head in the sand and assume if they didn't see it it isn't there. If it is something big, it will come up in their own inspection after you have already accepted the initial offer and are in the process of working to finalize the sale. Even if it is a lot of little things instead of one big thing, buyers can freak out over too many little things that an inspection says need addressing. At that point you may be caught flat footed and might not have the time/resources to address the issue(s). Maybe you spent all your free cash on cosmetic stuff and now you have an issue that has to be addressed without the resources to address it. Then you have to drop the price and hope the buyer will be o.k. with having to deal with the issue on their own. Or you have to address the issues immediately and get a second inspection to confirm they were dealt with before the buyer will agree to the deal. If they accept the new price you still may have to delay the sale while issues are addressed and maybe you have already offered on another house but cannot move without this sale going through. Now both sales are tied up waiting for you to address the issues. Or the buyer may choose to walk away when you are all pretty far into the process of selling the home. That means now you still have to address the issue and also face putting the house back on the market but you lost the momentum of those first looks right out of the gate and may lose the house you offered on.

 

Quite a few real estate deals do not go through at the last minute. The two biggest issues are usually financing and something unexpected coming up in the buyer's inspection. A seller cannot control the possible financing issues of the buyer. They CAN be proactive in making sure their house looks good on an inspection.

 

Personally, I'd rather know and deal with things ahead of time than worry that their inspection will tank the deal. Every time we sold a house we did our own inspection first. Didn't cost all that much, saved a lot of headaches and all three houses sold quickly.

I guess it is a matter of preference. Here's the way I look at it. An inspection is going to happen either way. It's going to turn up things (though I have been surprised at what some inspections have missed! We always order our own even if the seller's already had one done). Once you learn about something, you're obligated to disclose it, or fix it. Some of those things may not be of any concern to a potential buyer. I don't suggest this as a way to hide things, but as a way to not stir up problems where none may exist, as far as a buyer is concerned.

 

Let the buyers order and pay for an inspection. Then, you have a set of repairs to negotiate over. A seller doesn't have to agree to every repair. A seller can choose to make allowances. Or not. In purchasing a house that is not new construction, it is (or should be) expected by the buyers that they will obtain inspections - structure, roof, HVAC, radon for areas with basements/karst environments, mold for humid climates - these things can add up. Let it be on the buyer's dime.

 

I do see your POV as reasonable, and if this were 2009, I might choose to do what you recommend. But in general, I think we're seeing that many areas are enjoying a seller's market right now, and if the property is in a good location and priced right, spiffed up for showing well, it should sell in a traditional way. Of course OP should discuss the merits either way with her local realtor, who may recommend as you suggest. IME, many moves, we've never had an inspection done prior to listing a house, and have never lost a buyer due to being unable to negotiate through repairs.

 

OP, do you suspect any major issues to turn up in an inspection? Any of the house systems giving you trouble?

Edited April 5, 2017 by Seasider

[OneStepAtATime]

I guess it is a matter of preference. Here's the way I look at it. An inspection is going to happen either way. It's going to turn up things (though I have been surprised at what some inspections have missed! We always order our own even if the seller's already had one done). Once you learn about something, you're obligated to disclose it, or fix it. Some of those things may not be of any concern to a potential buyer. I don't suggest this as a way to hide things, but as a way to not stir up problems where none may exist, as far as a buyer is concerned.

 

Let the buyers order and pay for an inspection. Then, you have a set of repairs to negotiate over. A seller doesn't have to agree to every repair. A seller can choose to make allowances. Or not. In purchasing a house that is not new construction, it is (or should be) expected by the buyers that they will obtain inspections - structure, roof, HVAC, radon for areas with basements/karst environments, mold for humid climates - these things can add up. Let it be on the buyer's dime.

 

I do see your POV as reasonable, and if this were 2009, I might choose to do what you recommend. But in general, I think we're seeing that many areas are enjoying a seller's market right now, and if the property is in a good location and priced right, spiffed up for showing well, it should sell in a traditional way. Of course OP should discuss the merits either way with her local realtor, who may recommend as you suggest. IME, many moves, we've never had an inspection done prior to listing a house, and have never lost a buyer due to being unable to negotiate through repairs.

 

OP, do you suspect any major issues to turn up in an inspection? Any of the house systems giving you trouble?

:iagree: If it is a strong seller's market it probably isn't needed at all.  I mentioned that in my original post when I first suggested getting an inspection.  

 

ETA:  Actually I didn't. I thought I did but I just checked and it was in reference to the price not the inspection.  My apologies.  I typed the list up in a hurry.  Yes, if the market is strong for sellers and you haven't had any issues with major systems in your house then getting an inspection ahead of time probably isn't necessary.

 

Edited April 5, 2017 by OneStepAtATime

[barnwife]

The only thing I would change about that room is the finish of the fixtures, towel rings  and the shower door trim. Find out what finish is going in new, upscale construction in your area and go with that. Then, spend some money staging the room -  a few luxurious towels, a nice bath mat and some minimalist style, small decor items. Get cute baskets for items in the cabinets and those that have to be on the counter. Add a scented candle - sort of aim for the spa look. 

 

 

 

That, and cabinet door knobs.  

 

Improvements almost always cost more than they improve the selling price, unless the market is very hot, and/or they upgrade a part that drags the rest of the property down.  

[Catwoman]

That, and cabinet door knobs.

 

Improvements almost always cost more than they improve the selling price, unless the market is very hot, and/or they upgrade a part that drags the rest of the property down.

Painting a cabinet or vanity and adding new door pulls can make a huge difference! It's amazing how people can look past a dated cabinet design and think a kitchen or bathroom looks new if they like the color and the pulls.

[Happy]

One thing I notice as I show homes each week....light fixtures and ceiling fans can look dated very fast...  It's a little like fashion styles.

 

So if you have brass ceiling fans or older light fixtures--even if they work fine...swap them out in the Living room, dining room, kitchen, master bath, maybe even in the other baths and bedrooms.

 

You can do trendy lights all through the house (depending on how big the house is) for a couple of thousand dollars--less if you can do the electrical part yourself.  IF you can only do a few lights--focus on the LR, kitchen & dining room.

 

Don't forget to take a Magic Eraser to all the light switch plates and the edges of doors where people grab them sometimes.

 

It freshens a kitchen considerably to put in new, but not too expensive appliances. Go with stainless for a shiney new look.

 

Scrub the front door and front porch. Fresh paint or stain on the door. Big pretty wreath. New mat. Fresh mulch in the flowerbeds. Tidy landscape.

 

Only do an inspection IF you are going to address any and all issues that are found.

[Bluegoat]

Well, I like square white tiles in a bathroom, I think they are classic and neutral, you can really do whatever you want with that in terms of paint.  And people doing upgrades to sell always replace them with beige. which I hate.

 

And FWIW while I hate granite countertops, it's going to be a toss-up whether what you replace them with appeals to the buyer.

 

I think it's important to know what you are looking for - stuff to make it pretty and sell quickly, or stuff to make money back.  Because all the statistics seem to say that renos on kitchens and baths will not pay for themselves, even if you do them right before the sale.

 

Personally, I'd probably use the money to do things like paint, replace things that are a little worn or could be just a bit nicer, but aren't likely to be offensive to anyone's taste.  Freshen paint, maybe beef up some mouldings, new showerheads, some newer light fixtures, and some outdoor things could be very nice.

 

You also could offer a "rebate" for something like new countertop, so the buyer could choose their own.  Or, you could just save the money for yourself.

[Bluegoat]

Here's the photos:

 

 

 

I like those tiles just fine.  If you wanted to fresen up the room, I'd say the shower stall brass colour is outdated, and I might think about a new shower stall.  And some higher end cabinets or vanity in that room - there is nothing wrong with what you have but that would upgrade the room more than a change of times, IMO.

[Janeway]

I would never ever do tile on tile. That would really tick someone off if they bought the house and found out you did it. Do not take any more advice from that contractor. 

 

Also, what does everyone else in your neighborhood have? Because you could spend money to upgrade, and then the house value does not go up just because houses in your area do not typically have that stuff and you are pricing yourself out of your area.

[Guest]

I was thinking about this last night:  I wonder if the target demographic of the buyer makes a difference whether you do inspection or not.  

 

We always get an inspection so we can fix what could be a show-stopper for someone.  Their inspector is going to find it anyway.  And here's the thing:  the last houses we have sold have NOT been "starter homes"--so people have been through this drill before; they know about inspections, they know they are not buying a brand new house and they are more likely not to be spending their last dime to get into home ownership.  So they have a little space for dealing with some issues, both understanding what they are and their seriousness and also how to go about making them right.  

 

But like I noted in another thread, people also have *no* imagination, and the look and what they see, not at what could be.  So it is probably worth doing some things that make people fall in love with the house, no matter how irrational it is, because then they are more likely to find a way to accept things that are discovered in inspection.

 

The house we bought before this one had a door from the bedroom to the back patio.  We thought that so charming!  We could have breakfast on the patio!  In our jammies!  Well, we lived there 15 years and we never once did that...you have to go to the kitchen anyway, and the door from the breakfast nook led to the exact patio.  But when we remodeled, we kept the stupid door because it was charming (even though it made for awkward furniture arrangement)...and sure enough, our agent told us that the number one comment he received was about the charming door from the bedroom to the patio.  LOL. 

 

So do some trendy updates in paint color, light fixtures, door/cabinet knobs, get the house spotlessly clean, and make sure the first five minutes are *wow*.  

 

 

 

[Shellydon]

I'd keep the tile but get rid of the brass fixtures.  Brass is very dated.  Scrub the grout.  Paint the walls a soft blue or gray.  If possible, you could paint the cabinets a deep color. 

[Sherry in OH]

I agree with the others.  The tile is fine. Remove the small cabinet.  Replace the brass fixtures with satin or brushed nickel.   Paint the walls a soft gray.  Paint the vanity a darker shade of gray.  Add new hardware including pulls or knobs on the two false drawer fronts.  (Nitpicky, but the lack of them was one of the first things I noticed in the photo.)

 

If you want to do more, remove the large mirror and replace with two framed mirrors, one over each sink.  If you don't sit at the center of the vanity, you could install open shelves in that area.  That would give the vanity a more updated feel.

 

Put a new bathmat in front of the tub and some fluffy towels on the towel bars.  You might also place a small basket of bath salts and fancy soaps on the side of the tub for atmosphere.

 

A question - are there windows next to the vanity and behind the tub?  

 

[PrincessMommy]

I would never ever do tile on tile. That would really tick someone off if they bought the house and found out you did it. Do not take any more advice from that contractor. 

 

Also, what does everyone else in your neighborhood have? Because you could spend money to upgrade, and then the house value does not go up just because houses in your area do not typically have that stuff and you are pricing yourself out of your area.

 

 

That is what my gut was telling me, but he was making it sound like it would be fine.  Thanks for the confirmation.

 

The neighborhood is high end.  If you look at those updating tv shows like Property Brother's that is what you'll find in the houses here.

 

Our neighbor, who sold for 50K over what I thought the houses were worth, had everything upgraded.  He'd lived in the house for a little more than 10yrs, so maybe it was worth it.  He's a dentist with one kid.  So lots of money to slap down on a house.  It sold fast, probably within a day or so.  It didn't even have a sign out front or anything. 

 

I think if I update the stall and fixtures and the walls it will go a long way toward making the master bath look less dated.  My realtor comes tomorrow.  I'll talk with her about it.  She wasn't too keen on my re-tiling either... but I was feeling pressure, knowing what the houses are like here.

Edited April 5, 2017 by PrincessMommy

[PrincessMommy]

I agree with the others.  The tile is fine. Remove the small cabinet.  Replace the brass fixtures with satin or brushed nickel.   Paint the walls a soft gray.  Paint the vanity a darker shade of gray.  Add new hardware including pulls or knobs on the two false drawer fronts.  (Nitpicky, but the lack of them was one of the first things I noticed in the photo.)

 

If you want to do more, remove the large mirror and replace with two framed mirrors, one over each sink.  If you don't sit at the center of the vanity, you could install open shelves in that area.  That would give the vanity a more updated feel.

 

Put a new bathmat in front of the tub and some fluffy towels on the towel bars.  You might also place a small basket of bath salts and fancy soaps on the side of the tub for atmosphere.

 

A question - are there windows next to the vanity and behind the tub?  

 

There are windows on each side of the vanity mirror. 

 

Edited April 5, 2017 by PrincessMommy

[meena]

I'd try a grout refreshing product--Polyblend Grout Renew (Home Depot) or Mapei Grout Refresh (Lowes). Test it in an inconspicuous area first to make sure you like the result. It's tedious but will give you a more consistent, cleaner look than just giving the grout a good scrub.

 

I agree with everyone else who said to replace the brass fixtures and stall if possible. Try to use just one finish on the metal fixtures in the room, so you may want to change out either your cabinet knobs or sink faucets to match. Look into warm gray tones for a neutral but updated paint color. Since you have a lot of white (cabinet and tile) go for mid-tone, not too dark or light. 

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I'd paint the walls gray.  Keep the tile but clean really well.  New white towels.  I'd focus on updating the faucets, towels bars etc.. Take wood cabinet on the right out.  No personal products out for others to see.  That little niche in the bathtub would look good stacked with new towels (you can roll them too for a spa look), a few modern books with a pretty green plant on top in a nice ceramic or gold pot.  I'd try to bring in some baskets to warm the space up too.  I'd remove that silver towel bar next to the shower and replace with 2 big pretty robe hooks.  They are often used to hang towels too.  I'd also take down the towel bar behind the toilet.  Hang some floating shelves or some kind of pretty shelves where you could display things.  

Edited April 6, 2017 by 1GirlTwinBoys

[PrincessMommy]

I'd paint the walls gray.  Keep the tile but clean really well.  New white towels.  I'd focus on updating the faucets, towels bars etc.. Take wood cabinet on the right out.  No personal products out for others to see.  That little niche in the bathtub would look good stacked with new towels (you can roll them too for a spa look), a few modern books with a pretty green plant on top in a nice ceramic or gold pot.  I'd try to bring in some baskets to warm the space up too.  I'd remove that silver towel bar next to the shower and replace with 2 big pretty robe hooks.  They are often used to hang towels too.  I'd also take down the towel bar behind the toilet.  Hang some floating shelves or some kind of pretty shelves where you could display things.  

 

 

Thanks for these decorating ideas too.  I need all the help I can get!  

[Angie in VA]

Agreeing w/ those who said to update the finish of the trim. The white is neutral, which works in your favor. We had to paint our bathrooms a neutral color and then add color in the form of towels, shower curtains and soaps/small floral arrangement,or wicker ball doodads. It worked. 

We realized if they hated the color of the walls, they hated the house. Once the walls were neutral, it was fine. I guess if they hated the colors of the shower curtain, towels and decorations, they could see past that. Our house sold quickly after those changes. We had moved out, and a friend from church helped stage a chair and table and maybe something in the kitchen. 

 

 

[Scarlett]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand the tub?  It looks like it has a division in it.

 

Glad you decided against re-tiling.  The tile is fine.  It is a nice bathroom.....very functional and lots of light.  Brass does date it so if you can get rid of the brass that would be nice.

[Catwoman]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand the tub? It looks like it has a division in it.

 

Glad you decided against re-tiling. The tile is fine. It is a nice bathroom.....very functional and lots of light. Brass does date it so if you can get rid of the brass that would be nice.

Are you looking at the diagonal line? That's part of the side of the tub, not in the middle of the tub.

 

Think of it as a built-in armrest or something -- I'm probably not explaining this very well! :)

[Scarlett]

Are you looking at the diagonal line? That's part of the side of the tub, not in the middle of the tub.

 

Think of it as a built-in armrest or something -- I'm probably not explaining this very well! :)

 

 

Yes it is diagonal....but it looks like it is right in the middle of the tub!  I zoomed in on it, enlarged it....I just can't make it make sense.  LOL....

 

Carry on people....I am sure it is just a normal tub.

[Soror]

I agree with the others I would-

 

paint walls- gray or other "spa" color

replace knobs, trim pieces etc

take out cabinet & put your personal items in a basket so you can put them away when showing, it is super cluttered

paint the cabinet and take out the piece by the toilet 

replace the rug- nice towels for display (imo ikea has nice big towels for cheap)

 

I think the idea of light gray for walls and dark gray for cabinet is a good one, gray and white are trendy

 

You must post after pictures when you are done with whatever you do!

[Catwoman]

Yes it is diagonal....but it looks like it is right in the middle of the tub! I zoomed in on it, enlarged it....I just can't make it make sense. LOL....

 

Carry on people....I am sure it is just a normal tub.

I see what you mean, but it's definitely an optical illusion. The part that looks like it's in the middle of the tub is actually molded into the side wall of the tub.