Selling Our House - Should we update?

Hi -

We are moving to England and need to sell our house. Over the past few years we have been updating our house with wood floors in living room, family roomm, hallway, tiled the kitchen and bathrooms. We had tiled around the tub in one bathroom. We had the tile to do the shower in the other but have hired someone to do it for us to save time.

Our next big project was to do the kitchen with countertops, sink, and new dishwasher, and range. We are wondering if we should do this before we sell the house or leave it so new owner can put in what they like? We had planned on spending about $8,000.

Thank for any suggestions.
Marilyn

Hmm... I think while it would be nice to do the work, I'm not sure you will get your money out of it. Also, like you said, the new owners might want something different and would rather do it them selves. Probably your best bet would to ask a relator what they think.

If the work you are doing "finishes" the kitchen or house(do you know what I mean by that? like, once those things are done...the whole kitchen, or all the rooms, is updated) then I would say do it. People either want to move into a house that needs work but has 'potential' so that they can pick out their own stuff, or they want it to be all updated/ finished so they don't have to do any work...not so many want a house that is partially updated, especially if an individual room is partially done, because they still have to do work, but are hesitant to take out newer things just becuase it's not their taste.

BTW...where in England are you moving to? My family is all there and it is a wonderful country.

Thanks for answering.

I can see it both ways.

Our bathrooms still need more updating. They are wall papered with something that looks dated. It was put in very well which is why it was not a priority to do that. Now that we are leaving - everything is priority!

We are going to Watford Hertfordshire which is north east of London. We are very excited about this but feeling overwhelmed right now.

Thanks
Marilyn

I would think that an updated kitchen would be a good selling point.

I've been watching all those HGTV shows on selling a home and they always say that you will get your money back plus some for updating your kitchen or bathroom. If you have a chance to watch any of these shows (you might want to check their website for times), I'd recommend it.

i would say ask your realtor if it's a practical thing to do.

my realtor would say, not to expect the money you put in the house will increase the price of your property. let your realtor see your house and take advice from him/her.

good luck on your move

I just finished house hunting in Dallas, so you can give you a buyer's perspective. I would get overwhelmed when seeing outrageous paint colors and flooring (like shag carpet). You might want to give a fresh coat of paint in neutral appealing colors. And it is so important to stage your home - meaning having pleasing furniture set up in ideal ways to enhance the look of the room. And no clutter. I would not replace carpet though if you need to, and instead offer a carpet allowance - alot of people dont want carpet. One house I looked at had brand new carpet (a really thick and high pile) in every single room.

And most importantly - everything should be spotless - inside and out.

Good Luck!

an idea on the wallpaper: Try texturing over it instead of stripping it. This is what a friend of mine did to her kitchen when she listed. Her wallpaper was definately a personal choice and once she texturized it the whole atmosphere of the house changed.

Depending on how your current counters look then maybe just updating the range, sink, and dishwasher would be enough. I second the idea of contacting a realtor and getting their opinion. They'll not only know the market but what clients are looking for in a house.

Good luck and have a safe move!

Thanks to all who responded. We have said for years we were going to sell it on our own but I think in this situation, we need the help of a realtor. Also the fact that we may not have the time.

Thanks so much.
Marilyn