Just wanted to ask the opinions of those who may have sold or bought a house recently. When mine goes up for sale it will have been re-decorated and fixed from top to bottom. I've also just put in new blinds. The house will be completely empty of furniture. That includes carpets, I lifted the lot. Have just found a bargain offer to carpet the whole house and was wondering if having brand new carpets fitted would make any difference to someone looking to buy? I know everyone has their own tastes in floorcoverings but thought it might appeal to a buyer as would be one less immediate expense and might look better than bare floorboards, although the floorboards are in really good nick. I've stuck (mostly) to the neutral look. Any suggestions folks?

oooh, does this mean you are closer to moving to aus or is that, like us, just a distant dream at the oment??

anyway, for my twopence worth; as a mum of 3, working and busy id want a house i could move into immediately and not have to fanny about decorating/carpeting/doing anything with.
a guy i used to chat online to did just that with his house in doncaster - painted it neutral and carpeted it in a neutral hard wearing job throughout - he too found a cheap bargain top to bottom carpet - did the trick and he sold very quickly; market it as ready to move in to and you should do ok; money well spent if you need to sell asap.

good luck :flowers: :flowers: :flowers:

Yeap I'm with Sue carpet it people can't vision how things will look anymore and are after convenience of being able to move straight in to a place.

I think unless you are going to polish the floorboards, then neutral carpet throughout is a good idea. I think bare unpolished floorboards would give the house an abandoned look - carpeting will help them see it as a cosy home (especially in Scotland in winter). :D

I agree with the girls and would also add that when our sold we had already moved to Oz. I didn't think the house looked so nice empty yet after we'd decorated and before we moved out I took photos of all the rooms so that people could see how furniture could be placed, particularly in the small bedroom. I left these photos in each relevant room. I got feedback from the EA and the vendor that it had made a difference.

Good luck Griff.

I, too, tend to agree with everyone: that new, neutral coloured carpet throughout might make the difference for a quick sale ... especially for first home buyers. :yes:

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As an aside, and as something I thought I should point out for anyone who may read this post and who's never bought a house in Australia:

In Australia (Queensland, at least - others may like to confirm whether this is the case in their state but I believe it is so), a lot more comes with a house purchase or even an 'unfurnished' rental than does in UK. In Queensland, the standard contract includes, and I quote from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland's standard contract definitions: "Improvements" means fixed structures on the Land and includes all items fixed to them (such as stoves, hot water systems, fixed carpets, curtains, blinds and their fittings, clothes lines, fixed satellite dishes and television antennae, in-ground plants) but does not include the Reserved Items".

In practice, this means that people expect to buy carpets, curtains, stoves, wall ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, light shades/fittings, Hills hoists (washing lines), etc., with the house. These things are also usually included in an 'unfurnished' rental property. They sometimes also include things like dishwashers, in-built microwave ovens (though there have been various legal cases about whether these constitute 'fixtures' or not), pool cleaning equipment (e.g. Kreepy Krawlies) and various other (doubtful) 'fixtures'. You will also find that here, in Queensland, whilst not necessarily the norm, it is often possible to have certain 'built-in' things like fridges/freezers, etc. (where a kitchen has been built around said items), included in the contract by negotiation.

You will note that the above definition "does not include Reserved Items". There is a space on the standard contract to list 'Reserved Items'. So, if someone wants to keep a particular set of curtains or lights fittings, they may add them to the reserved items, in which case they are excluded from the sale.

Oh, and most properties here have built-in wardrobes, at least in the main bedrooms. :thumbsup:

I make this point because I know it's not the norm in UK. When first renting in UK (2003), I was surprised to find that I had to buy a 'cooker', carpets, lamp shades, wardrobes, etc. So, along with finding a rental bond (deposit), I had to also buy many things I wasn't expecting.

Another major difference between house buying/selling between here and the UK is that, in Australia, there is a clause in nearly all contracts stating that "time is of the essence". This means that the dates mentioned in the contract for finance approval, building inspections, settlement, etc., are fixed (or can be sooner by agreement) but one is in breach of that contract if they go over time. Most contracts in Queensland (and other states?) are of a 30 day duration (sometimes 28 days). That means that from the time you sign a contract to buy a place to the time of settlement is fixed at 30 days. None of this 'exchange of contracts' mucking around that there is in UK!

There's an awful lot more to all of this, and I've worked with Queensland residential (business and commercial too, to a decent extent) contracts for many, many years. I've actually caught solicitors (for the other party) out from time to time! :whistle: So if anyone'd like to know more on a specific question, I may well be able to point them in the right direction. :grin:

This is all a bit deep for this time of the evening, especially having had a couple of :redwine: *hic*, but I'm sure you get the drift! :grin:

Prefer bare wood meself so I have something to scratch on. :lion:

Is osmosis the weaker solution filtering into the stronger solution or the other way round :dunno:

:wedgie: :she:

Thanks everyone, so carpets it is then. Good God in Govan Gobby, please don't make me sand and varnish the floorboards :crazy: that really would just tip me over the edge :lol: There's just a couple of plants that I'm going to take out of the garden, my auntie that passed two weeks ago gave them to me so I shall replant them in my family's gardens (they don't know that yet). Will also leave the lightbulbs in. You would not believe it, but most people take these too, how mean can they be? Didn't think I would feel so sad at having to leave my little home, it is absolutely stuffed full of memories. Will just have to get busy making more memories in my next home. It's hard leaving it all behind. :S

It can be hard Griff, but think of it as a new chapter and all that.

Polished boards are the way forward here, but most people have really decent hardwood boards, not them pappy things they have in UK houses :lol:

I agree, carpets it is :yes:

aw griff .. :flowers:

very interesting pr, very useful info :thumbsup:

Thanks for your post PR :flowers:

Our house is on the market and I had assumed curtains could be taken, as our agent said fixtures had to remain but furnishings could be taken.... Will have to get some old ones out to replace a couple of pairs I really want to take!!!

Do you remember all the hassle, not to mention expense, I had trying to find a decent double oven here? The one thing I've always said is that if we move I'd buy a cheap cooker and hob to put in there place and take mine with me rather than go through all that again.

I was just thinking the same Anne.... my cooker is my friend and once I fiond one I like I'd hate to part with it!

Right now for my two pennys worth.
I was told to paint every wall with agnolia and or white.
An cheep carpet through out and spend as little as poss, as the new owners will change it anyway.
And a nice bright freshen up is a good as spending fortunes on it.
I done that spent a couple of hundred.
I also painted round the out sides of the windows and the drain pipes and guttering and that mae a big diffrence..
.
but NOW she wants to let the aughter stay in it here..
bloody woen hmmm I think that was her plan just to get y to do soething...lol...

Oh and i for got to say got someone in after i done it and it was valued at 7 grand more. :wink: not bad for a couple of hundred and a few days work..