Selling our house...help!

Question

Hey there. So we are selling our house in Montana. It's in a really great area and would be a perfect starter home or even a great home for an elderly couple (it's one level). It has new paint and numerous updates. The problem is, is that our realtor wants us to do these things to the house to help in every little way. I am on maternity leave until next month and we don't have money to do things. We are not wanting to spend a ton of money so please let me know what you think of the things she wants us to do and if they are important (if you were looking to buy).

4 new bedroom doors (1950's home, original doors, although in good shape - could be painted. Like $300 or so!!!)

Wood chips in flower beds outside the house (just dirt right now, tulips in the spring)

Light fixtures in 4 bedrooms.

We already did more painting, replaced a few other fixtures, redid the flooring and paint in the 'mudd' room and the house looks way better then it did when we bought it. It's only been on the market 2 weeks and we have had 6 viewings and 2 open houses with 8 parties attending each week. Some showed lots of interest. Should we wait it out for another 2 weeks before spending anymore money?

Answer 1

sounds like a smart agent.

What the house looks like from the street determines even if the "buyer" gets out of the car.  You may have tulips in the spring, but guess what, it's summer and then fall.  

Lights in the bedrooms make them look bigger.  

Answer 2

You’ve had 22 groups (8+8+6) look at your house without an offer? Short time on the market or not, that’s not exactly reassuring. Has your agent perhaps suggested these changes based upon feedback from people who have seen the home?

Since I can’t see these flowerbeds, it’s really hard to say if the mulch is worth it. As for the doors, I can see that being a big deal. Those will make your house look dated. I live in a 1950s subdivision (all cookie cutter ranch homes) and something as simple as swapping the old flat wood doors for newer white four panel ones can make a huge difference. At minimum I would paint them.

I’m assuming you have those icky square light fixtures in your bedrooms. Two of the three in my house had those, eventually we’ll swap them out for something else. I definitely don’t like them, but that alone wasn’t a huge deal to me. I don’t see that one as being a major problem (unless feedback from showings says otherwise).

Big question is, what are the other homes for sale in your area offering? How do you stack up? Do the other houses have more landscaping, new doors, updated, light fixtures, etc?  You do want to be in line with your competition.

Answer 3

if the realtor suggested it, its probably a good idea.  Also doesn't sound like any of this stuff is very expensive.  Still, if you just down have the time or money, what can you do.  I'd do whatever you can from the list and if you have to leave some things off, thats life.

So, sounds like it would be a good idea to get done whatever you can from the list, but you can only do so much.

Answer 4

Inexpensive fixes for a quicker sale, I would do it.

Answer 5

I would paint the doors, & put the light fixtures in & put wood chips down.  If you have had that many people in & no offers something is holding them back,  This is not a lot of money to spend to get a contract.  Good luck!