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Unless there are literally stains like a murder scene and/or areas completely worn through by someone in an electric wheel chair you should probably get the stuff professionally clean AND offer buyers an "allowance" for new flooring. The most effective way to "market" the value of the allowance is with a realistic flyer & quotes from a local floor-coverings store that does show what buyers could get in terms of new hardwoods / tile /carpet.
If you are in area with LOTS of competition AND lots of first time or naive buyers you might feel compelled to get new carpet but rarely is that the smartest way to handle this -- cheap beige carpet allows shows as "quick fix" and most people will assume you are trying to hide something.
You don't want buyers to see a negative the minute they walk in your house. Regardless of the flooring allowance, bad carpet immediately drops your value in their minds.
Just make it all look nice and new, or else discount it to reflect to condition of the floors, because that is what buyers will do.
In theory an allowance allowing the new owners the opportunity to choose their own flooring sounds like a good idea. However, if someone walks in and sees the carpeting in the poor condition that you make it out to be some (many?) are going to wonder if you allowed the carpet to get in that poor of condition what else have you let go. I am not saying you have and other deferred maintenance items I am just saying that is what some will wonder. Just my thought.....
First impression is important and dirty, stained carpet is sure a turnoff. I'm one of those people who has a hard time looking past that stuff. I appreciate a house that's nicely staged because I feel the owners really care about the home. How much is the allowance v. what it would cost to replace the carpet? What's the price range of the house, what's your competition like, etc.? Yes, generic builder-grade beige carpet can be a turnoff too, but at least it makes a better impression than dirty carpet.
Offer the buyers the advantage of a flooring allowance toward their choice of floor covering. Hit all the bases of all the potential buyers ... carpet, wood or tile.
Ditto, but I have to say some things you can't get past. Ours were stained from spills, makeup whatever. I have gone into houses that smell like pets! That is a huge turnoff no matter how much money you are giving mr.
We replaced our carpet before we listed it, but our carpet was awful. We had so much of it, that I think it would have been hard to look past. We took the advice of everyone, and put fresh light colored carpet in, even though that would not have been my first choice. We did sell our house, but it took time.
If I had found poor quality carpet in the house we ultimately bought, I would have wanted a carpeting allowance, but if the carpet had been really bad, I would have been more vigilant about inspections. To me, crummy carpet says poor maintenance, as in, not enough money to maintain the home.
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Originally Posted by silibran
We replaced our carpet before we listed it, but our carpet was awful. We had so much of it, that I think it would have been hard to look past. We took the advice of everyone, and put fresh light colored carpet in, even though that would not have been my first choice. We did sell our house, but it took time.
If I had found poor quality carpet in the house we ultimately bought, I would have wanted a carpeting allowance, but if the carpet had been really bad, I would have been more vigilant about inspections. To me, crummy carpet says poor maintenance, as in, not enough money to maintain the home.
Right. Something that obvious is often a symptom of general neglect.
I am also one of those people who would rather see nice clean carpet than to be told I would get a discount to allow me to replace the dirty one. It would make me think the rest of the house was similarly not cared for very well.
Put mid grade, neutral colored carpeting in, something that blends well and doesn't make the prospective buyer hate it immediately.
Replace it. Buyers can't look past it. I recently had a listing with awful carpet. Some buyers didn't get past the entryway before leaving. It sat on the market 2 months last spring which was the hottest market we've had in a while.
Not everyone has the cash to immediately buy new flooring, and it's very difficult these days to get credits towards anything if the buyer is taking a loan.
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