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The devil is in the details and some buyers will nit pick at everything. When doing the work yourself, or hiring someone else, it’s always good to try to do as neat a job as possible
When the guy from Lowe’s was measuring the floors for Pergo, he asked if I wanted Pergo in the closets. He went on to explain that some people getting new flooring, will only do the part that shows and skip the closets, leaving old carpet in there. I can’t imagine such a thing, but whatever. No one should be that cheap, because the finished job would look awful. Cutting corners to save a few hundred, is never a good idea. You never know when you might sell, and buyers zero in on sloppy work in a second. It’s guaranteed they’re thinking how much they can deduct from your asking price.
Materials arent that visible but appliances are. Some literally like shinny new objects while others want bells and whistles. Along with what they see on those tv shows.
I go to structure as much as I do the contents of a house including quality paint jobs including sanded/properly prepped surfaces and not just new paint. I do look for straight lines, tight seems and cuts. Properly layed carpet and rolled floors that are staying down along the edges and seems or don't have bubbles or curling up edges on rolled linoleum. I do look for canvas insulated wiring or things like covered boxes. I look for marked electrical panel. Cracks in the ceiling or walls or is a patch smooth blending or almost blended on the surface.
If theres flashing and siding on a really old house I wonder were repairs made to the under lying wood or it was simply used to cover up issues. Some confuse siding and flashing with strength and structure when it's nothing but a covering.
I've also seen some pretty good renovation but yet leave a existing floor covered with new carpet loaded with noise/creeks, depressions and no trim or moldings in many areas.
Most know when they see a staged house or see a recent paint job it was for them to sell the house. But would sloppy or poorly done things like staging, painting or even new but cheap budget appliances disuade a buyer. Or poor cuts in moldings and trim, a rolled floor or carpet that wasn't layed down properly, brand new door handles that don't work right.
This is one reason as some have mentioned I'd rather have older more original stuff in a house because there's less chance of it being done poorly or the quality of what's remaining is superior to recent fixes, replacements etc. I've seen 'new' wood cabinets where doors don't close right/all the way. Some shelves have warped. I've seen new but cheap appliances that don't match the house. And lots of sloppy work including crooked cut, gaps, holes/air space behind or above light fixtures etc.
"New" or 'recent' isn't necessarily better than old when it comes to many houses.
Unless you know what to look for the average buyer is clueless. Throw some Crown molding, paint, flooring and granite and SS sink with appliances people go gaga over it.
The craftsmen are no longer easy to find. They're retired or on their way. A lot of you er workers today do crap work. That’s why I still do a lot of my own work and I vet anyone who wants o do work. Lots of guys are class on construction work.
Lots of builders use “builder grade” materials which to me means bargain basement junk.
Materials arent that visible but appliances are. Some literally like shinny new objects while others want bells and whistles. Along with what they see on those tv shows.
New appliances, even if entry level, are still new, and not likely to fail for years. Shiny? Well yes most things that are new do shine more than those that are worn out with questionable service lifes.
New appliances, even if entry level, are still new, and not likely to fail for years. Shiny? Well yes most things that are new do shine more than those that are worn out with questionable service lifes.
New will be more predictable for the next few years but just some new I would view as a distraction especially when looking at similar homes in the area of similar age and layout fully renovated. Throw in older electric and plumbing I'd have to think twice about new kitchen appliances with the original plumbing or electric including lead drain and the original iron main drain. A refrigerator won't mean squat when a 1/4 century old roof or hvac unit fails. Or that new rolled kitchen linoleum floor won't help the 'crater' and acient sailing ship creeking noise
in the hallway with decade old carpeting on top.
New appliances are cheap compared to infrastructure but I guess that's why many buy them shortly before moving.
New will be more predictable for the next few years but just some new I would view as a distraction especially when looking at similar homes in the area of similar age and layout fully renovated. Throw in older electric and plumbing I'd have to think twice about new kitchen appliances with the original plumbing or electric including lead drain and the original iron main drain. A refrigerator won't mean squat when a 1/4 century old roof or hvac unit fails. Or that new rolled kitchen linoleum floor won't help the 'crater' and acient sailing ship creeking noise
in the hallway with decade old carpeting on top.
New appliances are cheap compared to infrastructure but I guess that's why many buy them shortly before moving.
But $1,500 worth of appliances won't give you $50,000 in value.
An old roof is an old roof, an old HVAC is an old HVAC, should be priced accordingly. Even naive buyers know that. New but broken cabinets, are still broken cabinets.
But would sloppy or poorly done things like staging, painting or even new but cheap budget appliances disuade a buyer. Or poor cuts in moldings and trim, a rolled floor or carpet that wasn't layed down properly, brand new door handles that don't work right.
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yes, we've looked at several houses like this over the years....many touted as being "builder owned"....to me if they can't be bothered to fix handles and make sure outlets have covers I'm wondering what else is wrong. Mouldings that don't meet properly is a sign of someone who doesn't know what they are doing, and couldn't be bothered to fix it or get someone to help out. Same with the house we looked at that had a counter that moved when I leaned on it. Not interested.
There's an as-is home for sale where there's been a dumpste there for weeks with I'd say at least a half dozen people a day on the weekends go in there along with the occassional week day showing. A dumpster? It's blocking the garage and the first thing one would see looking out the side or rear would be that dumpster. That can't be good or give a good first impression. The next negative thing they see after that will probably kill any chance for that house. I can't believe their realtor is allowing that even though as is, there aren't massive renovations it was just brought in to clean out as far as I can tell. They also let the lawn grow pretty high as well, not out of code but I'd do as much cheap landscaping as possible for that first impression.
They have an empty house now which is good to show the space and features of the home but that dumpster would be a distraction for me let alone defects etc. That's the thing with spending money, it's hard to offset or counter other unaddressed issues which is why I would sell as is because now supply or lack there of is driving price. It's about the market not house.
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