Honestly ...
Your house has a beautiful setting -
Update the landscape with easy to maintain plants and bushes . Brighten the paint on the shutters and front door - houzz has great ideas for curb appeal !
Honestly ... do the updates YOU want . If you want carpet , add carpet ... if you like the wood keep it ! If you love blue, paint the walls blue . Don't live in a home some buyer in the future will like . Live in your house !
Keep your house in clean working condition , and enjoy it how you want until you decide to sell .

The most recent designs I'm seeing on home blogs feature lighter colors and more warm wood tones. I'm not sure how long it will take for these to be reflected in what home buyers want, but it strikes me as a possible reaction to the overuse of dark grays and lack of color. I saw 3 lighter homes of the 24 on the Parade Homes this past week - one used rift sawn oak in a warm tone for the kitchen cabinets.

TimberCreek Building and Design 2017 - House of Turquoise

Regal Stephens from House of Turquoise

This Old House 2016 Season

I am not a first time homebuyer, but I when I bought my current home I too hoped I would find something turnkey and not dated. Didn't happen. So my back up plan was to have three things: classic external architecture, a good floor plan, and fixtures /finishes I could either afford to change quickly or live with until I could do the remodel I really wanted. I managed to find it, and consider myself very lucky that I did, because most of the houses the age of mine (70s) didn't even have one, much less all three, of these things. i suspect your potential buyers will face the same dilemma. So if you have a good floor plan, I wouldn't worry about making everything uber-current. Get it to the point where it's neutral and tolerable. That alone will likely make it more attractive than much of the competition. My kitchen had great hardwood floors, very simple white cabinets and white corian sink and countertops with stainless appliances. It also had horrendous wallpaper border, wall color, and hardware. I'm not crazy about anything other than the floors, but the counters and cabinets are neutral so I can manage for a while. So for now, I dealt with the wallpaper, paint, and the horrid hardware, all of which took some elbow grease but not too much time or money. Had the owners of my house just done those few tihngs, the house probably wouldn't have been on the market for a year. By the way, I agree with Nancy's remarks above. A great resource is thedecorologist.com. This is the blog of a nationally known interior decorator and stager, who used to work in the field of psychology. She wrote a book called Psychological Staging that is super interesting and explains really well how buyers form rapid impressions when they walk through a house and what matters most when preparing to sell.

I think the point the realtor was trying to make was houses have become very expensive, and loan requirements have become more stringent. Young families trying to buy that first house often need a large amount of cash upfront, and have little left over for major improvements. It's one thing to paint walls, refinish floors and replace a bathroom vanity. It's yet another to completely remodel a 40 year old kitchen or bathroom in poor condition. Many young families will have neither the time, cash or skills to take it on along with commuting and working and raising children. Given an option, many will choose move-in ready. I know it was always a consideration for me.

As others have said, when you decide to sell you must stage the house to sell, it is no longer your home. You make changes to appeal to the LARGEST SEGMENT OF BUYERS. I'd start interviewing home stagers in your area and get a game plan for selling. It often takes time (up to a year) to slowly tick off the checklist of things to do. Like cleaning out all the cabinets, closets, decluttering, etc. And if you think that paneling is nice, you need the help of a professional, because as others have indicated its a real negative to a potential future buyer. Listen to the advice because I did when I sold my last home and I got full price in three days - living in the Midwest. But I spent 8 months getting the home ready for sale, hiring a home stager and putting the house in sale ready condition which was NOT how I lived in the house. When you opened the towel closet the towels all matched and were perfectly aligned in the cabinet, etc. It literally looked like a model home that no one lived in. I laughed all the way to the bank.

Wall to wall carpet in a basement is a big trap for moisture, now or in the future! Consider tile or laminate flooring.

Bellburgmaggie? As a Realtor? I could just reach right through my iPad and kiss you! Perfect advice and all these suggestions you made from having been there as a seller? will absolutely make the most difference....declutter, clean and repair/replace any outdated soon to be failing systems and equipment now as this will save aggravation and time down the road. If its decided to update the basement and the flooring ? Do it with an eye towards picking something timeless and classic: this gray and white business will be harvest gold and avocado green before we know it ;)

I have to laugh that the realtor is only concerned with getting a quicker sale. These set up homes are just that, house done by flippers to cover and distract from what the house really is. They can care less about the quality and yes with the help of the realtor hit all the key areas to just barely look ok to a novice buyer. Then throw the inspector in their pocket and the famous, well you can get insurance to cover anything.

Your house has a price based on comps in the area. If your house is so called outdated it is up to the realtor to explain to buyers the pluses and minuses of your home and explain why the pricing reflects that. They can also go to these so called ready to move in homes and point out all the shoddy repairs that they are paying extra for explaining and showing how yours is a better deal. To bad they can't because those flippers have them in their pockets.

Realtors could easily persuade a buyer with a simple list of costs showing how your house could actually be the better buy. Realtors are usually part time workers who care about nothing but the sale. They are uneducated and have zero idea of what quality repairs actually are. Ask to see their home. If the house doesn't sell it is never their laziness but it must be the price that they set. Funny how they always sell the flippers houses who has 25 homes with them first.

After you do all these repairs have them sign a document that assures you will at least get that amount back 100%. They will never sign it because they will still want a reduction. It is all about a fast sale with zero care about the seller or the buyer strung out on a loan and them knowing there are obvious painted over hidden repairs.

If you are a realtor and mad about what I wrote you should be. That means that isn't your way of doing business and you should be just as aggravated as I am. HGTV cancel the flipping shows believe it or not someone actually has to live in these houses you show being butchered by someone who has never lifted a hammer.

Come to San Diego where Realtors should be thrown in jail for how they do business. Look up San Diego on Zillow and when you see these outdated homes with painted countertops and jury rigged everything but in todays trendy colors and of course staged to the nines. Notice how 90% of the homes listed look like nobody actually lives there? See enough grey walls?

Hire a better who is educated in RE, works full time and knows what it takes to do quality repairs to a home.

If you plan to sell in a couple years, it would be a great time to update your landscaping. Get rid of the large bushes by the front porch and think about something taller for the right side between the window edge and the house corner. The porch is almost hidden so you need to look at moving the mass of landscaping away from the entry area. Now's a perfect time as the plants will have a couple years to fill in and not look like an afterthought or something done only to get a quick sale.

For the basement, I would go for an easy care hard surface flooring. You could use a vinyl plank floor or possibly cork and throw down a large area rug for warmth. Young families know that carpet brings problems and messes are easier to clean on a hard surface. Replace the lighting with updated LED trims for recessed cans. Add small cans or LED track lights for a warm, brightly lit space that doesn't feel like a basement dungeon. Paint the paneling a light color and tell them you were inspired by shiplap, just turned it sideways! (silly comment about stupid trends that are outdated ridiculously quickly).

Karenmo, I would focus on what's more necessary (or not) for your market area. It's very difficult to generalize with this topic. Sometimes cleaning and decluttering can be what matters. We live in a very nice neighborhood in Southern CA. Many of the homes require updating due to longtime (and often elderly) owners. The last two sold quickly for $35K and $50K over the asking prices. When we sold our previous home it was empty...no staging but very clean. It also needed some updates, but our realtor talked us out of doing anything. The first offer came quickly for $61K over the asking price. Again...it's all about YOUR market area.

If I were you, I'd go look at a couple of comparable homes in your neighborhood at open houses. Take note of their condition and follow up to see what they sold for and how quickly. This will give you the most accurate assessment of what you need to do. You have a lovely family home and it will sell. Just make sure all the repairs are done and it's super clean. I'm a big fan of selling houses quickly- it's stressful to live in a home for sale and the quicker you get your privacy back the better.

its too soon to know what color will be hot in several years, and who knows where the housing market will even be. but if you keep up with having the trim painted, the yard great looking, junk gone from the premises (even the corners of the basement), when you DO reach that year before selling you'll be able to focus on what up to date finishes you need to accomplish.

we sold our family home after 27 years, 8 years ago now. the best thing was the realtor telling me to paint over my interestingly colored walls, to the beige that was the color du jour of NH at the time. it gave me the wake up i needed to see the home stretch isnt about the owner, its about the potential buyer.

I agree with Nancy ^.

Time after time I fix countertops that have been broken for years. Now that they're selling, folks finally found the money to fix their top for the benefit of a stranger. You are going to pay to have things fixed. Me in your kitchen now or in your realtor's office at closing, but you are going to pay.

Yes...fixing something broken/damaged is different than just changing it to what you think buyers might prefer. Some new neighbors of ours just ripped out granite counters and tile backsplash that were installed to sell the house.

If we're talking a couple years, just start now. Do the projects over time and when you are ready, your house will be, too.

I would drywall the basement and paint it a bright white, yellow or green to make it as welcoming and cozy as possible.

Clean, comfortable and did I already say clean? That's what buyers want.

Partner in Paradise, I do a lot of real estate work with people that needed a sale quickly either due to divorce, probate, guardianship, etc. I worked with realtors who would be diplomatic and then I'd deliver the reality check. Just because you think its fine and that's the way you lived in the home - that is not the litmus test for what buyers are looking for. I can tell you I would put in writing the problems with the property, have the argument with the client, they wouldn't listen to either me or the Realtor, nothing would happen toward a sale and then I'd say are you tired of no sale? Every single house I went into to get fixed for sale sold within 2 - 4 weeks for more money than the original listing. Buyers have zero imagination as to renovations unless they are a professional, you literally have to show them a lifestyle of how they would live in the home to get the sale. If you can trigger a positive emotional reaction, it means a quick sale. And I always believed that a buyer makes the initial decision about a home in the first 3 seconds so curb appeal and landscape are extremely important. So I appreciate your comment but it saddens me that after 20 years, the internet, this same discussion is still occurring. And the dumbest plan is to give the buyer an allowance for your grass green carpet or hideous wallpaper. 95% of buyers do not want to work for free on your deferred maintenance or poor design decisions because it mean they start off with a headache in a new home.

Here is a quick redo of your front yard which should help you visualize how important curb appeal is. Time to redo the front yard install a small retaining wall as no one will want to mow that hill and think about a new front door.

I'd also get an arborist out to clean out that beautiful large tree in the front yard so it shows all of its beautiful glory. No topping it just needs some TLC and pruning so it has the grace of a stately tree.

I used a texture on the paneling in our basement. It took an extra weekend to do but now it looks more like the plaster walls throughout the main floor.

I skimmed such good help -- glad you have a walkout, cause that would excite most people... and might get some to overlook the walls... as was said about appeal from the street / doesn't it matter if the backyard has appeal? e.g., a well-placed birdhouse that shows how far back the property goes?...

Bellburgmaggie -- right now I am saying Wow! I love the stone walkway in this image. What a great idea! Now that you have created this redo picture, I can totally appreciate the difference this change would make in curb appeal. (Not to mention that our mailman would appreciate it! ) Several others in this discussion have mentioned opening up the entrance, so that is clearly important, and this walkway seems like a great way to do that.

Everdebz, we fenced our backyard because of our dog. Where the back property line abuts the wooded park, the fence is made of that black wire that doesn't interfere with the view, but keeps dogs in and large wildlife out. on the sides and front-facing sections, it is a pretty estate style in durable cedar. Our backyard isn't really very deep even tho there is an expansive feeling because of the woods.

^ as a mom with young kids, thats a major selling point right there!

It is not just younger buyers who want updated features. I am 64 and love modern, clean, streamlined looks in every room. I always have. I dislike heavy woodgrain and paneled walls, etc. I also love very dark wood floors or very, very light wood floors. Not a fan of medium wood tones and I don't care for stained wood kitchen cabinets. My husband feels exactly the same way. When watching Househunters the other day, we were struck by how many people feel painting wood is such an offense to nature. Didn't seem to matter how old or grainy it was. We would paint all the trim in some of these houses a nice crisp white!

Yes, the yews have to go. The walkway from door to street gives the eye a place to follow and really helps increase curb appeal. I know DC area can handle azaleas but there are other options. Best time to plant is fall not spring, it allows the roots to grow before the heat sets in. Pecan hulls are the best mulch for azaleas. I can play with other options.

Another option for colors, the azaleas are white and the other flowers are impatience also known as dizzy Lizzie's. Painted ferns, very simple plan.

Sorry

Do NOT paint over the paneling! You're not fooling anybody. It's still paneling and everyone will know it.

It's not the wood grain that people dislike, it's paneling. Everybody knows that paneling was cheap and often a DIY job, and just because it's suddenly Serenity Grey (or whatever) doesn't keep it from dragging down that price of your house.

Last idea for the evening, adding columns to front porch. Still need to loose the yews.

If you clear out the yews, you could keep the walkway from the driveway to the front door and put a bench outside next to the front door and under the window. Did a coupe more tweaks. I'd also add some pots with flowers. Hopefully these ideas inspire you to enjoy your home now and not for the next buyer.

We have been looking for a new home in our area for 18 months. So many were built between the 50s-70s and haven't been touched since. I have three kids, a dog, and we are CONSTANTLY on the go. The idea of dedicating months to renovations is just too much for us so we are going to build. We built our current house 15 years ago and can honestly say we've kept it in immaculate condition. We updated a but through the years and it sold in 36 hours (two offers, one was full price) because it's move in ready. It's hard to think of your house as a "good" but it's important to start seeing it that way to get top dollar for it.

Renovating a house is rebuilding it. You can tolerate a complete build and all the hassles, but not a remodel? Frankly both have their own set of headaches - but I am assuming you don't have to finance the new house until its complete versus having to own a remodel and live elsewhere.

Well....so many factors to consider here. When my husband and I were home buying in early 2010 in Portland, OR, we selected the 5th home we saw based solely on it's location (even tho we hadn't targeted that area previously) and the property itself. Yes, as a 1965 ranch we knew it required updates we've tackled these past few years BUT we're building equity and still love where we live. Really hard to relate when home buyers can't get past paint colors or laminate countertops! Good grief. Folks can seem so very entitled and don't realize the great investment opportunity staring them in the face.

bellburgmaggie, I am not living in a new home as it is being built. I'd have to live in a reno, which poses more challenges for us as a family.

Or. You could clean the living daylights out of it, and price it to SELL. Yes, a radical concept. All houses sell. Everything whether shoes, or stale bread, or stale decorating...sells. AT THE RIGHT PRICE.

When you have a home that is far below the very "entitled" standard of today's entitled young buyer? You price it to sell to a smart buyer, willing to invest their own money in improvements, in any and every way they may like.

The other option is to keep painting, carpeting, buying appliances and counter tops, bending to the "anticipated wishes", disrupt your life, and TRADE all for a net real gain of a probable zero. Clean, de clutter and price it to move.

Hi there. We purchased a home with many different types of paneling. We wanted a light and bright house as do current buyers. If you don't like gray, try cream. I have attached several before and after shots. The biggest change in all was simple paint. The basement was huge, 2500 sq feet. We spent $6,000 total on it and sweat of course. I would advise to paint if you want top dollar! Our home post the changes showed well per all realtor comments and sold. Good luck!

The rest of the photos

Just leave it. Put it on he market as is. A buyer is going to rip out everything they don't like anyway.

Darralisa what a beautiful example of what can be accomplished with something that looks so dated.

I hate paying for decor I don't like. Basements may or may not get a lot of use. Wood panelling can hide other issues as someone else said. When we were house shopping years ago I was suspicious of quick fixes. I would make sure it's totally cleared out, everything is properly functional. No mold, no ugly wallpaper, no drippy taps or flaking paint, light fixtures reasonably current, house well lit, curtains clean and not too dated. Your landscaping at front looks messy, it could use a tidy, trim the hedge down or remove, put it in a nice garden bed with mulch. A lot of people do not garden (or fix anything) and are blind to anything but what looks neat and tidy.

I am in PA and from what I see grays are still in. Neutral colors look timeless. My hubby and I bought a 60's ranch home 7 years ago
that has dark wood paneling in the basement and main floor family room. We loved the house the minute we saw it and didn't care about the paneling in those two rooms. We just fell in love with the house and didn't care about the "outdated look". Regardless the house
was move in ready and that's all we cared about. I could be wrong, but in my opinion its the layout and character of the home what most buyers look for.








was immaculate and move in ready

Our house was very dated when we bought it In 2004, and we paid a little less because it lacked the updates many others had, but not that much less, because at the time a sells' market raged in our area, with bidding wars and all that. Luckily for us, our seller accepted our full price no contingency offer and we didn't need to get into the price escalation contract clauses that were common at the time. So we spent the next decade doing the updates that mattered to us--kitchen, baths, windows, outdoor siding, new windows.. Drywalling a dark brick wall in the family room off the kitchen. And removing the dark & depressing & ugly/cheap original builder paneling around it. Leaving the light colored paneling alone (yes, it was a homeowner job but the guy bought high quality stuff way better than the builder, and his installation was flawless, down to the corners of the wood trim, which most prospective buyers won't appreciate, but I did!). Also leaving alone the vinyl floor in the basement family room alone, which is old but in perfect condition and neutral.

Another big change was the partial roof amputation. When our roofer replaced the roof, he removed the portion of front porch overhang on the right hand side of the house,. That roof extended out a full 5 feet from the front of the house and served no useful purpose that we could discern. It shaded the living room (the triple window) so it was a dark hole, and made it impossible to grow foundation plantings in that area, with no rainfall and little sun. This change quite controversial amongst the neighbors at the time; some thought we were desecrating the house or something, but it transformed the living room to let in more sunshine! Plus, that roof was at risk for collapse in a heavy snowfall since it was unsupported at the far end. The roofer reinforced the supports for the remaining porch roof at the time of the "surgery."

I'm including a picture from this morning. It looks really sunny, but the house faces East, and with many mature shade trees around, there is a very limited time for full sun in the front. So it takes a really long time to grow lush bushes like the mature (pink and red) azaleas you see on the left. Behind them is a porch that is five feet deep, where we have a couple of wrought iron chairs and a bench. It's a pleasant place to sit, and those bushes provide a little privacy. Most of the houses in our neighborhood have a similar walkway from the driveway to the front door across the front of the house, tho not always covered with a porch roof. The original builder in this development did not do entrance sidewalks from the street to the front door.

But to complete that front flagstone walkway Bellburgmaggie suggested earlier (that has totally caught my fancy!), we'd have to uproot the two biggest azaleas, and I am not sure I could baby them through a successful transplant now that our hot DC swamp summer weather is upon us. On the other hand, I currently have an unemployed son at home who will leave in mid-August, and building this walkway would be an excellent project for him!

Sorry, neglected to say that the paneling we left alone was in the basement.

Please don't do anything to your home just to sell it. I would much rather by a home a well cared-for original condition. It is the maintenance that shows and what I am willing to pay for, not a slap of gray paint on the wall.

The azaleas would make it if placed in shade and properly transplanted and then watered regularly. I thought they were yews! I love azaleas so I'd do what ever I could to save them. Your son could also build a retaining wall on the one side to help with that slope and then move the large azaleas over there. Blocking the front door with overgrown shrubs of any sort is not appealing from the curb. The program is pro landscape contractor on a large IPad that utilizes an Apple Pencil. I spend my free time gardening, took master gardening classes and have a mini library on plants and landscape design. It's my sanity to play with landscape and frontal elevations. LOL

I say there is a buyer for every home, it’s a matter of finding the right fit.

Freshen up the house with paint, get rid of any junk n clean until it shines. Take a good look around n price ur house in an honest n fair price, keeping in mind this house needs work and yes it might mean waiting for a buyer who is willing to want ur place, but believe me, there r buyers still out there willing to do this, don’t assume realtors always give the best advice. Sometimes it’s a matter of a quick sale they r hoping for, or u may get a realtor trying to get ur business n will tell u to price it at a higher price than what u thought ur house would sell. This happened to us, not long after listing it, she’s telling us we need to lower the price. Mind u, this is the price SHE suggested!

In other words do ur homework n approach this adventure in a realistic way.

Good luck

If buyers are only interested in the cosmetic looks of a home, then they are stupid!! I would be more concerned about the mechanical items. How old is the furnace, the air conditioning units, hot water tanks, roof, siding, windows, plumbing, wiring? Replacing these things can be way more expensive to replace than the paneling in a basement.

Yes, I totally agree that function trumps looks! But the agents would say the buyers in our area (suburban DC) want it all.....and many of the older home here truly are look pretty close to new when they go to market, with all the systems kept up and superficial stuff gussied up to sell.

I have decided NOT to paint the basement rec room paneling (my original dilemma). Now we are trying to decide about the flooring down there... Currently the huge rec room flooring is old vinyl squares that are in great condition, but a dark tan. We wonder, should we cover it with nicely padded WTW carpet or go with vinyl in a lighter color? (I don't like the look of imitation wood flooring with real wood paneling.)

My husband likes the feel of carpet, but I think a rumpus room is more practical with a smooth floor. A neighbor who is a real estate agent says the general guideline is always to carpet, unless it's a walkout. And our rec room is walkout, with a nice, new sliding glass door out to a deck.

tandem42, I agree with you about the superficial stuff being gussied up to sell. I wouldn't spend a lot of money to replace it.

Be aware that with the age of the house, the floor may contain asbestos if it is original. They still gas asbestos in stuff in the 70s.