I think the realtor will give you the best advice my big issue would be the floors so if the budget allows wood to match what is alread there . The rest IMO is best to not spend money on The kitchen is abit dated so just make sure everything is cleaned and cleaned again a nice neurtal shower curtain can't cost much and I agree if you can DIY the painting do it .

Totally agree with chispa. The gray just jumped out at me so at the very least paint. Downstairs is fine imo.

Talk to a local realtor first. But, my inclination would be, if nothing is broken and all is functional: paint the entire interior a soft white with no gray undertones- there's a lot of orange-y oak. Maybe get an inexpensive rug/carpet remnant for kitchen/living room to minimize all the wood on wood look. Otherwise, price appropriately so new buyers can/will renovate to their own taste.

Unless you do all the painting yourself, having the whole house painted will be pretty expensive. I wouldn't even do that. If you DIY, look at SW Alabaster for a neutral, warm white that will look better than the gray. The problem with real estate agents' recommendations is that they sometimes want you to do things that will cost you money but you get nothing in return (as you have already noted), so take what they say with a grain of salt. Even the flooring, while it's true that the mishmash is unattractive, that would cost a lot to change and there's no guarantee that the prospective buyer will like what you choose. Only hardwood is a guaranteed pleaser, and that isn't cheap. I sold my father's house in Springs four years ago in a week and it didn't look as good as your house does.

If you price it correctly it will sell, regardless of any perceived shortcomings. You can always give the buyer a credit for new flooring at closing if that becomes a sticking point. If the agent thinks it will be, you can state that in your listing. Review the comps with the agent and go to some nearby open houses to get a feel for the market if you have time (in a year, when you're ready to sell). Unless the market changes substantially in a year, it just needs to be clean and in good repair. You bought it four years ago when it looked pretty much like this, so someone else will.

We heard stories about realtors making pretty outlandish suggestions for upgrades/repairs. Talk to at least three realtor. You'll get three really different views. but the most reasonable one will be the one who suggests the least work. Paint is a good idea, I agree.

Having the whole house painted is going to be pricey. The people that move in are going to want to paint it themselves anyway. Maybe just paint a couple of the more important spaces for staging purposes. And save yourself the dollars.

Everything sells at the right price. ...........I mean EVERYTHING.

SO .....even with 30k thrown at this? You aren't going to get more $$ and it won't go any faster than clean, and nothing broken. No don't do the floors either. Get the carpet deep cleaned , floors scrubbed and do NOT pick the next owners flooring as both of you are likely to wind up.......s.a.d

Pay instead for some rental furniture or staging in important areas - realtors despise marketing an empty house. It doesn't provide any perspective for a buyer, and it magnifies flaws.

Remember........You bought it: ) as will another.

The gray is pretty awful. The only room with any life and charm is the peach bathroom. Get rid of the gray. All the gray. Choose a warm white to tan for the walls, and then reassess. What you are trying to avoid is the visceral "ugh" reaction from the clash between the cold gray and warm wood. That's currently the response of everyone who has viewed those pics. But, good thing warm woods are back, because a warm toned paint to just harmonize those woods will go a long way towards eliminated the "ugh" reaction.

No gray. All white.

Pay professional carpet cleaners extra to remove the Sharpie stains if they can. Then lock up the Sharpies.

Honestly, the only thing I would replace is the carpet. Before that I would as apple_pie-order suggested have them cleaned to see if you can get the sharpie marks out. Most people buy houses knowing there will be some renovation that they will have to do.

Unless your market is very chalenging I wouldn’t do much other than clean, clean, clean, & decluttering . Houses that look MUCH worse than what you think yours does sell quickly where I live. Be wary of what realtors tell you, the’re anxious to make a quick sale = comi$$ion.

The market for used homes has cooled quite a bit since new construction has ramped up, but it's also market specific. Here, the used homes that sit are the ones that tried to "flip update" quicky, with disastrous results. Badly DIY painted cabinets, gray vinyl floors, gray walls everywhere, etc. There's a couple of entry level homes that have been sitting for MONTHS with that combo, because an entry level buyer is not going to be able to afford to change a lot of things at purchase. The more mid-range homes, tend to not be people's first homes, so they have some experience at seeing through a bad color of paint. And they have a bit more money available to hire a painter, etc.

Your realtor needs to advise you on your market trends, but I would recommend painting the walls white at least.

I believe you may not get the return on what you invest (unless glaring issues) and remember the time and stress involved. I’d have a few realtor’s in to discuss and importantly, if any will make a difference in what you list/get. Oftentimes it just helps with selling a bit faster (and there are people who like grey lol).

I think the market, neighbourhood, timing, interest rates and your price/comparable to similar homes are more important. When offers come in, consider what you might have saved by not doing more than necessary.

Maureen that’s a really good point about the Gray. My son and daughter-in-law painted their entire house shades of gray inside.

And I also would not replace the flooring for the same reason. Somebody in the interior decor business here on these threads commented recently that nobody wants carpet anymore. Better to get it cleaned and let the new owner make the decision on flooring.

Nobody wants carpet unless they are baby toddler obsessed. You will never ever guess what another wants.

You bought the house , you lived in the house. Realtors ( yes all of them ) will be thrilled to help you spend YOUR money to make their job easier. ......all the while not spending a nickel of their own money!

Wise up. It will sell when it looks clean, smells clean. When the lawn is trimmed....the roof has no leaks. All at the right price because until interest rates drop - don't expect a miracle.

A family no different than YOURS will turn up for the right thing at the RIGHT price.

"Gimme shelter" is the phrase of the year.

You have a sweet home that is going to be perfect for your buyer.

I believe that anything you do to upgrade may not have a return on your investment. Often people upgrade kitchens, flooring, etc.. and the new owners rip everything out to start over. Are you willing to lose money with upgrading everything you have suggested? What if you spend $20 grand and it sells lower than you realtor had promised? Depending on how long you have owned it and the equity your have in it, will really factor in this possible loss.

When you meet with a realtor and I recommend meeting with at least 3 get them to give you two different prices.

The first price... What would you list it if I had to sell in 30 days?

The second price what would the list price be if I had 600 days to sit and wait?

Why would you ask this?

To try to get the true price of your space. And to be realistic about how long it may take to sell. A good fair price will sell quickly, a greedy price might take a little longer. Some realtors are going to be greedy as their pay is dependent on the high price. A good realtor will be honest with you about the cost and timing. Get recommendations from neighbors, friends, coworkers, church buddies, clubs,.... Don't rush to sign a contract, rather investigate what homes sell. Don't trust Zillow they are often wrong, rather trust all the houses that have sold (actual price not listing price) in a 10 mile radius to your home. Your realtor is going to make 5% off the sale of your house. That is a hefty fee. Find out if they will take less. Especially if its on the market only 60 days. Less work for them.

Be honest with yourself. Why are you selling? How flexible are you? If you have small kids, listing a house at a greedy price means that it may sit for a long time. Every time you have a potential buyer you need to clean up, refresh the smells and get the kids out of the house for a last minute showing. Pricing it at an aggressive but fair price means it will sell quickly and you can move on to a better place that you will love. Sell it fast means less stress. But maybe that is not stress for you. Having peope drop in to see it as you gather your gang to leave. Might be easy money for you. Only you know what works or doesn't.

And here is another thing to think about. Often the buyer coming to look at your home is trading up. They are moving out of an apartment or smaller house or condo and they are stepping up to a bigger space for themselves. (Unless you live in a retirement community) This means that your buyer is not going to be upset by the stained carpet, old counters or anything else you think is not worthy. They are going to be more concerned with the roof, hvac, insulation, windows...

Get into the mindset "This is no longer my house." You may not like the counters or floors or ceiling or faucet or hardware or view... but your buys may LOVE it. It's n ot your house it doesn't matter. It's the new owners....

Hire a home inspector to do a thorough check of you house so that when the buyer does one you can be ready to respond and ready to fix whatever needs fixing.

Lastly good luck. My wish for you is it sells quickly.

I agree with you, OP. The countertops in the bathrooms are a turn off as well as the vanities and vanity lights.

Honestly - I would go to some local open houses where they are selling similar to your size home/lot. See what they are asking and what the places look like. Have a cautious conversation with a few realtors.

See if you can get the carpets clean - there are suggestions online of using rubbing alcohol or hairspray. I agree with the comment about the only floor change would be to make it all hardwood.

I think I would leave it all alone - have a home inspection done so you know all the mechanicals are in good shape. Give it all a good clean, stage it and bake some cookies on any day there is an open house ( it's nice for the shoppers and makes the house smell really nice.)

Good luck! Hope it sells soon!

Good advice from BoxerPal.

I love my home, but the only reason we were able to afford it was because the flooring, kitchen etc all needed to be replaced. And we lived with it for many years until we could afford to change things. If you spend money to renovate you eliminate potential buyers like us who are happy to live in a nice neighborhood in a house with unfashionable finishes. LOL my SIL said "How can you stand to live like this??" It was just fine.

the most pressing update I see necessary, is the color of the walls. It does not flow with the color and undertones in the hard surfaces. The next recommendation would be to update the kitchen and backsplash--NO 4" backsplash! Regarding flooring, (I believe) it is always most desirable to keep the flooring materials consistent throughout.

I agree with the advice to just get the house super clean, including the carpeting, if it’s possible to get the ink out. Don’t know.

I would’nt pay for staging either. An empty house is ok, imo, again as long as it is super clean.

was there a sale on gray paint? I mean, every single room is the same gray. Doesn't even match the yellow toned wood or cabinets or the flooring. a soft white would be much better. (if you want to paint) I'm sure it will sell either way

It's a 20k paint job! Forget it! Clean and price it to SELL

Otherwise!? It's the thread pulled on the sweater and there is no stopping the UN ravel.

Use the money in your next house- in PRINCIPAL payments and extra pay downs to your mortgage.

As long as the roof isn't leaking, the HVAC is working, electrical and plumbing are adequate, don't waste your money on trying to "prettify" the house. Whoever buys it is going to redecorate at least, and renovate at most.

When we put my Mom's 60 year old colonial on the market, all we did was de-clutter and clean. It sold in three days, and the new owners did a fabulous job updating it with paint, removing the carpets, etc. We never would have gotten back our "investment" in cosmetic updates. And neither will you.

I can see that you want to present the house in the best way possible. But, IMO, after looking at the photos, were I the potential buyer, there are too many things I would change, based on my taste. If finances allow, buy the new home and empty this one. Clean it (and the windows) and then list it with a very reputable agent. Let the new owner make it theirs with their choices.

I like the gray, it is the one constant with which a new owner could work.

Gray is still a neutral and a great backdrop for lots of color accents.

I talked to five realtors all with suggestions about how to spend my money fixing up my house before selling it. When you talk to a realtor who suggestions your making big fixes, ask them if you can deduct your fix-up costs from their commission and I'm sure they'd say your home looks just fine as it is!

Price your home correctly. Don't get greedy.

Also, set a budget of under $5k and do very specific things with it:

You want your home to look clean and project an image that it is extremely well cared for. A stained rug ruins that image, will make a buyer wonder what else your kids have destroyed. Yes, replace the stained rug with an inexpensive carpeting because it will probably get torn out and replaced.

Replace the bathroom faucet with the cheap renter grade plastic crystal knobs.

Price out replacing the laminate on the other bathroom vanity so it looks like something someone would want to live with for a few years.

Go to Home Goods and get a new chandelier that feels a bit more updated and less 90s. Then leave everything else as is. Add some pieces of furniture for staging.

Yes..... I fixed every single typo on my earlier comment! Gawd, I hate the phone, I can't even read my " so called" edits! Probably have cataracts lol

Also look online at the comps and see what condition they are selling in and at what price.

What you need to do (if anything) may also be influenced by what has been done in the comps and what has not. You may be able to ascertain what recent sale prices have been in your neighborhood. I can google addresses in my neighborhood and find out what they sold for and what their current estimated value is. It's not foolproof, but knowing what a property actually sold for may be more informative than what it was listed at. And I can access listing photos for these properties as well, including mine, which I have owned for 13 years. So there is data out there.

Everything is local so get 3 reputable local realtors to do listing calls and see what they say. In our market, inventories are so low anything clean and in good shape sells quickly. My guess is you probably won’t recoup update expenses. Clean, clean and clean some more , tidy up yard and price it appropriately. Good luck!

There are a lot of buyers who will think "Great, the gray goes with all my existing furniture." And there are a lot of people for whom "dated" finishings e.g. 4" backsplash, doesn't even register on their radar.

Talk to three realtors. Find out what has sold in your area and for how much and how long they were listed. Some areas are hot and some not. You need to know what is going on where you live.

Changing the top of the one vanity and putting a white curtain on the shower rod will make a better presentation. But don’t spend a ton of money unless all three realtors think you should.

If interest rates are lower when you sell, it probably will sell faster no matter your location. Many factors affect real estate so spend the next year as a student and ask a lot of questions. Your neighbors can tell you what’s sold quickly and what didn’t as well.

I had my house on the market earlier this year, fully staged because I’d already purchased a new house and moved out. Great feedback from realtors about how well it showed, but not a single offer. My staging contract ended and they removed all the furniture and art and a few weeks later I got an offer. Was it the staged photos online? Was it the empty house in person? It’s all a crapshoot, and so I believe that the only sure fire things are fix what’s broken and clean clean clean and price accordingly.

" It is no longer your house"

That IS the rule. Whether you are still living in it while listed, or you have moved out.

I will echo Diana B above. Tasked with selling my parents 1925 colonial:

No dedicated mud room, no powder room, Formica counters ( white) Vinyl sheet flooring and "cutsie" blue and white wallpaper in the kitchen. A single 6 x 9 bathroom upstairs with the not very charming medicine cabinet over a Formica topped vanity. It did have all hardwood floors.

I staged the "old people" look out of it with a few begged, borrowed things. Pushed their Mary Tyler Moore twin beds together to look as a king, bought bed in a bag at Walmart.

Dad: "Gee .....how come it never looked this good when we were in it?" "Because you never let me DO anything?" Gone. in. three.days.

Why? Lovely neighborhood. Great school system. Big back yard, fenced. Sidewalks. Pretty from the outside...great schools in walking distance.

Schools, beds, life begins with kids.

The folks that bought it? Updated the living daylights out of it. They were 34/36 with two kids. : ) ......as were my own parents when they moved in- 50 years earlier.

At closing, Dad......" Could have gotten more!"....."Dad, maybe in six months and the taxes/maintenance are what per year? It was worth, what these kids were willing to pay, now. Let it go - it is gone..."

Haha, Jan, yes. My mom's house was also in a GREAT school district, and on a half acre of land. One of the only colonials on the market, the rest were split levels that weren't selling. All hardwood floors, very large master bedroom and living room, central A/C, irrigation system, alarm, backyard with gazebo and pool. BUT, one full bath with a shower that dribbled water, cutesy stencils in the kitchen, ugly old carpeting in the bedrooms and on the stairs, every room a different paint color (pink, blue, yellow, etc.) My sister wanted to paint the whole house, but I resisted, and prevailed. Savvy buyers can see through the things that are easy to change.

I’d suggest changing out the “boob” light in the kitchen over the table and either removing the shower curtain or replacing it with a plain one. The other changes the new owner can make, but those two jumped out at me.

Great stories of selling… I will keep them in mind for my OS and DIL when they go to sell.

Also never sign a listing contract for longer than 90 days.

Some realtor will try to get you to sign for 6+ months.

You want to be able to get out as quickly as possible if your realtor turns out to be a dud, and 90 days is a fair time frame for all parties. If still happy, re-sign for another 90 days.

Painting is the easiest diy update. You have plenty of time to break it into segments. SW paint goes on sale regularly. Up to 40% off list. Two things will make your work easier and better quality. The first is a roller extension 6' adjustable. Use it for everything. The second is a high quality angle sash brush. Alpha 2". 2" Wooster Brush Company 4230 Alpha Micro Tip Angle Sash Paint Brush | Applicators, Paint Brushes, Synthetic Brushes - Professional | Paint Supply

Maybe painting is an easy DIY, but it's a lot of work, and not really necessary.

Unless you do your own painting, that paint job will end up being very costly with the high ceilings and multiple angles.

DIY painting is a challenge with toddlers in the house.

Partim, you are so right about toddlers.

DIY in that home? Never. The paint job looks good now leave it alone. As someone else pointed out on here you never know someone might be looking for exactly this colour scheme. Being up-to-date is highly overrated. You just don’t want to give the impression that the place isn’t well looked after.

These are real estate pictures-are they from 2021? Are the walls still in good shape?

@Kcooz07, yes. These are the listing photos, and we haven’t made any changes except for furniture, and whatever crayon colors have ended up on walls.

Hmmm, I would remove the Crayola art… Magic Eraser anyone?

Don’t knock yourself out painting the whole house. You’ve got little ones - you’re pretty busy already.

I think you could buy some inexpensive lights on Amazon of fb marketplace. Other than that, I wouldn’t spend anything.

Late to this party but boy oh boy are you getting WASTE OF MONEY advice. #1 whatever you do you WILL NOT recoup your investment. The only reason to do anything is because you don't care for it and want to enjoy the change. That's the only your return on investment you can ever count on! All you should do is clean and repair. As was said you will never ever choose what your buyer will want. They will repaint. They will choose the flooring they prefer. Carpet that is not horrid will sell a house. Many people do prefer carpet. It's easiest on old joints, it's warmest to walk on, it quiets a home. DO NOT ASSUME anything that will cost you $$$$. Deferred maintenance is where your money should go. Get everything working and clean and call it good. The housing market is too volatile, people's likes are too diverse to put your time energy,$$$ anywhere else.