I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has hardwood
flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living room, dining
room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The carpet is in
pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty. I've had
carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but there's still a
lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve saleability
the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize it is
an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for example, 75% of
buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?

The house is a contemporary ranch, located in central New Jersey, circa
1978, and has a full basement so these floors are not on a slab. Asking
price will be somewhere in the range $450K - $550K.

Thanks

"Ken Korona" wrote in message
So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers.

Your wife is right. Have you watched any of the DIY home improvement shows?
The How to Sell Your House shows? Hardwood flooring is in right now and
lots of carpeting is being torn out.

The buyer may take your brand new carpet and toss it to have the hardwood
floors instead. OTOH, they can always carpet over it if they desire or get
area rugs of their choosing. Freshly done floors will be a bit selling
point. Brighten up the rooms with a neutral color paint too. I forget the
cable channel, but look for a show called "Sell This House" for some ideas
that can make you a big payback for small investments.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

Hardwood.


"Ken Korona" wrote in message
...
I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living
room, dining room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The
carpet is in pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty.
I've had carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but
there's still a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize it
is an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for example, 75%
of buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?

The house is a contemporary ranch, located in central New Jersey, circa
1978, and has a full basement so these floors are not on a slab. Asking
price will be somewhere in the range $450K - $550K.

Thanks

Hardwood and white paint is the way to go.

Let me ask you this, if you were in the market to buy a house, would you put
a small child on the floor to play in someone else's dirt. Listen to your
wife, rip up the filthy carpet and toss it. In years to come you will see
carpet disappear everywhere as people are starting to realize that carpet
causes health problems and it is never fully cleaned even after shampooing.
Carpet is an excellent place to breed all kinds of little unseen animals.
Nice clean hardwood flooring is the only way to go plus it will add to the
equity and up the value of your home.
GpD
"Ken Korona" wrote in message
...
I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living
room, dining room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The
carpet is in pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty.
I've had carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but
there's still a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize it
is an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for example, 75%
of buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?

The house is a contemporary ranch, located in central New Jersey, circa
1978, and has a full basement so these floors are not on a slab. Asking
price will be somewhere in the range $450K - $550K.

Thanks

"Ken Korona" wrote in message
...
I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living
room, dining room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The
carpet is in pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty.
I've had carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but
there's still a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

SNIP

I have always been told to NEVER spend money on selling a house. Do MINOR
cosmetic improvements but NEVER major renovations. If you still think you
need to, go with the hardwood floors....

Ken Korona wrote:

I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood
flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living room, dining
room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The carpet is in
pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty. I've had
carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but there's still
a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability
the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize it
is an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for example, 75%
of buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?


A dirty and stained carpet will be seen as just another thing the buyer
needs to do before they move in. Hardwood always seems to be a selling
point. I'd refinish the floors.

--
--Marc

Ken Korona wrote:

I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood
flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living room, dining
room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The carpet is in
pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty. I've had
carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but there's still
a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability
the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.


Have you picked an agent out yet? Why not ask him/her? They should know what
sells in your area in that price range. And they're motivated to sell. Of
course, they don't care how much you put into it, but at least it's another
data point.

--
--Marc

It is not always easier, trying to guess what will please buyers.
Everyone is different. One trend around here is to set an asking price
then offer a carpet replacement allowance. You may have to lift up the
carpet so that prospective buyers can look at the hardwood themselves
and judge whether it's good enough to repair. Hardwood is a big seller
down here....be sure to get estimates on carpet replacement and
repair/cleaning hardwood...before setting the amount of allowance you
will give back to buyer.

"One trend around here is to set an asking price
then offer a carpet replacement allowance. "


Trying to sell a house with carpet in poor shape IMO, is not a good
idea even with a credit. Many buyers will devalue the home based on
overall impression because of the way it looks more than the value of a
reasonable carpet credit. You may find a buyer who will not, but it
could take much longer

If the hardwood floors just need to be refinished, I would get the
carpet out and do it pronto.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers.

It is to me

Id buy a hardwood floor over carpeting any day

m Ransley wrote:
Hardwood and white paint is the way to go.

I prefer to use polyurethane on hardwood, but to each his own!

An off-white or neutral paint for the walls would probably be more
readily accepted by prospective buyers. True white is kind of harsh
looking.

Hardwood floors are most certainly a premium flooring. Refinishing
would also probably be less costly than all but the cheapest carpet.

R

In article .com,
says...

"One trend around here is to set an asking price
then offer a carpet replacement allowance. "


Trying to sell a house with carpet in poor shape IMO, is not a good
idea even with a credit. Many buyers will devalue the home based on
overall impression because of the way it looks more than the value of a
reasonable carpet credit. You may find a buyer who will not, but it
could take much longer

If the hardwood floors just need to be refinished, I would get the
carpet out and do it pronto.


Is that refinishing with sanding, staining, etc?

If so, I'd get inexpensive low-pile neutral-colored carpet, and state that the
hardwood floors are under there.

I wouldn't be moving furniture out, being off the floors for days, putting up
with all that, just for a sale.

Yeah, I know hardwood floors are the hot thing right now, but...

There are a lot of buyers most interested in things being move-in for a start,
then get do what they want as time goes on. Mebbe they didn't WANT the floors to
be honey-oak, they'll be staining it a darker color anyway.

Just do what you need to make the house move-in, and that's it.

And I think the HGTV shows are designed to sell designers and remodellers.

Banty

Ken Korona wrote:
I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a
lot of work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house
has hardwood flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the
living room, dining room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the
hardwood. The carpet is in pretty skunky condition, not terribly
worn, but very dirty. I've had carpet cleaners come in and it makes
it a little better, but there's still a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize
it is an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for
example, 75% of buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?

The house is a contemporary ranch, located in central New Jersey,
circa 1978, and has a full basement so these floors are not on a
slab. Asking price will be somewhere in the range $450K - $550K.

Thanks

Rip up the skanky carpet. Don't re-carpet.

Give the buyer an option:
1. You will refinish the floors,
2. You will recarpet the house with the buyer's choice,
3. You will reduce your selling price by $3,000 (or whatever) if the buyer
takes it as-is.

Whether you re-finish the floors, leave the stained carpet, or put down new
will be seen by a significant pool of prospects as a liability to overcome.

(Me, I'd take the price reduction, but others may have differing
priorities.)

Get an estimate from a floor refinisher. Add to the price of the house then
offer prospective buyers choice of refinished floors or $$ toward new
carpet. A small enticement often can make the difference.


"Ken Korona" wrote in message
...
I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living
room, dining room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The
carpet is in pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty.
I've had carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but
there's still a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize it
is an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for example, 75%
of buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?

The house is a contemporary ranch, located in central New Jersey, circa
1978, and has a full basement so these floors are not on a slab. Asking
price will be somewhere in the range $450K - $550K.

Thanks

"Jeff" wrote in message ...
Get an estimate from a floor refinisher. Add to the price of the house
then offer prospective buyers choice of refinished floors or $$ toward new
carpet. A small enticement often can make the difference.


If you have an interested buyer, yes, it can. OTOH, if the potential buyer
is turned off by anything they see, they quickly lose interest and will not
make an offer at all, but just move on to some other place. There is a TV
show called "Sell This House" where they hold an open house and get commetns
from hidden cameras. People snub the house and have no interest. Three
days and a couple hundred bucks later, they are making offers at the asking
price.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

"Is that refinishing with sanding, staining, etc?

If so, I'd get inexpensive low-pile neutral-colored carpet, and state
that the
hardwood floors are under there. I wouldn't be moving furniture out,
being off the floors for days, putting up
with all that, just for a sale. "

Doesn't sound like all that much trouble to make a house look really
good with hardwood floors. You want to get a high price and quick
sals. Brand new hardwood floors are going to do a lot more to achieve
that than some contractor grade carpet. And I would expect the carpet
to cost more than the refinishing. Telling buyers there are wood
floors underneath isn't going to do much. The buyers will figure they
must be crap, otherwise you wouldn't be covering them up with new
carpet. And there's no way for them to know the truth either, since
they can't see the wood without ripping out the carpet.

"If you have an interested buyer, yes, it can. OTOH, if the potential
buyer
is turned off by anything they see, they quickly lose interest and will
not
make an offer at all, but just move on to some other place. There is a
TV
show called "Sell This House" where they hold an open house and get
commetns
from hidden cameras. People snub the house and have no interest.
Three
days and a couple hundred bucks later, they are making offers at the
asking
price.
--
Ed "

That's pretty much my thinking too. I would think trading old carpet
for a refinished wood floor would be a tradeoff where the bucks spent,
which aren't all that much, would be well worth it.

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 12:44:56 GMT, "Dr. Hardcrab"
scribbled this interesting note:


"Ken Korona" wrote in message
...
I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living
room, dining room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The
carpet is in pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty.
I've had carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but
there's still a lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

SNIP

I have always been told to NEVER spend money on selling a house. Do MINOR
cosmetic improvements but NEVER major renovations. If you still think you
need to, go with the hardwood floors....


Good advice, as far as it goes. How about this instead?

When selling a house, spend every dollar that will gain you, over and
above the dollar spent, higher sales prices. When you hit the point
where the next dollar you spend to fix up your home only results in
one more dollar on the sales price, you need to stop.

--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 08:56:07 -0500, Marc
scribbled this interesting note:

Have you picked an agent out yet? Why not ask him/her? They should know what
sells in your area in that price range. And they're motivated to sell. Of
course, they don't care how much you put into it, but at least it's another
data point.

Read Freakonomics. It has a very interesting analysis about Real
Estate agents and how they may, or may not be motivated to sell you
house for the highest amount possible.


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

"Ken Korona" wrote in message
...
I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has
hardwood
flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living room, dining
room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The carpet is in
pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty. I've had
carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but there's still
a
lot of stains.

So my question is what should I do with the flooring to improve
saleability
the most? I guess my choices a

1. just get the carpet cleaned

2. install new carpet

3. remove the carpet and refinish the underlying hardwood flooring.

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize it
is
an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for example, 75% of
buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?

The house is a contemporary ranch, located in central New Jersey, circa
1978, and has a full basement so these floors are not on a slab. Asking
price will be somewhere in the range $450K - $550K.

The hardwood may not need a full refinish. If it wasn't too bad before
carpet was put down, the carpet was vacumed regularly, and no leaky kids or
pets or spills made wet spots that were left wet, it may only need a good
cleaning and a buffed wax job. You can spot-stain any bad spots, (like where
grit filtered though in traffic paths) once it is clean, before you wax.
Hardest part will be getting that damn tack strip up without doing damage.
If carpet cleaners got those nails wet, there will be rust spots. Plus the
holes will need filling. If pad was glued to floor, or if it self-welded
like it sometimes does due to pressure and chemistry with the floor finish,
you are probably SOL and will have to scrape and sand.

aem (not a fan of W/W carpet) sends....

In article . com,
says...

"Is that refinishing with sanding, staining, etc?

If so, I'd get inexpensive low-pile neutral-colored carpet, and state
that the
hardwood floors are under there. I wouldn't be moving furniture out,
being off the floors for days, putting up
with all that, just for a sale. "

Doesn't sound like all that much trouble to make a house look really
good with hardwood floors. You want to get a high price and quick
sals. Brand new hardwood floors are going to do a lot more to achieve
that than some contractor grade carpet. And I would expect the carpet
to cost more than the refinishing. Telling buyers there are wood
floors underneath isn't going to do much. The buyers will figure they
must be crap, otherwise you wouldn't be covering them up with new
carpet. And there's no way for them to know the truth either, since
they can't see the wood without ripping out the carpet.


Naw - it's very common to have rugs over hardwood, and state that. Believe it
or not, a lot of folks LIKE carpeting, and aren't just hiding icky hardwood
floors.

I mean, if you're Mr. Flip This House - OK, do the hardwood floor thang.

But most people are actually trying to LIVE in their houses, and make a living,
and have fun with friends, and tend to kids, etc. etc. etc., when they're fixing
to sell. I just think there are other factors here other than totally sprucing
a house up for market.

Sanding/staining/etc. is a BIG hassle. Getting a new carpet in isn't.

It's the different philosophies in selling houses. I'm in the midddle. On one
hand, you aren't going to move something in the market very well that folks have
to put a fair amount of money in just to get their family and furniture in -
although some folks say just sell as is. On the other hand, IMO it's just nuts
to spend $$$, mucho energy and time fixing up *somebody else's house* when
you're trying to actually, y'know, LIVE a LIFE in THAT HOUSE.

So, IME and from folks in family and friends in real estate, a decent in-between
philosophy is to fix things that most folks would find hard to live with and
that might signal worries about the house condition, and that's it. Mebbe the
house that Lisa LaPorta has fixed up for HGTV next door, or that Mr. Flippit has
granite-countered, travertine-bathed, and hardwood-floored down the block, will
move a little faster, but you'll get a decent price and actually not have to
visit the doc for a back problem and the marriage counsellor before it's over.

Cheers,
Banty

"John Willis" wrote in message
Read Freakonomics. It has a very interesting analysis about Real
Estate agents and how they may, or may not be motivated to sell you
house for the highest amount possible.


Never read it, but the scenario is easy with anyone working on commission.

Do you want 3% of $200,000 today or do you want to risk waiting because you
may get $205,00 next week or the week after. Or you may not get another
offer for two more months and it may be even less? OK what do you want to
do?

Ken Korona wrote:

I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has hardwood
flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living room, dining
room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The carpet is in
pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty. I've had
carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but there's still a
lot of stains.

Hardwood floors are always a feature, whether covered or not. I sure
would not put down new carpet or refinish the floor unless it is a real
buyer's market there. If you know the entire floor is in good shape,
might consider taking up carpet in dining room or whatever is stained
worst, or just pull up a corner so it can be seen. If you go to the
trouble and cost of refinishing, you may end up with a buyer who wants
to slap carpet down on top of it. We have a condo neighbor who tore up
5 rooms of brand new laminate wood flooring to put down tile when he
purchased the unit )

In article . net, Norminn
says...

Ken Korona wrote:

I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has hardwood
flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living room, dining
room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The carpet is in
pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty. I've had
carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but there's still a
lot of stains.

Hardwood floors are always a feature, whether covered or not. I sure
would not put down new carpet or refinish the floor unless it is a real
buyer's market there. If you know the entire floor is in good shape,
might consider taking up carpet in dining room or whatever is stained
worst, or just pull up a corner so it can be seen. If you go to the
trouble and cost of refinishing, you may end up with a buyer who wants
to slap carpet down on top of it. We have a condo neighbor who tore up
5 rooms of brand new laminate wood flooring to put down tile when he
purchased the unit )

Ah, a man of taste

Banty

"Grandpa Dan" wrote in message
...
Let me ask you this, if you were in the market to buy a house, would you
put a small child on the floor to play in someone else's dirt. Listen to
your wife, rip up the filthy carpet and toss it. In years to come you will
see carpet disappear everywhere as people are starting to realize that
carpet causes health problems and it is never fully cleaned even after
shampooing. Carpet is an excellent place to breed all kinds of little
unseen animals. Nice clean hardwood flooring is the only way to go plus it
will add to the equity and up the value of your home.

I agree 100%. Earlier this year we had all of our carpet pulled up and the
floors either refinished or (in the case of our kitchen) installed. I
bought one of those Shark electric sweepers and two Swiffers to keep the
floors clean, and we are totally amazed at the amount of dirt we're picking
up on a daily basis. It sickens me to realize that at least half of that
dirt remained in our carpets and our grandbabies were crawling around in
that filth! I think more of us are now aware of how unhealthy carpeting
really is, so I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick house
sale to do away with carpets and refinish the floors!!!

Liz

"On the other hand, IMO it's just nuts
to spend $$$, mucho energy and time fixing up *somebody else's house*
when
you're trying to actually, y'know, LIVE a LIFE in THAT HOUSE.

So, IME and from folks in family and friends in real estate, a decent
in-between
philosophy is to fix things that most folks would find hard to live
with and
that might signal worries about the house condition, and that's it. "

So, based on that, you'd go and spend money for new carpet, when you
could thow out the old carpet, have the existing hardwood floors
refinished, and have hardwood floors to show, for less than the cost of
new carpet?

In article .com,
says...

"On the other hand, IMO it's just nuts
to spend $$$, mucho energy and time fixing up *somebody else's house*
when
you're trying to actually, y'know, LIVE a LIFE in THAT HOUSE.

So, IME and from folks in family and friends in real estate, a decent
in-between
philosophy is to fix things that most folks would find hard to live
with and
that might signal worries about the house condition, and that's it. "

So, based on that, you'd go and spend money for new carpet, when you
could thow out the old carpet, have the existing hardwood floors
refinished, and have hardwood floors to show, for less than the cost of
new carpet?


I'd look into it first. But it isn't just the money. It's the time, too. But
I'm not convinced carpet wouldn't be cheaper. The O.P was talking about one
room with the ratty carpet, IIIRC.

Banty

Banty

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 21:06:29 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
scribbled this interesting note:


"John Willis" wrote in message
Read Freakonomics. It has a very interesting analysis about Real
Estate agents and how they may, or may not be motivated to sell you
house for the highest amount possible.


Never read it, but the scenario is easy with anyone working on commission.

Do you want 3% of $200,000 today or do you want to risk waiting because you
may get $205,00 next week or the week after. Or you may not get another
offer for two more months and it may be even less? OK what do you want to
do?


Exactly. That's just $150.00 more to the realtor. They aren't
motivated to do anything extra for $150.00.


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...

snip

Rip up the skanky carpet. Don't re-carpet.

Give the buyer an option:
1. You will refinish the floors,
2. You will recarpet the house with the buyer's choice,
3. You will reduce your selling price by $3,000 (or whatever) if the buyer
takes it as-is.

Whether you re-finish the floors, leave the stained carpet, or put down
new will be seen by a significant pool of prospects as a liability to
overcome.

(Me, I'd take the price reduction, but others may have differing
priorities.)

This is a very rational approach, but unfortunately, many home buyers are
not rational and don't have the ability to visualize what the house will
look like once the floors are either finished or new carpet is installed.
All they see is ugly floors and they can't get past that problem.

I was selling a very nice house last year, and the only fault with the house
was worn out and stained carpet. In the sales flyer I clearly stated that I
would replace the carpet in the house with a high grade carpet in whatever
color/texture the buyer wanted. I didn't want to waste money installing new
beige carpet if the eventual buyer really needed/wanted blue carpet. The one
piece of feedback I got from most agents who showed the house was that the
existing carpet was a real put-off for their clients regardless of my
committment to replacing it with whatever the client wanted.

Things rocked on this way for several months, then I threw in the towel and
installed inexpensive beige carpet. The house sold to the second family who
saw it after the carpet replacement.

KB

Liz wrote:
"Grandpa Dan" wrote in message
...
Let me ask you this, if you were in the market to buy a house, would you
put a small child on the floor to play in someone else's dirt. Listen to
your wife, rip up the filthy carpet and toss it. In years to come you will
see carpet disappear everywhere as people are starting to realize that
carpet causes health problems and it is never fully cleaned even after
shampooing. Carpet is an excellent place to breed all kinds of little
unseen animals. Nice clean hardwood flooring is the only way to go plus it
will add to the equity and up the value of your home.

I agree 100%. Earlier this year we had all of our carpet pulled up and the
floors either refinished or (in the case of our kitchen) installed. I
bought one of those Shark electric sweepers and two Swiffers to keep the
floors clean, and we are totally amazed at the amount of dirt we're picking
up on a daily basis. It sickens me to realize that at least half of that
dirt remained in our carpets and our grandbabies were crawling around in
that filth! I think more of us are now aware of how unhealthy carpeting
really is, so I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick house
sale to do away with carpets and refinish the floors!!!

Liz

My opinion exactly. Given a choice and a time machine I would shoot
the first cave man who ever pitched a bear sking on the cave floor.
They are nothing but a dirt trap and a money pit trying to keep them
clean. Just had my dining room and kitchen vinyl replaced, wanted to
continue into the living room...Ah no, she just HAD to have new carpet.
Didn't have that light colored one a year before she was agreeing with
me. Will probobably have it ripped out next summer.

Things that should never be in a house. Carpet. Sliding patio doors.
Wall paper (unless the one insisting on it is going to do the re-do
when needed).

Harry K
Harry K

In article .com, Harry K
says...


Things that should never be in a house. Carpet. Sliding patio doors.
Wall paper (unless the one insisting on it is going to do the re-do
when needed).

Well, I agree about the sliding patio doors.

Banty

On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 08:12:35 -0800, Harry K wrote:


Liz wrote:
"Grandpa Dan" wrote in message
...
Let me ask you this, if you were in the market to buy a house, would you
put a small child on the floor to play in someone else's dirt. Listen to
your wife, rip up the filthy carpet and toss it. In years to come you will
see carpet disappear everywhere as people are starting to realize that
carpet causes health problems and it is never fully cleaned even after
shampooing. Carpet is an excellent place to breed all kinds of little
unseen animals. Nice clean hardwood flooring is the only way to go plus it
will add to the equity and up the value of your home.

I agree 100%. Earlier this year we had all of our carpet pulled up and the
floors either refinished or (in the case of our kitchen) installed. I
bought one of those Shark electric sweepers and two Swiffers to keep the
floors clean, and we are totally amazed at the amount of dirt we're picking
up on a daily basis. It sickens me to realize that at least half of that
dirt remained in our carpets and our grandbabies were crawling around in
that filth! I think more of us are now aware of how unhealthy carpeting
really is, so I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick house
sale to do away with carpets and refinish the floors!!!

Liz

My opinion exactly. Given a choice and a time machine I would shoot
the first cave man who ever pitched a bear sking on the cave floor.
They are nothing but a dirt trap and a money pit trying to keep them
clean. Just had my dining room and kitchen vinyl replaced, wanted to
continue into the living room...Ah no, she just HAD to have new carpet.
Didn't have that light colored one a year before she was agreeing with
me. Will probobably have it ripped out next summer.

Carpet in the dining room? Ouch. We ripped up the vinyl in ours (halls
and kitchen too) and put down bamboo. It turned out to be about the same
price as half-decent vinyl, by the time it was all done.

Things that should never be in a house. Carpet. Sliding patio doors.
Wall paper (unless the one insisting on it is going to do the re-do when
needed).

wall paper. Boy I guess! I had wall-paper from hell in my
downstairs bathroom. The nutcase that installed it did it over an
unpainted and unsized skim coat of drywall compound. What a mess. I
would have been better off ripping it down to the studs and starting over.
Paint still doesn't want to stick to the walls.

--
Keith

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:23:03 -0500, "Ken Korona"
wrote:

I'm planning on selling my home this spring. Currently I'm doing a lot of
work to put it in as good shape as possible. The entire house has hardwood
flooring (common 2 1/2 inch wide oak). Currently the living room, dining
room, and master bedroom are carpeted over the hardwood. The carpet is in
pretty skunky condition, not terribly worn, but very dirty. I've had
carpet cleaners come in and it makes it a little better, but there's still a
lot of stains.

.....

My wife in convinced that hardwood is far and away preferable to most
buyers. Personally, I prefer carpet to hardwood flooring. I realize it is
an individual thing, but are there any stats that say, for example, 75% of
buyers prefer hardwood over carpeting?

The bride is right, as mentioned here before. Check the stats or
trends with your Realtor. I say go with the oak floor - I don't think
they make 'em like that anymore, besides ya don't know what's under
"skunky" carpet except a need for a good cleaning. Your wood floor is
a value on your house now, make is show up in the sale. Forget
allowances, etc. (if it's broke - fix it) IMHO things very much
depend on the buyer and their intentions for the house and we don't
always know that, so you have offers and counter offers. A primary
occupant can enjoy less work in the future if the house needs less
attention. You say "good shape". Would you buy it.. change it... move
in a "turn key" home and enjoy it?

An Investor may simply change the carpeted rooms, lease for years and
deal with it later.

The house is a contemporary ranch, located in central New Jersey, circa
1978, and has a full basement so these floors are not on a slab. Asking
price will be somewhere in the range $450K - $550K.

Asking and getting is what the "right" buyer and the seller are
willing settle and who is motivated the most.


Oren
"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland
and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore
excused from saving Universes."

What's wrong with patio doors??

"Keith" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 08:12:35 -0800, Harry K wrote:


Liz wrote:
"Grandpa Dan" wrote in message
...
Let me ask you this, if you were in the market to buy a house, would
you
put a small child on the floor to play in someone else's dirt. Listen
to
your wife, rip up the filthy carpet and toss it. In years to come you
will
see carpet disappear everywhere as people are starting to realize that
carpet causes health problems and it is never fully cleaned even after
shampooing. Carpet is an excellent place to breed all kinds of little
unseen animals. Nice clean hardwood flooring is the only way to go
plus it
will add to the equity and up the value of your home.

I agree 100%. Earlier this year we had all of our carpet pulled up and
the
floors either refinished or (in the case of our kitchen) installed. I
bought one of those Shark electric sweepers and two Swiffers to keep the
floors clean, and we are totally amazed at the amount of dirt we're
picking
up on a daily basis. It sickens me to realize that at least half of
that
dirt remained in our carpets and our grandbabies were crawling around in
that filth! I think more of us are now aware of how unhealthy carpeting
really is, so I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick
house
sale to do away with carpets and refinish the floors!!!

Liz

My opinion exactly. Given a choice and a time machine I would shoot
the first cave man who ever pitched a bear sking on the cave floor.
They are nothing but a dirt trap and a money pit trying to keep them
clean. Just had my dining room and kitchen vinyl replaced, wanted to
continue into the living room...Ah no, she just HAD to have new carpet.
Didn't have that light colored one a year before she was agreeing with
me. Will probobably have it ripped out next summer.

Carpet in the dining room? Ouch. We ripped up the vinyl in ours (halls
and kitchen too) and put down bamboo. It turned out to be about the same
price as half-decent vinyl, by the time it was all done.

Things that should never be in a house. Carpet. Sliding patio doors.
Wall paper (unless the one insisting on it is going to do the re-do when
needed).

wall paper. Boy I guess! I had wall-paper from hell in my
downstairs bathroom. The nutcase that installed it did it over an
unpainted and unsized skim coat of drywall compound. What a mess. I
would have been better off ripping it down to the studs and starting over.
Paint still doesn't want to stick to the walls.

--
Keith

On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:29:32 -0500, boubou wrote:

What's wrong with patio doors??

When it's -20F outside they tend to be pretty good heat sinks.

--
Keith

"Keith" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:29:32 -0500, boubou wrote:

What's wrong with patio doors??

When it's -20F outside they tend to be pretty good heat sinks.

--
Keith

Maybe, I but I still like the view. I can sit and watch the snow fall, the
animals in the woods. Mine is a Pella 8 footer.

hummm, you are right there.
What if I put a heavy curtain on them for those days?

"Keith" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:29:32 -0500, boubou wrote:

What's wrong with patio doors??

When it's -20F outside they tend to be pretty good heat sinks.

--
Keith

In article , Keith says...

On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:29:32 -0500, boubou wrote:

What's wrong with patio doors??

When it's -20F outside they tend to be pretty good heat sinks.


And I hate sliding heavy stuff back and forth. (Sure, it glides sooo nicely when
it's *new*...) And having access to only one side at a time.

Banty (who chucked her mirrored closet sliding doors for nice, simple bifolds)

Mine's a Valcor patio door. New home, not sure of size but I think it's at
least a 6 foot door if not 7, it looks pretty big!
Self cleaning glass.
The view is awsome, trees, snow and birds.
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news

"Keith" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:29:32 -0500, boubou wrote:

What's wrong with patio doors??

When it's -20F outside they tend to be pretty good heat sinks.

--
Keith

Maybe, I but I still like the view. I can sit and watch the snow fall,
the animals in the woods. Mine is a Pella 8 footer.