If you were looking for a new home ...

[minniecarousel]

Leave the carpeting in the bedrooms & disclose that there is hardwood underneath. Many buyers prefer carpet in bedrooms, and if not, knowing that there is hardwood underneath, they can pull it up and refinish later. There is a certain amount of retweaking and decorating when you purchase a home. Cosmetic things like flooring & paint colors are no big deal to me as a buyer.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I have had new carpet installed in every home that I bought. Hardwood floors are a big plus - we have them in our current home in almost every room.

My vote - unless the carpet is very expensive and looks like new, rip it up. The family moving in will not mind paying to have the floors refinished with the stain of their choice. You could even agree to a cash rebate of $X to help cover the re-finishing costs or carpeting (their choice).

One note - HW floors that have been carpeted will have tiny nail holes alond the walls. Refinishing the floors makes it look like new (along with quarter round molding), but you will not have that done, so be aware. Maybe pull up a corner to see what the floor looks like...

 

[DMickey28]

Have just bought a house with somewhat rough hardwood floors upstairs I would have MUCH prefered the house had 3 year old wall to wall carpeting, as long as it was in decent clean shape.

We have beautiful hardwoods throughout the downstairs except the playroom and kitchen. I would much prefer decent carpet (especially only 3 years old) than the rough condition the hardwoods are upstairs. We have carpet in the hall but it's cream and while it looks fine, it's definitely dirty. I can't afford to carpet the bedrooms and re-carpet the hallway just yet and I don't want to/can't afford to refinish the floors. With little kids, I just don't like hardwood in the bedrooms ... they are too cold!!

 

[Disney Doll]

I like carpeting in the bedroom, so I wouldn't mind seeing the bedrooms carpeted as long as the carpet was in reasonably good condition. Generally, hardwood that ahs been covered by carpet is in pretty good shape because it has been protected...other than the tack holes along the edges and as long as there were no animals peeing all over the place.

When we moved in, we had a lvely olive green sculptured rug throughout our whole first floor. We pulled it up and had beautiful hardwood floors beneath.

But, when we redid our upstairs, we put carpeting.

 

[JessicaR]

The existing carpet is in decent condition - maybe a little dated, but well-kept - no stains, tears, etc.
.

I would leave the carpet in the bedroom. Don't go looking for more work. Some of the Town Boards on LI are just completely and totally unreasonable. We are in the process of dealing with one for our business.

The neighbor across from my Mom is in a nursing home and my mom has been helping her by showing the house. So far they must have thought they had gold. They have recently reduced the price but still not enough interest.

Selling on LI is not easy right now.

Good Luck! Hope all goes well for you.

 

[mackeysmom]

How old is the roof? It is in bad shape or something?

I just have to say that roofing problems always plague us, I think we have a ghost.

Your roofing thing is going to hurt you more if the roof needs to be replaced ASAP.

As far as the bedrooms, I would leave them since the other rooms are finished and in great shape.

The roof - although close to 25 years old - is in fine shape. No problem with leaks, no curling, etc. It is the original layer, so the "new roof" wouldn't be a tear-out, just a second layer. However - when any potential buyer (house was on the market for a year) asked how old it was - you could see the looks on their faces - - I got a few estimates and thought that offering an allowance might be a good selling point.

If I had some extra cash - that would be the first thing I would fix, but right now I just can't swing it.

I would leave the carpet in the bedroom. Don't go looking for more work. Some of the Town Boards on LI are just completely and totally unreasonable. We are in the process of dealing with one for our business.

The neighbor across from my Mom is in a nursing home and my mom has been helping her by showing the house. So far they must have thought they had gold. They have recently reduced the price but still not enough interest.

Selling on LI is not easy right now.

Good Luck! Hope all goes well for you.

I never imagined that it would be such a difficult process - I'm finally getting to the homestretch - but the time and $$ involved has completely wiped me out (mentally and financially).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Keep carpeted as long as it is in good condition, update with very inexpensive carpeting if it is in poor condition.

In a seller's market--buyers will often look past cosmetic repairs such as floor refinishing. In a buyer's market--the less the buyer has to do to the house the better.


Allowances on a roof may work, but I've never understood them. It comes out of the home price anyway--but i guess it makes it known that you have considered the condition.

 

[daisyduck123]

We ARE in the process of looking for a new home (actually DH & I have submitted an offer & are just waiting for a response).

During our house hunting process, I have seen so many homes. I can tell you, I'd rather see hardwood than used (don't care what condition it's in, great or awful)carpet. The reason? Any house we move into, we plan to rip out any existing carpeting & put in hardwood throughout...so I'd rather just see what I'm dealing with...not the carpet covering it.

 

[mackeysmom]

Allowances on a roof may work, but I've never understood them. It comes out of the home price anyway--but i guess it makes it known that you have considered the condition.

It is also my way of saying - hey, I know the roof needs to be done, but we aren't talking a HUGE roof tearout which will cost many thousands of dollars. Here are three estimates I received, and here is an allowance towards it. Don't ask for 12K to be taken off the price of the house, when my estimates say it is only 4K and I'm giving you X amount towards it.

Does that make sense?

I should have mentioned that I had the house pre-inspected for that reason. I wanted to have the head's up on anything that might come up in the buyer's inspection and either have the chance to correct it myself in advance, or know how much the corrective work would cost so that I don't get taken advantage of later on.

 

[mackeysmom]

We ARE in the process of looking for a new home (actually DH & I have submitted an offer & are just waiting for a response).

Congrats and good luck

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It is also my way of saying - hey, I know the roof needs to be done, but we aren't talking a HUGE roof tearout which will cost many thousands of dollars. Here are three estimates I received, and here is an allowance towards it. Don't ask for 12K to be taken off the price of the house, when my estimates say it is only 4K and I'm giving you X amount towards it.

Does that make sense?

I should have mentioned that I had the house pre-inspected for that reason. I wanted to have the head's up on anything that might come up in the buyer's inspection and either have the chance to correct it myself in advance, or know how much the corrective work would cost so that I don't get taken advantage of later on.

I have to say that is pretty smart. Because that is what I would do.

Although I have never put a second layer of a roof on a house and probably would not do so ever, esp with an original 25yo roof.

So, it is going to hurt you as an FYI and it is going to be your negotitating issue.

 

[Rora]

If the carpet isn't nasty looking leave it and & mention the hardwoods.

Agreed!

Good luck OP!

 

[aprilgail2]

I would prefer to see the hardwod- I hate carpets- I think they are gross and if I moved into a house that had them I would have to rip them right up anyway!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I'd rather see that there are hardwoods under the carpet to know that is an option if I so desire to ever redo them. On the other hand, if the carpet is not "like new" condition, I'd rather have the carpet removed and the hardwoods redone.

I think a lot of it depends on the condition of the carpet covering the floors.

I agree with this. I really think that hardwoods are a big sell especially if the carpets aren't brand spanking new.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It is also my way of saying - hey, I know the roof needs to be done, but we aren't talking a HUGE roof tearout which will cost many thousands of dollars. Here are three estimates I received, and here is an allowance towards it. Don't ask for 12K to be taken off the price of the house, when my estimates say it is only 4K and I'm giving you X amount towards it.

Does that make sense?

I should have mentioned that I had the house pre-inspected for that reason. I wanted to have the head's up on anything that might come up in the buyer's inspection and either have the chance to correct it myself in advance, or know how much the corrective work would cost so that I don't get taken advantage of later on.

Smart Move.

Many houses we are looking at are sold as is. Not a big deal--but I would love to know what "as is" means. Thankfully, the realtor says that we can still put a clause in for inspections. But it would be lovely to know ahead of time if we should even bother with an offer.

 

[golfgal]

As an experienced homebuyer I would prefer the carpet be left even if it was in bad shape. Having bought a home with hardwood under carpet I know that the wood can be refinished/repaired fairly easily so that doesn't bother me in the slightest. I also know that I am going to most likely replace the carpet anyway so I would take that into consideration when making an offer. If the house is already priced accordingly, fine, if not, I will come in with a low offer and site the new carpet as why.

When we bought our current house the owners spent quite a bit of money repainting to 'freshen' things up. It showed nicely but had zero impact on us buying the house or not as we promptly repainted every room to our taste .

 

[emma'smom]

Leave the carpets....If i was a buyer, I might not want to or have the time/funding to refinish the floors right away. This way I, as the buyer, could know that project was an option---but the carpets would allow me some time to live comfortably in the rooms until I'm ready to refinish/recarpet.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Leave the carpets....If i was a buyer, I might not want to or have the time/funding to refinish the floors right away. This way I, as the buyer, could know that project was an option---but the carpets would allow me some time to live comfortably in the rooms until I'm ready to refinish/recarpet.

Yep.

Now if the whole house was not done, now I got a problem.