Selling a house

There was a lovely large utility room in the house I grew up in which was known as the Dooferall (do-for-all) and maybe in my next (last?) home I shall use that term again!

Absolutely fine to have a separate utility for the washing. Marvellous to have it all out of the way and in its different stages - baskets, racks, dryer etc. In US and Australia you would expect the utility to be separate. Don't think the agent knows much about houses and what it means to live in one. I'd get a different agent who is enthusiastic.

I would love a utility room Dds have them and I can see how useful they are. Just wondering if this Estate Agent was looking at things from a male point of view? having looked round a few houses myself I know DH and I are looking for/at different things.

I'd always look for a house with a utility room. Useful for keeping noisy appliances in, pets, muddy wellies etc etc. When we downsized to our current house, the utility was the one thing lacking in our otherwise perfect house in the place we wanted. No probs - as we had an extra downstairs loo, we've had it converted into a mini laundry with the appliances one on top of the other! The little sink is still in there along with all the junk that goes with washing. Perfect!

I would have thought a utility room as a valued addition to a family home. I only have a small one but love that the extra freezer, washing machine and dryer are there out of the way.

We were selling the husbands wee flat in Copenhagen a few years ago and had to paint the bedroom white as the agent decided the lovely yellow had to go!!! The new owner probably has it sky blue pink now.

Oh my goodness, that's what we plan to do with our house! A utility room is essential, having a noisy washing machine and tumble dryer in the kitchen is what most people would hate. A separate loo and possibly a shower, is also a good idea nowadays. Agents should give some advice. Telling my neighbours that their house wasn't going to fetch the top price for the area because everything looked so unkempt, including a front drive covered in weeds might have meant that after having 30 odd possible buyers, that there was something not quite right! I'm glad that a different agent was used though.
Just one thing, LA? at first I thought the property was in America! Can't get used to all the acronyms.

Leave it alone. In my experience people buy houses and change them anyway. Doesn't matter what the person before has done it is ripped out and changed. The house next door to me has been 'updated' by everyone who bought it. I would say de-clutter, my DIL did that when they were selling, boxes of CDs, books,toys etc sent off to a friend's house. It looked like a show house, and it sold within a week. (Seemed a bit empty to me-but what do I know!!)

We built a utility room onto our last house at the back of the garage and it was a godsend just to have another sink for "dirty work" like washing paint brushes and cleaning walking boots. It also housed our fridge, boiler and the washing machine. When we sold the house, people who came to see it said how nice it was to have a separate utility room, so tell your agent to take a running jump. As others have said, if people don't want it, they can get rid of it. We have a separate utility room here and it is only small but it has some valuable cupboard space and a sink and houses my washer.

We have a small utility room, coats, washer, dryer, fridge freezer. I'd like a bigger one. I did laugh, GillT57

Maggieanne LA = local authority
trisher it's a three bed and only him living there, a few books on shelves in the lounge are the only personal touch. The rest has been 'dressed' to sell. It's not officially on the market yet and one of the agents rang to book a client a "pre-viewing" so I think it will be a quick sale. He's just got to find something to buy

The agent was probably young male who hasn't got a clue about kitchens etc. Much prefer them separate. You don't need to clean the utility room so much as the kitchen.

nina Is there any chance of the EA doing the "pre-viewing" giving a "pre-marketing" discount on his fee's if his viewer proceeds with the sale,after all the EA will surely be saving mega amounts on advertising if a sale is agreed.It sounds like a nice sort after property to me.

nina It sounds great. I was amazed at what my DIL did to de-clutter. Can't see me ever get round to doing that, so I think I will be staying put!
Hope sale goes well.

"A utility room is essential" - really?

I would imagine what price range the house come into would make a big difference on whether it would be considered in any way "essential". I can see no point on such a big expenditure just as you are about to move. If you really feel it would make a difference get some plans drawn to show how it could be done; I can see no point on spending the money to do it.

Sounds like an over-pretentious estate agent to me. Why should he be telling you how to change your house? Yes you need it all to be tidy and look well cared for but you are selling it for heavens sake.

I think a utility room is definitely a selling point. Estate agents are idiots!

We had a utility room in our old house - after 3 1/2 years here, I still miss it! I agree, the estate agent is a) probably a man, b) an idiot...

Have just sold mine today. Buyer loved the separate utility room. The one I'm buying is much smaller as am downsizing but have already decided to put the kitchen into the dining room and turn the undersized kitchen at the back into a utility room and downstairs loo.
PS utility room known as futility room in our family due to the esoteric collection of objects that live there.

Make sure your estate agent understands that their ideas about how a property's various rooms are arranged are not relevant. Their job is to sell the house as it is now and point out all its good features. Suggesting to potential buyers how much could/should be done to alter the existing layout makes them calculate how much that would cost. Any offer would be lowered accordingly.

Gracesgran if you read my op the work has all been done
I was simply asking for opinions on whether people would like a utility and it seems almost unanimous that they would.

On a slightly related topic, DH and I are considering signing up for a new build. It's a bungalow, which is unusual these days, but what we want. The one thing I'm not sure about is the open plan living/dining/kitchen. Any opinions on this?

I've never had a utility, but think I would really like to have one,

grannybuy I like open plan layouts when I see them on TV shows, but then I start to think of the practicalities like noise and heating a large area instead of three smaller ones. I also like to be able to close the kitchen off from the living room. If I had a choice I would choose a layout where all three rooms could open in to each other, but also be closed off using sliding doors or something similar. Sorry if that sounds like I'm on the fence.

You're right ninathenana - I had got the wrong end of the stick but either way I don't think it was the business of the agent. Which was what I was commenting on.

Gracesgran

My opinion of Estate Agents (never high) has plummeted to an all time low. DD1 has finally (and a lot of the delay was EA fault-a whole other thread)moved into a flat-Victorian conversion-she has bought in London
I reckon she and I have in 4 days added at least £5000 to the 'value'by :
Giving the place a thorough clean
ripping down the filthy net curtains
Weeding the front garden and planting the flowerbed
taking down dirty lampshades
Next task is to scrub , deflake and paint the exterior masonry windowcils.Basically in good condition .
You would think an agent would suggest at least the easy bits of this?
Oddly, it has been repainted white throughout and the carpets are new(possibly a smoker tenant?).The bathroom is new ,though hasn't been properly finished .The kitchen is well designed and has lots of storage and work surface though not huge.
None of this was mentioned in the particulars nor its lovely SE aspect (its v light and sunny but DD saw in November ,and the electricity wasn't on so hard to take in some features too )
There is a useful -for -storage dry cellar ,admittedly presently full of rubbish (5 sackfuls removed so far )but again not mentioned .
There is very similar done-up (i e.no period features) flat down the road which has just sold for £45,000 more ....And its leasehold, while this freehold .Selling property money for old rope ?
DD has said when she comes to sell she will do it herself
And any woman would tell you a proper utilty is so useful .