@Karen Hodge, I hear you!! Sometimes I think the estate agent should carry quite a bit of the blame actually. If they do their job correctly like you see in the adds on TV, they should bring these discrepancies to the attention of the sellers, stand on their morals and say if you can't get it better than this, then you'll have to find someone else to sell your home!! I know you can't make everybody "house proud" but the saying "do unto others" springs to mind. I bet if these same people bought a house not up to scratch, "a current affair" would hear about it but they don't think it wrong to simply walk out on a house that isn't being left nicely for the next family!! I have some friends that recently sold a house in Essendon, Melb and whilst the buyers were back and forth selling their own home, my friends kept watering the plants and even did things like painted out the wardrobes because of the scuff marks made over time!! They cleaned the entire two storey house from top to bottom and finished by mopping the floors as they were exiting. The buyers were so taken by the entire home, they bought it with almost all the furniture that my friends had in it!!

Hi Maria, we love the wood but it is a little overwhelming in that space with the timber floor. A liming white is a great idea as mentioned by a few people here. This will let you have the best of both worlds, a lighter, brighter finish while still allowing the wood grain to show through. You could try Feast Watson Liming White Floor Finish (yes, it's not a floor but it has the size of a floor!) and build up the number of coats until you are happy with the amount of timber grain showing through. You'll probably need to give it a light sand first as it's most likely already got some type of coating on it. The other option would be to leave the walls as is and consider a large, light neutral coloured rug as pompom suggested on the timber floor and perhaps a good sized piece of art on the wall or white wall shelving instead of the dark side unit you have to reduce the amount of timber in the room.

lots and lots of good comments. but it all depends on your goal. i recommend to my young clients to very clearly identify what your goal is ie. just moving out for fun, to live in to next, to create financial security and to have your mo ey work hard for you. And the earlier you start, the better. So, My people start on a planned path that steps them through the process to get to their goals. so, for you, you have to consider the current economy and laws, and your financial situation. At the end of the day, you must buy the right property in the right area at the right price and theres ways of working this out easily. Remember, buying and investment property is about one thing only: Money. And if it isnt makingyou money eitber by capital growth or rent do t do it.

I have two tortured willow trees...(sometimes I wish I didn't since they grow fast and get all tangled up in themselves...and everything else) BUT... if I harvest some of the more interestingly 'tortured' young branches, denude them of their leaves and young bark, I have the frameworks for Christmas wreaths and other interesting decorations. The young little branches, once stripped of their outer soft bark and when dry, can be painted and decorated with glitter or whatever and stood in floor vases. This year, rather than a Christmas tree, having a large mixed pot of coloured, decorated and natural tortured willow branches...and maybe a few wreaths here and there, maybe some of the sentimental tree decos that come out every year and...since this is a cat friendly house...lots of curly ribbons hanging down from the tortured willow 'tree' with the odd fluffy little toy to intrigue. I prefer to bring nature into the house for Christmas. In pagan times at Yule...branches from Fir trees were brought inside and hung with apples and oranges Use was made of dried pine cones and home made candles were an everyday thing only some special ones were made for Yuletide...and that harks back to the cold climate countries...hence the sleigh bells and snow etc. For Australia I prefer to use our native trees and leaves for adornment also for the fragrance these waft around the house. I lovely big frondy lot of gum tree leaves all tied and arranged well and sat in a metal bucket can be a lovely natural touch more in keeping with am Aussie Christmas. Personally I think the commercialisation of tree and home decorations has become rather....'ratty-looking'..fake green pine branches, gaudy baubles etc. Well in advance we go collecting dried seed pods, pine cones and any other nature-products for Christmas decos...all natural and really beautiful!