Should you make repairs to your home before you sell? This is a very common question that I am asked by many sellers. I’m sure you have heard that homes in move-in-ready condition sell for more money than those that need a little TLC, and while that is mostly true, there are some repairs that may not yield a high return on investment when you go to sell. So how do you decide which repairs to complete and what not to fix when you’re selling your home?
That’s where I come in!
My job is to educate you on what may be a potential issue with buyers in the current market, and what you can (or should) skip, while still disclosing. Safety concerns or costly repairs should be addressed, such as electrical issues or faulty wiring, moisture or water infiltration, leaks, or other plumbing or septic-related issues.
Now let’s get to the items you 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 fix. Some home repairs you can eliminate from your list because they’re too much work for the reward, or too expensive to earn back at the price when you go to sell.
• 𝙲𝚘𝚜𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎.
Some cosmetic changes, such as repairing scuffed floors, or old paint, are relatively easy to do, however, they may not be worth the extra effort. Most of the time it’s better to leave these changes up to the buyers to customize according to their preferences. Unless you have very bold colors, or the floors are tired and worn, you can forgo these updates. Your agent should help you decide which cosmetic issues to address based on how much time and money they’ll take to fix them.
• 𝙷𝚊𝚕𝚏𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚜.
If you can’t afford to make the full repair, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧𝘸𝘢𝘺. It’s better to spend the money to complete the repair correctly or disclose the problem to potential buyers than try to do a patch job at a low cost.
Thinking about selling and wondering what repairs or updates you can do to increase your value and get top dollar? Before you spend one penny, send me a message, and let’s chat!
