Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
It’s pretty understandable that when it’s time to sell, getting offers for the right amount is your top priority. Doing strategic fixes and updates can get you right where you want to be - getting generous offers without wasting your money on improvements that do little to entice potential buyers. When you’re repairing your home to sell, it’s important to consider all the improvements that are most important to buyers and you should channel your budget into repairs that will benefit you the most. For instance, if there are minor damages on your metal roofing, make sure that you prioritize this repair over cosmetic improvements on your home.
First of all, fixing to sell means offering a home that you would want to live in yourself. If you’re trying to sell your property “as is” with scratched floors, a questionably functional HVAC, or broken appliances, you will likely receive low-ball offers that are figuring the cost of the improvements post-purchase in mind. To avoid selling for less and missing out on a huge chunk of the profits, as a homeowner you need to find cost-effective solutions to make the fixes so you will offer a product that is above reproach. Have in mind that not all renovations have an equal impact on what your home is worth. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of seven important home repairs and updates that you should do before putting your property on the market.
Damaged-up wood flooring, outdated carpeting, and tired linoleum make your home feel sad. While facing such flooring, buyers might take just one step inside and scratch the property from their list. Do you want to increase the value of your home before putting in on the market? Install new flooring, because buyers don’t want to deal with replacing carpet.
According to a report by Zillow, floor repairing is an improvement that 26% of the homeowners make before they sell. If your property got lots of rooms with different types of flooring, you might want to bite the bullet and invest in new flooring for all, in order to create a seamless feel throughout the house. Have in mind that wood floors and even faux-wood floors are preferable to carpeting even though those options are more costly. If your property already has hardwood floors, a fine refinishing will get the job done. If you cannot afford to upgrade to wood, new carpeting is still a major upgrade. Whether you are looking to hire a labor worker to fit new carpeting or a hardwood professional, visit YourJobCost and check the price guides of all flooring jobs including the estimated cost of labor and materials.
If you think that selling a home, complete with creaking windows are outdated doors that don’t really open and close properly after decades of use is an easy task to do - think again. Many people list their property thinking that no one will notice the malfunctioning windows and doors just because they look pretty. In most cases, potential buyers are going to open and close windows and doors and learn that something is not right. Ignoring basic repair work before you put your place on the market can do a lot of damage in return. Buyers might suspect that other hidden items in the house haven’t been kept up either, so make sure you address this issue on time.
Painting your walls is the lowest cost improvement with the highest rate of return, so almost 40% of home sellers choose to do it before potential buyers arrive for their first visit. A nice coat of neutral paint can give the entire house a facelift, and buyers love to see freshly painted walls. You might get color recommendations from a trained professional because paint colors can be tricky depending on lighting and other house features.
Photo by Stephanie Ho from Pexels
The yard of your house is a buyer’s first impression of the whole property when they initially pull up. An overgrown or patchy yard can be a major turn-off. Anything that’s overgrown should be cut back, and anything that’s dead should be removed. Do not list your house before you make sure that the lawn is refreshed and green by re-sodding or planting grass seed, and you may even want to do edging to define clear spaces in your garden.
Another way to get a great return on investment is by doing a mid-range bathroom update. Besides, a bathroom that looks old and rusty can really date a house. Depending on your budget, you can do a lot of repairs and upgrades in your bathroom such as new countertops, tiles, frameless glass doors, new cabinets, or even new fixtures for the sinks and tub.
If you are tight on money, you can make some DIY repairs to make the bathroom look neat and clean. As an example, instead of replacing cabinets, you can simply paint them in some neutral colors such as white or gray. If you are not interested in replacing the tiling, have in mind that dated tiles always look better with clean grout lines, so you can clean or freshen the grout.
Lighting is another house improvement that might be done on a smaller budget and make a big impact when appearance is concerned. While updating the lighting in your house, remember to keep colors consistent with your home’s hardware. You can mix meals such as oiled bronze and copper, or chrome with brushed nickel, but you shouldn’t mix gold and silver tones for instance. Older brass fixtures look dated since they were often used in properties built in the past century. If you decide to put in something new, make sure it offers a true update.
Even though buyers love a fresh look, a full kitchen renovation is rarely worth it when it comes time to sell your house. And yet, kitchens are one of the most important rooms for buyers. If you are updating the space just for the sale, focus on low-cost high-impact projects only. Updating the hardware, or installing new countertops, or painting the wood cabinets could do the trick.
Photo by Laurie Shaw from Pexels
Preparing your property for selling success doesn’t have to be expensive. Consult with a realtor and focus on the most important repairs by picking projects that do more than look pretty and are cost-effective. Pick the right updates to get your house in selling shape and justify a higher asking price.
