Very few people think about preparing to sell a home, but the few that do will tell you it makes all the difference when it comes to getting people interested and closing deals.
It’s a strange logic for sure – why would you repair a house if you’re trying to sell it? But the secret to repairing your home before selling is that it can dramatically increase the sale price, way above what you spent repairing.
Potential buyers will always consider what they’ll have to fix once they purchase your property and will naturally try to shave a bit of that cost from your sale price. So it makes sense that before selling you should take a moment to repair and fix whatever you can, so that potential buyers won’t have to – and better yet, because now that your home needs little to no extra repairs, you’re much more likely to keep the price you’re asking for, and even attract new buyers.
But what are the most important repairs to make before selling?
1. Fix damaged floors
Every floor, no matter the material, will eventually need repairs. For example, hardwood floors offer a beautiful look, but are very susceptible to scratches made by pets and furniture. They also lose color due to wear and tear, which can make certain high-traffic areas look uneven.
Ceramic tiles, which are very common in more modern constructions, are much less likely to show scratch marks and tear, but they can break and crack.
Definitely look for damaged areas like these and repair them before selling – it makes for a much nicer first impression and it’s one less thing buyers will have to worry about.
2. Grout
Dirty grouts are a disservice to your otherwise nice-looking tiles. You do need a special method to clean them, but it’s not difficult and you can even do it yourself – here’s how to reseal grouts.
3. Water damage
Water damage is often not as hard to repair as one might think, but one thing is certain: it looks terrible. And because of the way it looks, it makes us think “This is going to be a nightmare to repair!
But no! There are professionals who specialize in repairing water damage so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
4. Kitchen renovation
If the words “kitchen renovation scared you because you’re thinking of a large scope project, don’t worry – we don’t have to go that far.
Although a nice kitchen renovation will absolutely boost your home’s sale value, we have to be practical. I’m sure you would prefer investing on a kitchen renovation project for yourself rather than in a home you’re trying to sell, so let’s keep it simple.
- The cabinets look ugly and old? Try replacing the knobs and perhaps refacing the cabinets.
- The backsplash needs a facelift? Find some new tiles patterns and replace them!
- Cabinet doors are old beyond salvation? Remove them and go for open shelves instead.
And that’s the spirit. You don’t have to “redesign the kitchen from the ground up, simply look at what’s old and in need of a facelift, and try a simple solution.
5. Landscaping
We’ve been talking mostly about the indoors part of a house, but the outdoor area is just as important. It has probably happened to you before – you pass by a home for sale or you’ve visited one yourself and while the indoors look fine, on the outdoors there are grass and weeds growing all over the place. That’s not a huge issue, if the home is nice you just try to imagine how beautiful it would look with proper landscaping applied.
Well, that’s an extra point in immersion for you if you care for landscaping before showing your home to potential buyers. People like to imagine themselves living in the homes they’re thinking of buying, so it’s really nice if the home doesn’t look abandoned from the outside. It makes for a terrible first impression, and while it certainly won’t be a dealbreaker, it’s a cheap and easy fix that will most certainly make for a nice first impression.
6. Lighting and wiring
Probably one of the most common repairs new homeowners have to do when moving in: some light bulbs are busted, some light switches don’t seem to work and need to be reconfigured, stuff like that. And of course, how could we forget the one thing present in every new home:
That one rogue light switch that doesn’t turn anything on.
Taking a moment to make sure your wiring and lighting systems are working perfectly is a great selling point. You can tell potential buyers you’ve just recently had everything checked out and show how everything is working well.
7. Painting
And last but not least, painting is an extremely important project that can make any home look brand new. And better yet, you don’t have to be super artsy here – after all, the people purchasing the property might later paint it some other color of their preference. All you need to do is make sure the home looks nice so you can have that as another selling point in your arsenal.
Looking for help in one of these projects? Get a free quote from a professional in your area today!
- More from homeyou:
- 5 Home Remodeling Rules That Will Make Your Life Easier
- 6 Reasons Why You Need to Get a Home Inspection
- 8 Things People Notice When They Enter Your Home
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