When you’re getting ready to sell your home, it’s important to know what to fix to get your home market ready. But it’s equally important to know what to leave as is.
Don’t put effort into needless upgrades before you sell your home. Josh Alban offers guidelines about 5 things not to fix before selling your home.
Landscaping
Landscaping is a big, expensive undertaking that shouldn’t be done unless it’s absolutely necessary. Fix up the small things like mowing and weeding, but don’t tackle any big tasks like tree removal or sprinkler installation. You don’t know what the new owners will want to do with the place when they move in. As long as your existing landscaping looks nice, don’t worry too much about updating it.
Cabinets
Replacing cabinets isn’t a huge task, but it’s almost always unnecessary. Sanding, painting, and adding contact paper to the cabinets is much easier and will completely revitalize their look.
Tile Floors
If your tile floors are extremely outdated or visibly cracked, it might be worth replacing them. Otherwise, leave them alone. Tile is expensive to buy and time-consuming to install. In most cases, it’s better to simply make sure it’s clean.
Fencing
You never know what the new owners will want their fence to look like — rustic split-rail? Or classic white-picket? Don’t do the guessing for them. If you already have a fence, just make sure it’s clean and in good repair. A pressure washer can make a huge difference here, too — even graying,unfinished wood will look new again when it’s washed.
The Best Bang For Your Buck
When deciding what to fix in your home, make sure you consider the end reward. Avoid tasks that are a lot of cost or effort without a lot of benefits.
Even if you have to follow all these tips, you should be able to get a 20-year-old home looking beautiful and new again for just a few thousand dollars. That sounds like a lot up front, but in the grand scheme of what you hope to sell it for, it’s worth it. Prospective buyers will see a house that’s clean, new, and well-cared-for, and they’ll be excited to move in and start a new life of their own.
For personalized advice about getting your home ready to sell, give me a call! As your REALTOR, I can provide an in-depth review of your home and factor in current market conditions so you know exactly where to focus your efforts when selling your home.