5 Things To Skip Renovating Before Listing Your Home For Sale - Because A Buyer Might, Anyway
Greg Norris November 4, 2022
Greg Norris November 4, 2022
When you decide to put your home on the market, you want to put your best foot forward in preparing it to look its best for prospective buyers. Besides, the better your home shows, the more offers you'll likely get, right? Next, you make a to-do list of what things to fix and update around your home, only to realize that the list could go on forever. That's when you realize: Do I have to do everything?
For starters, all those projects could cost money. Unfortunately, not everything is going to pay off at the closing table. Knowing what to fix – and what not to do when selling a home – can be tricky. Fixes are critical for any issues or defects that affect the intended significant function of a house system. To break it down, you should take care of any leaks, cracks in the foundation, minor electrical or plumbing issues, pest infestations, and other safety issues that could hurt your home's value and pose imminent risks. But beyond those, especially when it comes to cosmetic repairs, it's actually up to you.
The last thing you want is to get carried away and pour money, time, and effort into any project that won't get a return on your investment. So here are some of those fixes or updates you can skip without too many repercussions.
For starters, all those projects could cost money. Unfortunately, not everything is going to pay off at the closing table. Knowing what to fix – and what not to do when selling a home – can be tricky. Fixes are critical for any issues or defects that affect the intended significant function of a house system. To break it down, you should take care of any leaks, cracks in the foundation, minor electrical or plumbing issues, pest infestations, and other safety issues that could hurt your home's value and pose imminent risks. But beyond those, especially when it comes to cosmetic repairs, it's actually up to you.
The last thing you want is to get carried away and pour money, time, and effort into any project that won't get a return on your investment. So here are some of those fixes or updates you can skip without too many repercussions.
Should you renovate the kitchen and bathrooms? That's probably one of the biggest questions sellers have when they decide to sell.
It's important to note that a kitchen or bathroom remodeling project can be costly and time-consuming. A kitchen remodel (midrange) will only recoup about 56 percent of the value, while remodeling a bathroom will only recoup about 59 percent, according to the 2022 Cost vs Value Report by Remodeling Magazine. First, you should consider several factors, especially time and budget, before spending thousands of dollars on these projects.
Likewise, your vision of a perfect kitchen or bath may differ from those of a potential buyer. And given all the home decor styles to choose from, trying to second-guess what they want and giving it to them when they visit your home is just plain unrealistic. It’s a risk when renovating these areas because they’re some of the things buyers look forward to when they can finally call it home.
If your kitchen or bathroom looks dated but functional, you only need to ensure it’s clean and clutter-free. Present it as a space with potential that is easily customizable to the buyer’s preferences.
If your home already has hardwood floors, there's no need to tear out the existing flooring and replace it for the market. What's important is to have your floors shined and polished before the staging or showing. The next homeowner may rip it out anyway and replace it with their choice of flooring, which could be wood, laminate, vinyl, or even carpet. If you have older carpets, you only need to spend a few bucks and hire a professional cleaning company rather than investing money into replacing them. The only time to consider ripping it all out is if there is a terrible odor from pets or if there are impossible stains that would deter a buyer from submitting an offer.
If your home already has hardwood floors, there's no need to tear out the existing flooring and replace it for the market. What's important is to have your floors shined and polished before the staging or showing. The next homeowner may rip it out anyway and replace it with their choice of flooring, which could be wood, laminate, vinyl, or even carpet. If you have older carpets, you only need to spend a few bucks and hire a professional cleaning company rather than investing money into replacing them. The only time to consider ripping it all out is if there is a terrible odor from pets or if there are impossible stains that would deter a buyer from submitting an offer.
If your home already has hardwood floors, there's no need to tear out the existing flooring and replace it for the market. What's important is to have your floors shined and polished before the staging or showing. The next homeowner may rip it out anyway and replace it with their choice of flooring, which could be wood, laminate, vinyl, or even carpet. If you have older carpets, you only need to spend a few bucks and hire a professional cleaning company rather than investing money into replacing them. The only time to consider ripping it all out is if there is a terrible odor from pets or if there are impossible stains that would deter a buyer from submitting an offer.
Don't get overwhelmed by the idea that you need to fix everything you think is wrong with your house to get more offers. You'll only waste valuable time and money on unnecessary upgrades that you could use to cover closing costs. You aren’t going to get a return on your investment if your house becomes “too much for the neighborhood” and yours is the only one that stands out. Aim to show your home's potential instead of trying to achieve perfection. And if you’re still in doubt about what kind of repairs to make before listing your home, consult with your real estate agent so you’re guaranteed to make the most out of your home sale.
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