What To Fix Up When Selling A House
After a lot of thought, you have decided that it is time to sell your home. To even get to this first step is a large undertaking. Weighing the options, where you envision yourself going, and whether you have the money to do it.
It’s never a simple process, and unless you’re planning on selling your home “as-is”, you will definitely need some capital to pay for a bit of work around the home.
But before we think about important repairs to make before selling a house, let’s go through some of the other steps.
The checklist before fixing up a house to sell
Your first port of call is to determine the asking price for your home. This is done by reviewing a few factors or conducting a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis). With a CMA you’ll be collecting data on:
Zone of home
Schools in the area
Public transport
Access to shops
Pricing in the area
And the properties sold in the area over the last 90 days.
If you’re keen to go it alone, you can use online sources to assist with the CMA.
If you’re not willing to do this research, you can contact a real estate company to do an appraisal on the property. This will help with finding the right price for your home.
During an inspection, they will give you feedback on what they deem the best home renovations for resale are, and what to avoid. If you’re unsure, you can always contact a professional and independent home appraiser too.
Home appraisers are always necessary when your buyer isn’t a cash buyer and is getting financial assistance from the bank.
An appraiser is looking at a few aspects so that your evaluation of the house matches those of the bank. These include:
General condition of the house
Square footage of the home
Completed upgrades
Work that might be needed
Any extras like pools, flatlets, or workspaces
Details of the finishes
And lastly, their own CMA report.
Now that you know what an appraiser is looking for, it’s time to go into more detail and talk about the best repairs to do around the home.
Top fixes to do around the home before selling
If you are a competent DIYer, most of these jobs should be within your realm of abilities to complete. But if you aren’t certain of a job it’s always best to contact a professional.
After all, time is money in the real estate game. You want to be able to sell your house as quickly as possible.
Here’s our list of jobs to complete before selling your home.
Kitchen and bathrooms
As rooms in the home go, kitchens and bathrooms are the ones that require the most engineering; plumbing and electrical systems. They are also the rooms prone to the most wear and tear.
There are a number of components that you should double-check and do a quick fix on.
With the kitchen, it's the built-in appliances. These can include refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, and microwaves to name a few. Make sure to do a quick inspection for leaks, and if there are any coolant or freon issues just remember to top it up.
Then, both rooms will have cabinets. With kitchens and bathrooms, there’s always the possibility of water damage and rot. If there are any door or drawer problems replace hinges and sliders. If you have loose knobs make sure to repair them.
Cabinets are simple enough to fix as all they require is a simple screwdriver and time.
And if they are looking a little chipped and worse for wear, a quick sanding and lick of paint does wonders!
Leaking sinks and faucets are all signs of neglect. And an overflowing drain is just an utter no-no. Make sure all of these fixtures work. This includes the hot and cold operations.
While talking about water temperatures, make sure that your water heater is in good working order. There should be no leaks and all the pipes should be insulated.
Lastly, make sure that bathtubs and showers are in working order. The drains should be free of clogs. If sealant needs replacing then re-caulk the edging. Also, exhaust vents in the bathroom need to efficiently remove steam from the room.
And tiles that are coming away from the wall or are loose should be replaced or grouted back into place.
Now, with the most complicated rooms out the way, let’s focus on what you should fix in the interior of the home.
Home interior
With bedrooms, living rooms, and office areas, you want their interiors to stand out. It’s important that these spaces don’t feel ordinary. If you are fixing a house to sell then it’s time to do some general home upkeep.
The first job is to fix any holes in the walls and ceiling. Repairing nail holes and minor dings and dents on these surfaces is pretty straightforward. Just apply a layer of builder’s putty and paint over. If these surfaces have been affected by water damage, make sure to plug up the leak, and repaint.
And finally, the easiest and cheapest way to rejuvenate a room is to repaint it.
Flooring in these spaces is also important. If your laminate flooring or carpet has discolored or shows signs of aging, it might be wise to replace it. But this could be costly, so weigh up your options.
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) in most homes throughout the mid-Atlantic are important. No one wants to experience the full blazing heat or frigid cold. If you have any doubts about your HVAC systems, you should call in a qualified technician.
Also, calling in a specialist to determine that the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are up to code is critical. And sometimes all it takes is replacing the batteries.
And the last interior check to complete is the electrical panel and circuit breakers. This is one of the jobs on the list you might need to contact a professional for if you will need it to meet current housing codes. The panel in your home might be outdated and need to be replaced.
Now that we’ve covered the interior, let’s talk about quick external jobs to complete.
Your front and back yard
There are a few simple jobs you can complete in your yard that can add a few bucks to the value of your home.
Decks and patios should be in good condition. Unkempt yards can put off potential homebuyers. Simply by maintaining guardrails, that spacing between boards is good, and ensuring that there’s no water or termite damage will help you move the property along.
If your garden is more of an unkempt jungle, you might want to call in a landscaping company to neaten it up. A yard that’s filled with branches, leaves, and random cuttings is a grim place.
And lastly, a good fence is worth its value in gold. Make sure it’s not rotting, or if it is metal, that it’s not rusting.
All these jobs are fairly quick and painless to complete, not to mention cheap as they are all general maintenance jobs.
But what are the best home renovations to do before selling? Remember there’s a difference between repairs and renovations.
Renovations are optional when you’re selling. You don’t need to invest this capital into the home at this moment, and it’s unlikely you’ll see a return on your investment.
Repairs are jobs you need to complete to get the stamp of approval from the appraisers. So, your home is ready for the majority of the market.
If you are still keen to complete a renovation as your CMA report suggests you could benefit from, here are some renovations that provide the best return on investments.
Top three renovation jobs
As you can imagine, with any home, there are hundreds of jobs that could be done. But what are the best home renovations for resale?
Kitchens
It’s the heart of the home. The family gathers in the kitchen to share stories of their days. It’s often the room in the house that can make or break a deal. A kitchen in a poor state can easily scare away buyers.
This being said, be warned about the amount you invest in your kitchen. According to a report, a major kitchen remodeling on an upscale budget saw a return of 53.9% on investment. Compare this to a minor kitchen remodel in the mid-range segment, which saw a 77.6% return.
This jump could be attributed to the fact that often a major kitchen remodeling can eat through the budget in no time, leaving the rest of the home untouched. If the heart of the home doesn't match the rest of the house, it can be off-putting for potential buyers.
The next room shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Bathroom additions
Once again, according to the same report mentioned above, you'll be better off not going overboard when upgrading the bathroom, with a cost recoup of around 64% for a midrange renovation.
If your property is a one-bathroom home, it might be wise to find additional space to fit an additional bathroom. While the size of this addition is dependent on how much room you can spare, whether it is under a staircase, in a subdivided room, or a transformed closet area, for any ensuite bathroom you'll need at least 18 square feet. And for those looking to add a full bathroom with a bath and shower, you'll need to find double that floor space.
For those looking to cut costs, remember you can by choosing different fittings and finishes in your bathroom.
The last renovation job to complete is the exterior of your home.
Exterior
Curbside appeal is a major factor in the modern market. It's the first image most potential buyers will come across when browsing through properties on the web, or see when they drive by the for sale sign.
Some of the highest returns on investments, according to the report, are fiber-cement siding replacement at 77.6% recouped, and asphalt shingles roofing replacements at 65.9% recouped.
What your house looks like to the outside world - matters.
Now that we know the answer to, “What should I remodel before selling?” Let’s talk about the no-nos!
Top two renovation jobs not to do
These jobs are guaranteed to sink a deep hole in your pocket and often produce little to no return on investment. Sometimes these jobs can scare off buyers.
Swimming pools
It may seem odd, but the idea of owning a pool is a divisive topic. Owning a swimming pool is a commitment for a potential homeowner, who will need to clean and maintain it very regularly. Also, for young families, it is a safety hazard for their children. And with its big price tag, you'd be better off avoiding it.
High-end landscaping
While many love walking through amazing gardens, investing in the upkeep is something that scares many people. Don't confuse this with the curbside appeal factor, as this is directly focused on plants, lawn, and garden beds.
Unless the next buyer is a keen gardener, it is unlikely they'll be willing to take over your project.
But what if all these repair jobs and renovations are out of your budget and you need to sell your home now, as-is. We have a solution for you.
House Buyers of America can sell your house fast!
We buy houses for cash. This means we can act quickly and take your home “as-is”. No repairs or renovations needed.
All you need to do is to give us a call at 855-659-3289, or you can use our online form to get started! Our Real Estate Consultants are ready to assist you!
And as the perfect buyer for your house, we’re going to give you a fair cash offer on the phone within ten minutes.
House Buyers of America will handle all of the paperwork and we’ll do it quickly if you’re ready to sign on the dotted line.
And once you’ve signed the contract, you will see the cash in your account in a matter of days.
Currently, House Buyers of America will buy homes in Washington DC, virginia house buyers, Maryland, and all throughout the Mid-Atlantic.
But why House Buyers of America?
Why select House Buyers of America?
Since 2001, House Buyers of America has been in the business of buying and selling homes.
We bring our experience and customer service records to the table.
This means our staff is able to assist with nearly every situation because we’ve been there, bought and sold thousands of houses.
Give us a call if you’re looking to skip all the renovation work required to sell your home.
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Sell your home directly to House Buyers of America and can skip all the hassle and months of uncertainty. Simply enter your address – and get our offer with a few simple steps.
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