As a wise seller, you'll want to keep your property in tip-top form, but you don't want to eat into your profits by splurging on repairs. You won't be there to appreciate them anyway. To ensure that every dollar you spend supports a higher asking price, focus on the most crucial repairs to do before selling a house.
Susanna Haynie of Colorado Springs argues that "smaller and less expensive upgrades combined with appropriate staging will have a significant return." But how do you know what to do before you list your house for sale? Make these upgrades your priority, and leave the rest alone.
1. Fixing damaged flooring is the most important repair to do before selling
Scratched wood floors, filthy, outdated carpeting, and worn linoleum make your home feel depressing. Buyers may decide to cross the house from their list after taking one step inside. Do you want to know how to make your house more valuable? Replace the flooring.
Consider replacing any existing flooring with new hardwood. This project costs around $5,500, but you can earn 118 percent of your investment when you sell it. If it isn't possible, any flooring upgrade will make a huge difference.
2. Get Rid of Water Stains
You've learned to live with the consequences of a long-resolved plumbing issue, but a water stain warns potential buyers that there could be a slew of other issues lurking beneath the surface. That is why one of the things to do before selling your home is to do this.
3. Window Screens That Have Been Torn
So inexpensive — and even doable. A window screen frame repair kit costs between $10 and $15 at a home improvement store.
Repairing is always worth it, especially given how simple it is—as are other little but extremely obvious concerns. When considering ways to boost the value of your house, eliminate any little issues, snags, or unsightly areas that can cause purchasers to raise their eyebrows.
4. Replace the grout
Is your grout turning yellow or cracked? Buyers will be aware. Old floors, on the other hand, can look like they came straight from the showroom with new grout.
Another tiny improvement with a significant impact: simple bathroom re-grouting can cost as little as $1 to $2 per square foot, with more sophisticated jobs costing up to $10 per square foot. If you're handy, you can save even more money by doing it yourself.
5. Lawn Resurrection
Fixing the problem isn't expensive, and you'll recoup your entire investment (plus more!) when you sell. A lawn care firm will charge around $375 to apply fertilizer and weed control. That relatively inexpensive fix might net you $1,000 when you sell the house. That's a 267 percent return on investment that's hard to surpass.
6. Pet Damage Removal
Is your adorable kitty scratching the door to your bedroom? Before you put your house on the market, make repairs. Otherwise, the scuffs may be viewed as a canary in the coal mine by potential buyers.
7. Bringing New Life to an Old Kitchen
Even though purchasers appreciate a new design, a complete kitchen makeover is rarely worthwhile when it comes time to sell. "One of the most significant characteristics for customers is still the kitchen," Haynie explains.
It's not necessary to spend a lot of money to get your home ready to sell. Pick tasks that do more than just look nice to focus on the most crucial repairs to undertake before selling a house. Choose improvements that will help you sell your property faster and justify a higher asking price.