You are considering selling your house? You should know that most likely, the way you are living in your house is not the way you would be selling it. Approximately 90-95% of buyers are not at all open to making any home improvement projects and prefer to purchase a move-in ready house. During our visit to your house we will review it’s existing condition and will create a personalized plan to let you know exactly what needs to be done to maximize it’s resale value.
In order to maximize your results from sale, consider doing updates to those areas and systems that buyers are focusing on when making decision about a significant investment of a house purchase. We notice that generally the main updates that buyers are paying attention to in our market are updates made to:
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Flooring
- Roof
- HVAC systems
Renovations That Won’t Add Value in Every Market
Not every home improvement project is guaranteed to attract more buyers or give you a good return on investment, even if it’s something you enjoy while you’re still living in the home. If you’re renovating with the goal of eventually selling, you’d be wise to avoid the following upgrades:
Swimming pools
Pools are a polarizing topic for buyers — some buyers love a home with a pool, but many others see it as a safety issue or a huge maintenance burden.
Luxury Upgrades
It depends on your real estate market and your specific neighborhood, but super high-end touches like professional-grade appliances, water purification systems and marble countertops may not be something buyers are willing to pay extra for.
High-End Landscaping
Similarly, investing in expensive landscaping and water features doesn’t always pay off, as buyers can see them as a hassle.
What if I Can’t Afford Home Improvements Before Listing?
If your budget won’t allow you to complete any repairs or improvements before listing, you have a couple of options:
Sell as-is: When you sell as-is, you make it clear to buyers that you won’t be making any repairs before closing. You’ll want to adjust your listing price to accommodate for that fact. Note that buyers may try to negotiate the price even lower, especially if the property is in bad shape.
Offer a credit at closing: If your buyer’s inspection uncovers any issues in the home, you can offer a credit to the buyer that will allow them to make the repairs after closing. Often, the credit the buyer requests ends up being higher than what the cost would have been if you had completed the repairs ahead of time.