What To Fix Before You List
When you're selling your home, it might be tempting to sell your house without doing the minor repairs that have remained undone for so long, but taking the time to fix your house before you list it could pay dividends.
If your roof is in desperate need of repair, or your foundation is in need of work, getting these taken care of are essential. For most buyers who are looking for a home in move-in condition, these are dealbreakers that will scare them away, no matter how much they love the house and location.
There are some buyers who are willing to overlook major repairs, but only in exchange for a deep reduction in the price - not only for the cost of repairs but for their time and effort as well. You'll more than recoup your losses if you repair these dealbreakers before you put your home on the market.
Minor repairs like broken tiles, scuffed walls, or outdated fixtures in your main entrance can be inexpensively fixed, and will help you sell your home with a great first impression.
Likewise, spruce up the exterior of your home before listing to entice buyers to take a look inside.
You've probably become accustomed to the little eccentricities of your house. You know which stairs squeak, and where the bannister is a little loose. Your potential buyers don't, and experiencing those things for the first time might put them off. That place on the kitchen floor where you dropped the cast iron frying pan can be fixed too. You've been stepping over it for ages, but to a potential buyer it is a red flag that home repairs have been neglected.
Kitchens are a big thing to buyers. Make it look as new, big and bright as you can. It might only take a paint job with a light, neutral colour to make all the difference. You don't need to buy new appliances. If you've got noticably old or damaged applicances, you can update them with faux stainless steel or appliance paint to give them an updated look.