No matter the reason why you’re putting your house up for sale, you want to get the most money possible out of the transaction. But it’s hard to get that optimal resale price if you didn’t complete any number of necessary fixes before selling your home.
Potential homebuyers—unless they are in the market for a fixer-upper—generally do not want to have to deal with major repairs or numerous projects as they move into a new house. Additionally, any cosmetic repairs can degrade the visual appeal of your home, driving down its overall property value, and if any major issues are found during home inspections, it can lead to either thousands of dollars off of the sale price or cause the prospective buyers to back out of the sale. These factors make it crucial to address a variety of home fixes you must complete before selling in order to prevent your property from languishing on the ever-changing real estate market for months, avoid selling it at a deeply discounted price, or both.
As your home insurance experts, the team at Morison Insurance knows the issues that can prevent a home from selling. Typically, when it comes to home fixes you must complete before selling, they fall into one of two categories: major fixes and minor fixes.
A major problem in your home is typically one that can be tied to health and safety hazards. This includes roof leaks, plumbing problems, HVAC maintenance, and structural issues. These issues may involve a lot of work to remediate and can quickly scare off potential homebuyers, making them home fixes you must complete before selling.
It is important to complete these major fixes before selling your home to get the best possible resale value for your property. While it is possible to list these issues in the disclosure report and adjust the price to reflect these needed repairs, a large percentage of home buyers would still be scared away from your property. It is best to address the major fixes you must complete before selling your home by having professionals assess the property and provide any needed repair or maintenance services. This will go a long way toward preventing buyers from backing out after receiving the home inspection report.
Unlike the major home fixes you must complete before selling, minor fixes have to do with cosmetic issues or smaller repairs. Issues such as scuffed walls, scratches on hardwood floors, or lackluster curb appeal, while they won’t impact the function of your home or require a major renovation to address, can still be time-consuming and costly projects new homeowners may not want to have to deal with right after they move in. By completing simple updates and minor repairs, such as giving walls a fresh coat of paint or laying fresh mulch in flower beds, you not only make your home look more appealing, but you also help make it more move-in ready by addressing any of these minor home fixes you must complete before selling.
So what exactly are the home fixes you must complete before selling? While any project on your property to-do list is important, there are several fixes that stand out the most to real estate agents and potential buyers, and can also go a long way toward ensuring you pass your pre-listing inspection with flying colours.
First impressions matter, and a lackluster property will be forgettable. At the same time, an ill-kept one will leave any curious buyers thinking of the time-consuming maintenance needed to get it up to snuff. So as part of the home fixes you must complete before selling, add cosmetic projects, such as landscaping, to that list.
From tidying up your outdoor space to installing window treatments, completing these attractive upgrades or home fixes before selling the home will mean the next homeowners won’t need to, so they can marvel at your home instead of worrying about maintenance. That helps increase the sale price and can result in a faster sale in today's hot market.
It's no secret that kitchens and bathrooms are right up there among the most important parts of any home. Unlike living rooms and bedrooms, which are reliant on furniture and other accessories to determine their purpose, kitchens and bathrooms come pre-fitted with plumbing fixtures, appliances, counters, cabinets and other built-in elements that can put them at the top of the list for a prospective home buyer—or erase them from the list altogether if they're not up to the potential buyer's standards.
If you have crumbling grout and cracked tiles in your bathroom or a broken-down dishwasher and beat-up cabinets in your kitchen, those issues are home fixes you must complete before selling. But you may also want to consider upgrades for kitchen and bathroom components that are simply old and outdated. Replacing a laminate kitchen countertop with granite or swapping out a dingy bathroom sink faucet can go a long way toward improving the saleability of your home.
A properly functioning HVAC system ensures your home stays comfortable year-round. Neglecting HVAC maintenance and repairs can often manifest in poor air quality, high energy bills, and various HVAC issues. As part of your list of home fixes you must complete before selling, get your heating and air conditioning system serviced to ensure that any issues are taken care of. Additionally, if you have an aging HVAC unit, you may want to consider replacing it before putting your home up for sale, as potential buyers will appreciate a newer, more energy-efficient system so they don’t have to worry about replacing it for another 10 years.
Whether it’s a clogged shower drain, low water pressure, or a damaged sewer line, plumbing issues can make buyers shy away from a home because they are often costly repairs that are messy and time-consuming to complete. By addressing any plumbing issues before putting your home up for sale, you are ensuring that future homebuyers can enjoy a new home with a well-functioning plumbing system.
For similar reasons, it's important to have your electrical system in good shape prior to putting your home up for sale on the real estate market. A non-functioning light fixture or ceiling fixture could be the result of a burnt-out light bulb, but it could be a sign of ongoing electrical issues that buyers don’t want to risk. Ensure your lights and ceiling fans are working properly, replace any broken fixtures, and ensure your electrical panel is up to the current code as part of the maintenance and home fixes you must complete before selling.
Especially in high-traffic areas, flooring can really take a lot of abuse in a short amount of time. Flooring materials such as carpet or hardwood that were only installed a few years ago may already be showing signs of wear and tear, and that can be a big turn-off to a potential buyer, making this one of the home fixes you must complete before selling. If you have a small spot of damage, like a stain on hardwood or a single cracked tile, flooring repair is likely the quickest and most cost-effective option to get it in great shape again. But if the damage is more widespread, like carpet that is clearly worn down or just won't get clean, even after carpet shampooing, it makes sense to consider replacing it with a brand-new flooring installation before you sell your house.
No matter how hard we try, it's a fact of life that walls will get scuffed and stained as the years go by. The odd scuff here and there isn't really a big deal—until it's time to put your home on the market. Prospective buyers may not even notice clean, smooth walls with no cosmetic damage, but they likely will notice scuffs, stains and other issues, and could take them as a sign that the overall property has not been properly maintained. That's why a fresh coat of paint is one of the home fixes you must complete before selling. It's a cost-effective, relatively quick way to boost your home's value.
While some buyers may be interested in picking out replacement appliances, a broken or non-responsive appliance may leave home buyers thinking there are serious issues with home maintenance and leave them concerned about other potential problems. To avoid major fixes before selling a home, make sure you regularly clean and maintain your home appliances to ensure they function optimally.
Structural damage or foundation issues are a major turn-off for buyers and can greatly decrease the value of your home. Leaning walls, cracks in ceilings or fireplaces, sagging roofs, or horizontal cracks running through your foundation can be a dealbreaker for home buyers and require extensive and expensive repairs to mitigate. To prevent these serious issues from derailing a sale and to ensure you have a clean home inspection report, address these issues as part of your needed home fixes you must complete before selling.
Missing roof tiles or roof leaks can be signs of other issues within your home’s walls or attic space, which will result in costly repairs. When going through any needed maintenance or fixes before selling a home, conduct a visual inspection of your roof for any signs of moss growth, broken or missing shingles, or deterioration, and call a roofing professional to address any concerns.
Whether it’s your first time selling a home or your tenth, it’s always a good idea to ask a professional, such as your local real estate agent, about what home fixes you must complete before selling. Asking an expert can help you focus on what needs to be done before putting your home up for sale and help you get the most return on investment for all the work you’ve put into your home over the years.
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not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Should you decide to act
upon any information in this article, you do so at your own risk. While the
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