7 Home Fixes You Must Do Before Selling

While choosing the home fixes, prioritize the projects that will add the most value.  The process of getting a property ready to put on the market can seem daunting enough. What needs attention and what can you leave alone? Prepping for sale is a delicate balance between repairs along with a bit of renovation and presentation.

Remember:

• Structural is just as important as cosmetic


• Give the buyers what they want--create that "wow" factor

Don’t ignore these seven areas

1.Structural and Mechanical

It might not be glamorous, but buyers are looking at big-ticket items like the age and condition of the roof, AC and heating systems, water heater, electrical panel and pipes. Not all of these have to be replaced, but if any of these components are on their last leg, you should seriously consider replacing them as these items could factor into the kind of financing the buyer is able to obtain as well as insurability of the property.

Appraisers are notorious for requiring a roof to be replaced. Replacing a roof that is at the end of its life before putting your home on the market will go a long way to solidifying buyer confidence. The last thing you want to be doing is putting on a new roof in the midst of trying to pack.

2. Exterior

How does the exterior of your home look? Is there any wood rot? When was the last time it was painted? First impressions start from the outside, and the exterior will show up in photos across a multitude of websites, etc. This is definitely an area worth spending the money.

3. Landscaping

Speaking of the exterior, how does your landscaping look? Ask yourself these questions: Are the plantings overgrown, worn or wilted? What about the ground cover? Do the planting beds need some fresh mulch, pine straw, rock, etc.? Are there any overgrown tree limbs hanging over the house or blocking the home’s view? For a relatively inexpensive investment, you can transform how your exterior looks by trimming back and freshening things up with new plants and landscaping.

4. Cosmetic

The truth is...buyers buy with their eyes, so now is the time to go through the interior in detail. Keep an eye out for dents and dings on the walls, scratched moldings or worn paint. Now is the time to spruce up the inside with a fresh coat of paint. Pick light, neutral and on-trend colors. Choose a neutral palette that will transition well with any buyer’s furniture.

5. Kitchen

This area is always huge with buyers. Even if the buyers barely know how to boil water, they always envision themselves in the kitchen cooking and entertaining surrounded by sleek appliances and cabinetry. Here’s where you need to give them the look for less. Think new hardware on cabinets, adding or changing out a dated tile backsplash and updating appliances. Also, consider changing out counters — you might be able to find a reasonably price remnant of a granite slab.

6. Bathrooms

Simple and clean rules the day. Sprucing up your bathrooms to sell can be as simple as having the grout on the existing tile steam cleaned or regrouting where needed. Caulking, new plumbing and light fixtures along with mirrors can instantly create value.

7. Flooring

New flooring can totally transform the look of your space and give it the “wow” factor that buyers desire. If you can only afford to make the investment in one significant part of your home, consider updating the flooring. There are a ton of low-cost options to choose from that include wood plank tiles and highly upgraded laminate flooring — think wide plank, light colored or hand-scraped styles.

Adapted from Inman Article by Cara Ameer: http://www.inman.com/2016/07/18/seven-items-you-must-fix-before-putting-your-home-on-the-market/