No matter what the real estate market conditions, it is important to have your home in as good a condition as possible before listing. Unfortunately, most home sellers do not have unlimited budgets for home repairs so it is important to prioritize. Some improvements will greatly enhance the value of your home and some that will have little impact.
Projects you generally want to avoid are those that may cause delays and those that could become expensive. One such example is a major home addition. Instead of adding a new room to your house, concentrate on making sure the existing space is as appealing as possible.
Toward that end, here are three improvements that should be done before you put your home on the market:
Fix up the exterior: It is important for your home to have as much ‘curb appeal’ as possible. As such, the last thing you need is a leaking roof or even some missing shingles that may lead buyers to believe that the roof leaks. Look over the exterior and make sure the roof, siding, screen doors, windows, and all other parts of the exterior are in good condition. The exterior is the first impression of your home that your buyers will have so make sure it is a good one.
Repair small interior flaws: The inside of the home also needs to be free of small problems that may turn off the buyer. These include damaged flooring, drips in faucets, damaged cabinets, etc. Little problems like these make buyers believe that the home is not well kept. In addition, these issues can often be addressed for just a few hundred dollars. Go through the inside of the home and make a list of every small fix that needs to be made and take care of each before the home goes on the market.
Keep the interior smelling fresh: When your buyers walk into an open house, the last thing you want them to breathe in is pet odors or cigarette smoke. If you have pets or a smoker in the house, this will require a temporary change in lifestyle. If possible, see if you can place your pet(s) with a relative and only smoke outdoors.
For more information about steps you can take to prepare your home for sale, please contact your local real estate agent for experienced, professional advice.
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