The Repair That Makes Financial Sense
The best pre-sale repair is not necessarily the repair that makes your home nicest.
It's the repair that makes financial sense.
The Two Seller Mistakes
Sellers frequently make one of two mistakes.
They do nothing because they're leaving anyway.
Or they spend heavily trying to create a perfect house for an imaginary buyer.
A better strategy is selective preparation.
Start With Immediate Negative Impressions
Start with things that create immediate negative impressions:
Strong odors.
Excessive clutter.
Obvious dirt.
Burned-out lights.
Neglected landscaping.
Broken fixtures.
Unfinished little projects.
Buyers often interpret visible neglect as evidence that bigger things may also have been neglected.
For the house-readiness side of this, see how clean the house needs to be and how to prepare for listing photos.
Functional Issues vs Taste
Then consider functional issues.
A leaking plumbing fixture and a dated bathroom are not the same problem.
One suggests something may actively be wrong.
The other is largely a matter of taste.
Major Improvements Need Scrutiny
Major improvements require more scrutiny.
New flooring, paint, appliances, counters, landscaping or repairs can sometimes improve marketability, but the seller should consider cost, expected return, timing and competing inventory.
The Danger of Over-Improving
There is also a danger in over-improving.
If every comparable sale suggests the neighborhood supports a certain range, installing extremely expensive finishes may not cause buyers to pay dollar-for-dollar for them.
Evaluate Against What Buyers Will Actually See
Before starting a pre-sale renovation, Lisa can help you evaluate the property against what buyers will actually see online and in person when your home reaches the market.
The goal is not to build your dream house for the next owner.
The goal is to position your house intelligently for sale.
If the house needs far more than fixes, the as-is route may be the smarter path, and What's My Home Worth? can ground the whole decision in numbers.
Want to Know What the Records Say About Your Property?
Request a free Property DNA report. Property DNA can include available property, ownership/history, mortgage-related, comparable, neighborhood, school, risk, public-record and other property information depending on available sources.
Current typical turnaround is approximately 40 minutes during normal business hours, and many reports are returned within one hour or the same business day, but turnaround is not guaranteed and can vary.
Property DNA is free through Lisa. Request a free Property DNA report.
Important
Property DNA uses third-party, public-record and other available data believed reliable but not guaranteed. It is provided for informational purposes and is not an appraisal, title search, title commitment, title insurance policy, inspection, survey, legal opinion, tax opinion, environmental report or guarantee of value.
