To Improve Your Home, or Not to Improve

by Vipul Pawani 01/19/2020

Photo by Rudy and Peter Skitterians via Pixabay

When you’re prepping your home to sell, your “to do” list can get quite long, quite quickly. Which projects do you really need to tackle before listing, and which are best left undone? Talking to your real estate agent is a good first step, but this guide will also give you the lowdown on what to do, and what to ignore.

Fix Windows and Doors

People do notice if doors aren’t opening properly or windows look a little drafty, and it can be enough to turn them away from the property. These issues are also highly visible. If you ignore them, they can make buyers wonder what other maintenance you’ve put off.

Paint the Walls

A fresh coat of neutral paint does much to freshen and clean the look of your home. It helps buyers picture themselves in the property, and doesn’t cost a lot to do. While painting, repair any drywall problems you see to give the home a ready-to-move-in look.

Electrical Panel Repairs

Your electrical panel and circuit breakers need to meet current building codes. Electrical problems will show up on inspection and can delay the sale of your home, so you might as well fix them before listing instead of after. If you have an older home, call an electrician to see if you need any updates.

Fix Damaged Flooring

Floors in poor condition are a major turn-off to buyers. Install new flooring, even if it’s a cheap type, and your home will look much more inviting. If you are lucky enough to have hardwoods, have them refinished so the home will shine.

Address Water Stains

Water stains are a huge red flag, because buyers will assume you have a water problem or mold is hiding behind the stains. Even if you addressed the water problem successfully, be sure to clear the stains, too.

Skip These Repairs

You may have heard that remodeling the kitchen or bath is an important thing to do before selling, but it is less important than you might think. Research has found that the return on a bathroom remodel in an average home is only 67.2 percent. Kitchens return only 62.1 percent. Make your kitchen and bath look as good as you can, repair anything that is actually broken, but don’t tackle a major remodel.

Another project to skip is adding a sunroom. Sunrooms are difficult to maintain, and many buyers don’t want one.

Prepping your home to sell takes time, effort, and thought. With these tips, you can spend that energy where it will make the most difference, and skip those tasks that will take up too much money or have minimal impact on your home’s value.

About the Author
Author

Vipul Pawani

Vipul (Veep) M. Pawani, to his clients and friends, is an optimistic and upbeat agent who is assertive and exceptionally motivated to deliver on his clients’ goals. Exclusively serving Woodridge, Prince William County and, Fairfax County, Veep has experience in sales and marketing, which benefits his clients greatly. Currently partnering in a family business of hotel development, Veep draws upon his multifaceted corporate and professional skills when working with real estate. An area resident for 25 years, he credits the friendly people and the family atmosphere as a few reasons why it’s a great place to call home. He is active in his community and is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® The combination of Veep’s honest approach, commitment to customer satisfaction and his knack for business confirm the decisive edge. Professional and experienced, Veep Pawani is here to offer you nothing but top quality service, dedication and success in all of your real estate needs. My website has a ton of resources that can help you search for your new home. Feel free to use my website, free of charge and with no strings attached. If you need representation or just have any questions at all, I’m always here to help. Please call me today at 703-980-0249