Fix These Things Before Selling Your House

Selling a home includes a lot more work than just putting up a ‘For Sale’ sign in your front yard – there’s decluttering, cleaning, polishing and organizing your living space to make it more appealing to the potential buyers.

Both the interior and exterior appearance of your house need to be taken into account, as well as the functionality and practicality of the living space. Taking care of your property and making it look updated will result in more money coming into your pocket once the house is sold.

Some common property problems need to be tackled as soon as possible to successfully sell your home – here are the six most important ones. You should plan on making any necessary improvements before you put your home on the market.

You know your house better than anyone else does. Getting warts fixed before the for sale sign is put in the lawn just makes sense. After all, nobody wants to find out there is a home inspection deal breaker that causes the property to go back on the market!

Keep reading for common property problems that every seller should fix.

Chipped paint or stained walls

Painting the walls of your house is one of the cheapest, easiest and fastest ways to give your home a fresh, new look. It is a no-brainer, yet some homeowners tend to concentrate more on how the house looks on the inside and forget that the outside appearance matters, too.

If there are any stained, chipped or dirty walls – repaint them. Your home needs to look up to date. Opt for lighter and neutral colors – they are the most appealing ones and will go well with future homeowner’s furniture.

Old cabinetry and hardware in the kitchen and bathroom

A lot of homeowners tend to overlook this fact – even though it might look good to them, just ‘good’ isn’t enough. You need to create a wow factor and impress the potential buyers. Consider replacing the old kitchen cabinetry and installing new, modern ones – opt for cabinetry in neutral colors with metallic hardware.

If you want to make the kitchen look more dramatic, go with cabinetry in darker hues such as black, grey or purple. When it comes to vanity cabinets in the bathroom, opt for neutral-colored ones with granite or marble countertops.

Also, install silver, bronze or gold-hued faucets and hardware to make your bathroom look on-trend. Potential buyers ought to be wowed – therefore, pay close attention to details and take care of even the little things that might go unnoticed.

If replacing cabinetry is not in your budget, you can still freshen up old cabinets by painting them white. Painting cabinetry takes a lot more skill than painting a wall so it is probably best to hire a pro to tackle this kind of work.

In the end it will be worth the cost.

Non-working appliances and fixtures

When you’re trying to sell your home, it is essential to make sure that everything is working correctly. Fix all leaking faucets and chipped tiles, and see if any old appliances need to be repaired or maybe even replaced.

The heating system also needs to be in mint condition and energy-efficient. Homeowners who live in countries with warmer climates such as Australia need to consider installing an air conditioning system to make the warmer days more bearable.

Many Australian homeowners are opting for expert installations of air conditioning services before they even list for sale – these homeowners are aware of how important it is to have quality AC installed in their houses.

Here in the US, it is not unusual for those who live in warm climates to demand to have air conditioning. Homes without AC are usually penalized by buyers in the marketplace. It is one of those things that a significant percentage of the population cannot live without.

Impractical and space-consuming furniture

The practicality and functionality of your home are of crucial importance when preparing a home for sale. Look around your house – you can probably find some furniture that takes so much space and only has one function.

We live in an era where multitasking and practicality play a significant role in home design. Therefore, opt for things that serve multiple purposes.

Consider introducing some space-saving furniture like Murphy beds and tables, fold-able sofas and beds with storage where you can keep your off-season clothes and extra bedding. Your kitchen can be made more efficient by adding practical roll-outs to your kitchen cabinets and mounting wire baskets on cabinet doors.

Worn out flooring

Foot traffic can have a significant impact on the condition of the floors in your house. Therefore, it is essential to replace or repair the flooring to give your home a fresh, new look. When remodeling, see if there’s a need to replace your old ceramic tiles in the bathroom and the kitchen areas.

Implementing ceramic tiles with a marble pattern in the bathroom will make it look elegant and modern. Consider refinishing your hardwood floors to refresh them. Use some cozy rugs to cover the area in the living room and give it a sense of warmth and comfort.

Poor appearance of the exterior

Real estate agents talk about curb appeal all the time and with good reason. The exterior of the house is the first thing potential buyers will see, and you need to make an excellent first impression. You can achieve that by removing any clutter that was left outside and fixing what needs to be fixed. Look around your property and check its condition.

Replace any broken fence boards and see if there’s a need for replacing any missing or broken shingles on the roof. There shouldn’t be any weeds around your property, and the grass needs to be freshly mowed in order to give off a maintained, cared-for look.

Adding some new plants and shrubbery to your front yard is considered a plus – it will make your home look fresh and homey.

Final Thoughts

Preparing your home for sale is not an easy task, and there are a lot of things that need to be taken into account. However, taking the time to give your home a makeover by implementing minor fixes and making a few upgrades can surely boost your home’s price. By incorporating our suggestions in your to-do list, you’re sure to create a nice-looking, welcoming home that is going to leave a good impression and sell faster.

Hopefully, you have gotten something out of the advice on what to fix before selling your home.

Additional Helpful Real Estate Articles Worth a Look

• The pros and cons of selling your home to an investor – see you may or may not want to get involved with selling your home to a real estate investor. There can be some severe advantages as well as disadvantages.
• Mistakes to avoid to price a home accurately – one of the most essential things in selling a house is to get the price right from day one. Unfortunately, many sellers miss the boat on pricing their home correctly. Find out why this happens in the article at RIS Media.
• Mistakes that prevent your home from selling – It is vital not to make one of these common house selling blunders discussed at Active Rain. Don’t be the seller that doesn’t listen to sound advice!

Use these additional resources to make the best decisions possible when buying or selling your next home. It is the avoidance of mistakes that gets people through a real estate transaction with less stress.

About the author: Chloe is a graduated journalist from Adelaide and a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. She loves everything related to decor, aesthetic and lifestyle topics. She is also passionate about photography.

Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world and take some stunning photographs of beautiful places. Besides all this, she enjoys drinking coffee and reading a fascinating book from time to time.