It’s easy to get all starry-eyed when you see the amazing way professional house flippers transform a property.
Buying a fixer-upper to revamp and resell takes time and money, but it can bring profits and a sense of achievement when it’s done.
These are the most important repairs to make before selling a house – if you want to sell at a profit.
1. A Fresh Coat
Painting is one of the most economical fixes you can make to any house. A coat of paint adds life to any room.
It’s also the easiest way to bring a dated home into the current century.
Hiring a contractor is the way to get a pro finish but there’s no reason why you can’t DIY a paint job. It’s not necessary to paint every room. Focus your attention on those walls that are peeling, chipping or flaking first.
Don’t neglect the ceilings. It will amaze you how a freshly painted ceiling takes a room to the next level.
A word of advice, stick to classic neutral colors – they appeal to the widest audience.
The latest trending colors and designs are fab for your own house, but be aware that fashions change quickly and don’t appeal to everyone.
2. Exterior Fixes
Working the curb appeal starts with taking a long, hard and objective look at the outside of the house. Mow the lawn, weed the flower beds, trim overgrown shrubs, and add some potted plants to bare areas.
Remove or replace broken fences, porch railings, and shutters. Get rid of any junk that’s lying around.
Power-washing the exterior walls could make a huge difference to the appearance of the house if you don’t want to update the exterior paint job.
Driveways and walkways will also benefit from a thorough cleaning and crack repair.
Painting the front door in an appealing shade is one of the most impactful ways to upgrade your house facade.
3. Soup up the Kitchen
The kitchen can make or break a house sale. Old appliances, dated flooring, and counters have got to go if you want to profit from your house refurb.
When it’s done right, even a minor kitchen refurbishment can yield an 80% ROI.
Painting cabinets and adding new hardware to the doors are an inexpensive way to give your kitchen a new look.
Look for granite offcuts to remodel into new counters. A new backsplash works wonders to update a kitchen.
4. Bathroom Bare Essentials
Bathrooms come right behind kitchens as make-or-break features of a home sale.
When it comes to bathrooms, the watchwords are ‘simple’ and ‘clean’.
Get rid of stained tiles and taps, repaint cabinets and scrub the entire room until it sparkles. Steam clean the grouting in between tiles and fix leaks.
Mirrors and new lights are an economical and effective way to spruce up a bathroom. Bathroom trends also come and go. White remains the most universally accepted bathroom color.
5. Fix the Floors
Old carpeting needs to go if you want to sell a home fast. Rip them up and replace them with tiles or engineered hardwood floors.
If the carpet is in good repair, a thorough steam cleaning will suffice to get it looking good as new. If you’re lucky enough to discover old wooden flooring in the house, hire a contractor to restore them to their former glory.
6. Small Things Count
Small imperfections can have a big impact on putting buyers off. Polish up scuff marks on baseboards and doors. Clean around light fittings and door handles or anywhere else that’s stained with grubby fingerprints.
Replace lightbulbs with energy-efficient versions and make sure they’re all working. Tighten up any loose door, window, and cabinet handles.
Check for cracked or chipped glass in the windows and get it fixed. Let the light shine in by replacing heavy drapes with light curtains.
7. Structural Considerations
The big things also count. Unfortunately, these are also the most expensive ones.
Large cracks in the walls will need professional repair. You can patch small ones while you’re painting the house. The condition of a house’s roof often causes problems for sellers and buyers.
Knowing that they may have to pay for a new roof soon can put buyers off. An old roof also affects the kind of financing and insurance they can get.
Appraisers are well known for insisting on roof replacement as a condition of a loan. Replacing the roof isn’t always necessary but it will add value and appeal to the house.
A roofing contractor will advise you on the most cost-effective fixes for your roof.
8. Mechanical Must-Haves
The house must be in working order for a successful sale. You may have to replace unsafe electrical fixtures and replace old plumbing.
It’s a good idea to install eco-friendly and cost-saving devices as far as possible when upgrading these features. Buyers find these very appealing.
Get the HVAC serviced, repaired, or replaced if necessary.
Important Repairs to Make Before Selling a House As-Is
If you’ve purchased a dirt cheap bargain to sell as-is to a fixer-upper enthusiast, there are a few things you need to sort out first.
There are a few legalities that you need to consider before trying to sell a run-down property. By law, you have to disclose any flaws regarding the property. This means a home inspection is in order.
There’s a good chance the house had an inspection before you bought it. However, as the seller, you are responsible if the original inspector overlooked something.
It’s a good idea to get the home inspected again before trying to sell it. The peace of mind you’ll gain is well worth the extra expense.
Add the Finishing Touches
Once you’ve ticked off these important repairs to make before selling a house, all that’s left is to get in touch with a reputable realtor for a home valuation estimate.
Don’t let all your hard work go to waste in the final stretch. When hosting a show house, a few extra touches go a long way towards a successful sale.
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