What Not to Fix When Selling a House

When preparing to sell a home, making the best choices on what to repair can be difficult. Home sellers tend to forget it’s more important to represent the potential of a house than to pretend it’s perfect. Buyers and sellers will know that normal wear and tear happens in every residence. A good guideline when selling your home is to fix things prospective buyers will notice and appreciate. This can be the difference between a house being seen as a turn-key property or a fixer-upper.   

Tackling every repair could be costly and time-consuming for a homeowner. Worse, it isn’t likely to earn your money back. Making some updates can be an expensive mistake because the odds of potential buyers replacing fixtures, window coverings and carpeting are high. Don’t stress over home repairs like these. Instead, focus on strategic maintenance to increase the home’s sale price.  

Reaching out to a local real estate agent is a great first step when considering to list your house. Listing agents regularly monitor home trends and can tell you which fixes are most sought-after in the local market.   

If you’re interested in getting a pre-listing home inspection, your agent can point you toward respected companies. These can reveal which repairs are most needed and let you know if the home is up to current standards. The agent’s suggestions, and the inspection report, will determine the updates that produce the best return on your investment.  

Real estate agents can also prepare a comparative market analysis for you. These reports show how your home compares to nearby, recently sold properties. They also provide a guideline for how much your home is worth, and the best starting price when you’re ready to sell.   

There are no hard and fast rules about what shouldn’t be fixed when selling a home. Any repair will have pros and cons, and there’s always the chance your hard work might not pay off. It’s helpful to remember that you want your home to show ‘potential over perfection.’ Decluttering, painting and landscaping often do more good than extensive renovations before listing your home. If a repair isn’t necessary to successfully list your home, don't stress over it.   

It can be tempting to think a significant remodel or exterior coat of paint will help your home sell faster. However, each home’s condition and situation are different. Older or historic homes are practically guaranteed to have creaky floors or a few doors that stick in the summer. Those things can show the potential buyer the charms and challenges of living in such a house.   

• A cracked driveway: As frustrating as it is, even driveways only a few weeks old can develop cracks. They can be overlooked if they aren’t overly large, provided the rest of the exterior is well-maintained. 
• Fixtures: Lighting fixtures, sink faucets and bathtub taps are fine not to change, provided everything is in good condition. These are cosmetic features the buyer can adjust to suit their needs.   
• Grandfathered-in building code issues: Building codes are continually changing. A home built even 20 years ago might not meet current standards. But that doesn’t mean every issue will have to be fixed. If the house was built according to the standards of the day, code violations will be ‘grandfathered in’ and allowed to remain as-is.   
• Major room remodels: Completely remodeling a non-master bathroom, kitchen or basement is unlikely to recoup the money spent. Instead, partial room updates, like painting bathroom cabinets or replacing kitchen counters, can add appeal and be easier on your budget.   
• Smart home technology: As useful and trendy as smart home technology can be, it’s not necessarily something prospective buyers are looking for.   
• Window coverings: Removing window coverings like drapes and blinds allows more light into the home. This gives rooms a larger, fresher look and can let interested parties imagine making the space their own. 

• Appliances: Replace anything that isn’t in good working order. It’s okay if they look a bit dated. Homebuyers often want to upgrade these to give their new house a personal touch.   
• Cosmetic fixes: It depends on the home's overall condition, but if you have minor scratches or imperfections it’s all part of normal wear and tear.   
• Energy-efficient updates: Many prospective homebuyers are looking for energy-efficient updates to properties. LED lighting, window seals and insulation upgrades can reduce utility bills by up to 30%, so that’s definitely a selling point to highlight.   
• Fading exterior paint: Your house’s exterior is the first thing a potential buyer sees. Fading paint might not be a deal-breaker, but peeling paint can be. A fresh coat significantly adds to the curb appeal.
• Flooring: If there are holes or loose boards, those should be repaired. However, the potential buyer can decide if scuffed or stained flooring is worth replacing. Hardwood floors are in high demand, and the National Association of Realtors notes that refinishing them can add value to your home. 
• Minor HVAC, plumbing or electrical issues: There's no reason to complete heavy maintenance if these systems are in good working order. However, leaky faucets, broken light fixtures and problems with heating or cooling can lead potential buyers to question how much other work needs to be done.   
• Overly rusty gutters: While this might seem excessively nitpicky, rusty gutters are an eyesore that can reduce curb appeal. A minimal amount of rust will likely be overlooked as part of the bigger picture. However, heavily rusted gutters are a red flag of more intense maintenance to be done.   
• Windows: Replacing broken panes and ensuring they’re well-sealed is far more important than putting in new windows entirely.  This helps keep the home energy efficient without breaking the bank.   

Everyday living causes wear and tear in a home. Paint colors go in and out of fashion, possibly making a home’s interior look dated. Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid making a poor first impression on a prospective buyer with a simple coat of paint.    

Light and neutral colors get the best reception from potential buyers, making a room seem larger and brighter. That’s not just for the inside of the home, either. Fresh exterior paint can also improve a home’s return on investment and help it sell faster.   

A prospective buyer may or may not replace the flooring, but there’s no harm in touching it up. A quick polish or shampooing helps make the home’s interior feel fresher. The difference may be subtle, but it’s far easier and more cost-efficient than replacing linoleum or carpeting.    

Things like minor dings and nail holes in the walls can be left for the new owners. During showings, the pictures will still be on the wall, so it should be understood that screw and nail holes will be left behind. It’s the same with dings. Living somewhere for more than a few months can cause paint to get small chips or scratches. Unless there are large patches of paint missing or deep gouges, there’s no need to cover superficial damage.  

The most important part of selling a house with appliances included is making sure those appliances work. If the dishwasher leaks or the refrigerator doesn’t cool properly, it won’t leave a good impression on the potential buyer.   

Neither will having mismatched appliances, especially in the kitchen. Buyers are often concerned with a home’s overall style during a walk-through. So, if the home’s stove is new but the dishwasher is old, the difference can be glaring. 

There’s also the issue of what appliances make a home more attractive to an interested party. The washer and dryer aren’t necessarily expected to be included in the sale, although kitchen appliances are.  

Should You Offer Appliance Credits? 

During the initial negotiations for a property, the seller might offer credits for significant repairs, such as replacing a roof or overhauling the plumbing. Seller credits can also cover things like appliances. Still, many sellers generally find it more economical to replace appliances themselves before closing.  

It’s crucial to know the difference between a minor electrical or plumbing problem and a major one. Minor issues like a dead outlet or light switch aren’t safety issues, so it’s okay to leave those as is. However, dangling light fixtures, bare wires or outdated electrical service panels should be addressed before listing the property with an agent or for sale by owner.  

It’s the same with plumbing issues. If there’s a leaky faucet you can’t get to before listing, disclose it to potential buyers so they can decide how to approach it later. More significant issues, like an unreliable septic system or leaky pipes, can be deal-breakers unless dealt with in advance.  

As nerve-wracking as it can be to think about selling an unfinished home, it’s not an impossible task. Instead of worrying about leaving a renovation undone, focus on the potential this blank canvas gives to a potential buyer. House flippers and investors may even be more interested in a house where part of the work has already been done.  

The saying ‘you have to spend money to make money’ is true in real estate. Even before a home goes up for sale, most sellers know how much they can spend on repairs and upgrades. No matter how large or small that number may be, you'll have a much higher return on investment with a few specific fixes.  

A return on investment, or ROI, measures the profit from a seller adding value to the property. Some of the highest ROI upgrades include landscaping, painting and replacing countertops and cabinets.  

Updating the home’s curb appeal offers some of the highest returns on a seller’s investment. After all, the outside of a house is the first thing a potential buyer will see.  

Putting in new landscaping and refreshing exterior paint makes a big impression. Low-maintenance plants, pops of color from flowers and a tidy driveway show off the home and let prospective buyers imagine themselves there. If those aren’t options, simply making sure the lawn is neat and fresh mulch is in the flower beds is still worthwhile.  

Painting the exterior, interior or both results in a high return on investment. A fresh coat of neutral or light-colored paint makes the house feel more open. If you don’t want to pay a professional to tackle the job, there’s nothing wrong with doing it yourself.  

Partial kitchen remodels are another way to add value to a home. Changing out countertops and refinishing cabinets is more cost-effective than undertaking a complete remodel.  

Understanding what potential buyers want in your local housing market can be the difference between selling your home in a few weeks or a few months. No two real estate markets are the same, and catering to specific area trends shows you’ve done your research.  

Homes in larger cities might need a bit of smart home technology to be attractive. However, in a rural setting, it’s unlikely to make a difference. It could even deter buyers if the area has unreliable internet.  

If in doubt about what’s in demand for your market, speaking with a real estate agent can tell you more about local trends.   

Having a pre-listing home inspection can reveal the most important fixes to make before putting the home up for sale. These include structural problems, safety issues and any building code violations that weren’t grandfathered in. Major plumbing and electrical troubles should be addressed, too, because these can be deal-breakers for a home sale.  

Before a seller considers hiring a real estate attorney or covering closing costs, they have to list the home for sale. Consulting with a real estate agent can help pinpoint the most strategic repairs for a home, while a pre-listing inspection can help clear up any building code issues.  

Fixing everything in a home might be tempting for a seller who wants top dollar, but it won’t make the buyer’s final decision. Show off your house to its best advantage by increasing the curb appeal, updating the paint and decluttering. This allows potential buyers to see themselves in the house.  

Ultimately, that’s what will make the property someone’s new home. 

How can you increase the value of your house before selling it?  Make strategic repairs and upgrades to give your home the best chance of selling quickly and for the desired amount. Fixes with the highest return on investment include landscaping, painting the home’s interior or exterior and replacing countertops.  

Won't buyers be turned off by minor cosmetic issues?  Generally, no. Minor cosmetic issues, like outdated kitchen finishes or appliances, aren’t as important as making sure everything in the home is in good working order.  

Do I need to replace old appliances before selling?  If appliances are in good condition and work well, there’s no need to replace them. However, if a dishwasher is leaky or the dryer doesn’t heat up properly, installing new equipment will make the property more attractive to prospective buyers.