Should You Renovate Before Selling Your Home?
The decision on whether to renovate or remodel before selling your home can be a difficult one. On the one hand, any updates you choose to incorporate will cost money. With all the stress that goes into selling a house (along with purchasing and moving into a new one), it’s important to make sure you’re spending your money wisely and making strategic decisions. Any and all home renovations or upgrades should add to the overall value of your house.
Performing Renovations Before You Sell Your Home: 4 Things to Know
If you’re stuck on whether or not you should dive into some DIY projects and remodeling before you put your house up for sale, here are some suggestions that should help you make your decision.
1. Make Necessary Upgrades First
If you’re going to renovate, you should start with the must-haves. In other words, if there are things that absolutely need to be updated, get those things taken care of before you start any extra projects or cosmetic updates. These necessities could be anything from installing new gutters to replacing bad pipes. Make a list of anything that feels unsettling, or that could be problematic to explain to potential buyers. Cross these things off the to-do list first, and see where you stand when it’s all taken care of.
2, Renovate the Rooms that Sell
When buyers are looking at homes, there are certain rooms that will influence their decision more than others. Keeping that in mind, you won’t want to spend a ton of money on updating areas that won’t do much to sway a decision one way or another. Don’t spend a ton of time on the extra bedrooms around the house. These aren’t huge sellers. Instead, make upgrades in the kitchen, master bedroom, living room, and the exterior of the home. Updates in these areas show a good return on investment and thus, will likely be worth your time and money. To speak to this topic, consider replacing the siding, entry door, and garage door if they’re in need of it. These are smart updates that seem to pay off for most.
3. Small upgrades make a difference
As we always say, the devil is in the details. Don’t underestimate the value of fresh paint and a little elbow grease. Small projects in the kitchen and bathroom like updating hardware, replacing handles, repainting and refinishing cabinets, as well as updating the wall colors can make a huge difference.
4. Discuss with your realtor what you can do to get the best price for your home
Regardless of what decisions you make about renovating on your own, you should always check with your realtor to see what suggestions they have about renovations for resale value. Even if you think you’ve got it covered, keep in mind that your realtor does this for a living. Don’t be afraid to utilize their knowledge and experience to get the best price possible for your home. And hey, you never know. They might be able to point out some small updates that are easy to incorporate, but which will increase your homes value more than you ever thought possible. Are you looking to buy a home in Kansas City or thinking of putting your home on the market? Give us a call today! You can reach our team at 913.521.8806. You can also come visit our office at 5000 W. 135th St. Leawood, KS 66224.