Are you Wasting Money Preparing your Home for Sale?

Preparing your home for sale can be just as important as pricing it right, you will only get one opportunity to make a first impression with prospective home buyers and Realtors. However, do you know what changes will help you obtain top dollar and what changes could be a complete waste of money?

There are countless articles and even TV shows that give staging and renovation tips for home seller’s, but not all of these tips are going to help your home sale.

So what tips are must do’s, maybes and no ways?

Below are the most common staging and renovation tips and how they might impact your home sale.

Declutter & Organize

Space sells! Decluttering and organizing your home doesn’t cost a dime unless you hire a professional, and it will always pay off. Some sellers may only need to do minor things, like clear off countertops while others might need to pare down furnishings and purge closets and cabinets.

New Paint

In most cases, a seller can never go wrong with a fresh coat of neutral paint. However, if your current paint color is neutral and the walls are in good condition it might be more cost-effective to touch up areas that need addressing. Don’t have any touch-up paint? Most home improvement stores are now able to color match your current color.

Fresh Landscaping

A buyer’s first impression of your home isn’t when they walk through the front door, it’s when they drive up. So it’s imperative your home has great curb appeal, which usually starts with landscaping. Make sure your grass is always trimmed, weeds are always pulled and if you use mulch make sure that it’s fresh. Spending a few hundred dollars on flowers, shrubs and mulch will always be a great investment.

Adding Granite Countertops

Not all homes need granite countertops to get top dollar, it all depends on your price point and a buyer’s expectations. In the upper price points hard surface countertops are the norm, so if you have formica you’ll want to upgrade. However, if your current countertops are comparable to your competition and/or you’re in the lower price point it probably won’t be cost-effective to spend thousands of dollars on new countertops when it may only net you a few hundred dollars if anything at all.

New Appliances

Brand new appliances can be a big selling point for a lot of buyer’s, but it doesn’t necessarily equate to more money in your pocket. If your appliances are on the older side (10+ years) or mismatched replacing one or all may be something to consider. However don’t expect a 100% return on your investment, odds are new appliances will only make your home more appealing to buyer’s, it’s unlikely they’ll pay thousands of dollars more for them.

New Carpeting

The general consensus for replacing carpeting is usually a must do, but in my experience new carpeting may not always pay off. This is where getting an expert opinion from your Listing Agent will come into play, they should be able to tell you if it’s a wise investment or waste of money.

Home Maintenance

Make sure everything is checked off your “to do list.” Ceiling stain from a repaired roof leak? Paint it. Broken faucet? Replace it. Does your tub need new caulking? Caulk it. Ripped screen? Fix it.

Home Addition

In most cases this will be a no way, but if the value for your 3 bedroom is $400,000, an addition for a 4th bedroom will cost you $50,000 and it will increase your home’s value more than $75,000, then it might be something to discuss with your Realtor.

Remodeling Kitchen and Bathrooms

Just like home additions, this one is usually going to get a no way, but sometimes doing inexpensive things like installing new faucets, new lighting or replacing a vanity could payoff.

Final Thoughts

Prior to spending a dime preparing your home for sale I highly recommend contacting a top Realtor in your area and get their advice on what changes need to be made. If you’re looking to sell your Wellington home I welcome the opportunity to meet with you and give you my expert opinion on what changes could benefit your home sale.

If you think this article, Are you Wasting Money Preparing your Home for Sale?, was an interesting read and helpful, please share it across your social media platforms!

Are you Wasting Money Preparing your Home for Sale? via @wellingtonhomez #realestate https://t.co/gIQVeO7TPS pic.twitter.com/kdW7gvT7vJ

— Michelle Gibson (@WellingtonHomez) January 4, 2019

Additional Home Seller Resources

Home Staging | Preparation For Selling A Home by Bill Gassett
The 3 critical P’s when selling your home by Conor Mac Evilly
10 Easy Home Staging Tips by Sharon Paxson
The 6 Most Common Seller Mistakes to Avoid by Maria Mastrolonardo
Smart Renovations by Kevin Vitali
What to Clean up when Preparing your Home for Sale by Paul Sian

About the Author

The above real estate article “Are you Wasting Money Preparing your Home for Sale?” was written by Michelle Gibson of Wellington Florida Real Estate. Specializing in residential real estate since 2001 Michelle Gibson is experienced in assisting buyer’s, seller’s, landlord’s, tenant’s and would love to share her knowledge and expertise and guide you through the entire real estate process.

We service the following areas; Wellington, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, Greenacres and more. If you are considering selling your home, we welcome the opportunity to work with you and list your home with a top Realtor in Wellington Florida