Selling Your Home? Don’t Worry About Making These Fixes Before You List

There are some repairs that are worth tackling before you list your home. For example, if your home hasn’t been painted in years—and the paint is worn and peeling—a fresh coat of paint can make the space feel more updated and modern, and can help it appeal to more buyers and help you sell the property faster and for a higher price tag.

But you don’t have to tackle every repair your home may need before you put your property on the market.

So, the question is, if you’re planning to sell your home, what repairs can you skip?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined repairs homeowners shouldn’t worry about doing before they list their home, including:

• Updating the kitchen or bathrooms. If your kitchen and/or bathrooms are outdated, you might think renovating them before you list is the right move. But buyers have different tastes—and trying to renovate in a way that appeals to buyers with different styles can be a waste of time and energy. Plus, many buyers want to put their own spin on their home, and they may consider renovating the kitchen or bathroom to actually be a selling point! Besides, the cost of a kitchen or bathroom renovation may exceed how much more it’ll actually make your house worth.
• Repainting in trendy colors. Trends are a tricky thing—especially when it comes to paint colors. You might paint the walls of your home in a color that’s completely on trend today—but by the time you list, that color may look dated and out of style. If you’re going to paint your home, paint it in a neutral shade (like off-white, gray, or beige); neutrals have the most universal appeal. Your buyer can choose the color palette that feels the most true to their personal style, whether it’s trendy or not.
• Renovating beyond your neighborhood’s standard. If your home is behind your neighborhood’s norm, you’ll want to do any necessary repairs to get it up to the area’s standards before you list. (For example, if everyone has a well-manicured lawn—but yours is full of dead grass—you’ll want to invest in some landscaping before you list.) But don’t spend your time and money going above and beyond that (for example, by completely renovating your backyard); chances are, you’re going to have a hard time recouping your investment when it’s time to sell.