Should you make repairs to your home before selling it?

This housing market is very competitive. Some cleaning, elbow grease, and a little paint can help your house sell faster. A few years ago, houses were selling like crazy with no improvements needed. Now, supply of homes is higher than demand for them, allowing buyers to be choosy and selective in what they want. Now, I’m not saying to install granite countertops and custom cabinetry. Some repairs are unnecessary, but others will help your home sell faster with less out of your own pocket.
First of all, clean up. Just cleaning your house gives a better impression to your potential buyers. Clean light fixtures, and replace any burnt out or broken bulbs. Clean your windows, Swiffer the floors, replace broken outlet covers. CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN! Fix any squeaks or creaks. Do any of your doors stick? Grab some WD-40 and a screw driver and fix it! Doors that don’t open, stick, or squeak can be quite annoying to some potential buyers. While it may not seem too difficult to fix, buyers will view it as a problem.
You should also touch up your walls. Grab a little paint and a little paintbrush and start touching up little scuff marks on the walls. Any holes? Slap on some putty and touch up the paint. If your walls require full interior paint, stick to neutral colors. There’s no bigger deterrent to a buyer than bright blue or neon pink walls. On the same note, keep décor tasteful. Some décor may be offensive or distasteful to the potential buyer. As much as you may love your hunting trophies, keep the deer heads off of the wall for showings.
Have you been thinking of replacing those shriveling shrubs in your yard? There is no better time. Your yard is the first thing potential buyers will see, and you want it make a good impression. Trim overgrown shrubs or trees, plant some flowers, keep your lawn cut and trimmed, and make sure your yard is projecting the impression you want.
After your yard, the next thing they will see is your front door. Cracked and peeling paint on front door may give a negative impression. So, pick up some paint and paint your front door.
Keep your home free of clutter. Buyers have high expectations, and expect the home to show like a model. So, start packing. Clean out your closets, and clear out the clutter. Give them what they want.
In addition to cleaning the rest of your house, make your bathroom sparkle. Clean the mirrors, scrub the toilets, scrub the tub, and mop the floor. Re-caulk around the baths and toilets to prevent leaks.
These few things could easily increase the value of your home in this competitive market. Should you have any other questions about how to increase the value of your home, talk to a REALTOR.