Should I fix up my home before I try to sell it or try to sell it "as is"?

To fix it up before I sell or not? THAT is the question!

This is a very hard question to answer for so many. There are so many variables: What is the current market like? Is it a seller’s market? Is it a buyer’s market? How quickly do I need to sell the home? Will my improvements result in a higher sales price?

If your goal is to sell your home you probably don’t want to fix it up specifically to your taste. There are, however, quite a few things that will not break the bank that can be done to improve the odds of receiving a good offer on your home. Here are just a few ideas:

1. CLEAN. Clean the house, clean the yard, declutter everything, clean the toilets, clean the tile grout, clean the windows, clean the baseboards - you get my drift. Make it feel like a home you would love to walk into and purchase. CLEAN.

2. If you have broken knobs and pulls in your bathrooms, kitchen, laundry or anywhere else these can be replaced in a fairly inexpensive manner.

3. Surprisingly enough, your own furnishings and decor can put off buyers. Does your rug need to be replaced? If it is so worn that you don’t even want to move it to your next home you might want to consider just getting it out of the house.

4. Personalized paint and wall paper. Don’t get me wrong, we all want to make a house “our home”. But that next family that would be interested in buying your home may not have a little girl who would enjoy the pink and green walls with the fairy and butterfly wall paper border. Remember the goal is to SELL your home. Making the buyers remember how their family will fit into this home is the key - not having them remember how much work it will take for them to make the house “their home”.

There are some things that buyers generally will shy away from when it comes to needed repairs. Buyers like to see roofs with some life left in them. If the roof on your home needs to be repaired or replaced this will likely delay the sale of your home as many potential buyers will not want to tackle this project right after they move, many of them will not be able to afford a repair that can be this costly and the idea of it will scare them away from an offer on your property.
Buyers also like to see HVAC systems that work well and are not at risk for failure as soon as they take ownership of the property. Having your heating and AC serviced and repaired prior to trying to sell your home. Replacing part of the HVAC system is also a cost many new buyers cannot afford immediately after purchasing a home.  
This post ONLY scratches the surface of this eternal question for anyone who is listing their home for sale. Ultimately you want your home to be in good condition. Good enough condition for potential buyers to want to come inside to see what your house has to offer. Once they are inside you don’t want anything going on that will distract the potential buyer from being able to picture their family in this home or to make them think that it would be too much work to purchase this home.

If you are thinking about selling your home I would LOVE the opportunity to discuss some of the pros and cons to updating your home before you list it. Give me a call ~ I am here to help!

Michelle Peacock, Realtor®
TM5 Properties
michelle@tm5properties.com

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