There are usually two options when it comes to major repairs when you’re about to sell your property. You can either sell the property as-is and cut the price or have some of the issues repaired before you put it up for sale. Deciding between the two options is not always easy, but it’s usually better to make important repairs first. There are some repairs, however, that are more worth doing than others. Issues that are highly visible, or those that are affecting major components of the house, would usually be priorities. Here are some of the repairs and renovations you should consider performing before selling your home.
Roofing Issues
If there are known issues with your roof, or it’s near the end of its life, you should consider having it repaired or replaced right now. People will not like hearing that the roof has problems – even if they’re minor. A new roof, on the other hand, will send the signal of a homeowner who actually cares about his property and will be a great selling point for your property. You have to be very careful not to go overboard here as you may not be able to make a return on your investment if you spend too much. Do everything in your power to keep your costs low while getting the most aesthetic benefits. This means that you’ll have to be very careful with the materials that you pick, the contractor that you work with, and also with the terms of the contract.
One easy way that you could save money on a roofing job would be to handle parts of the job yourself. We aren’t suggesting that you go on the roof and start tearing up shingles, but you could do something simple such as taking care of waste management. You could look for bulk trash pickup services like Waste Connections, for instance. Bulk trash pickup services will rent you a dumpster you can use to dispose of your old roofing materials. They have dumpsters of different sizes and will take them off your hands once you’re done with them. This could especially come in handy if you want to make other renovations in the meantime. Doing this alone could allow you to save several thousand on your next roof, so consider the option and look at other ways that you could save.
Broken Gutters and Bad Siding
People don’t like seeing gutter issues or dirty or cracked siding. Even if the gutters may seem like a minor thing, they will catch their attention in a bad way and may lead them to believe that you’re neglecting your home. There is no reason for you not to have your gutters replaced before a sale. This is such a cheap repair to make in comparison to how much of a negative impact it could have on buyers and how much it would devalue your home, so act right now.
When it comes to siding, you should also consider having it repaired before selling if the cracks are major. If the siding only has minor damage or is dirty, then you could leave it as is. Make sure to give it a nice power wash first, though.
Chipped Paint
There is also no reason to have chipping paint anywhere in the house. This is something that will make a house look bad really fast and can be fixed in one afternoon, so don’t be lazy or cheap. If it’s in an important room, you can use this as an opportunity to repaint the whole room. Fresh paint will always make a great impression as long as it’s well done. You could even take it a step further and add some molding or create an accent wall with nice wallpaper.
Bad Landscaping
Having bad landscaping is another no-no, and selling a house with tons of wilted plants in your garden and a wilted, or damaged, lawn is just a bad idea. No one wants a house with yellow patchy grass, and it will send red flags flying for the vast majority of buyers who come for visits. To prevent this, you might want to consider either planting a new lawn, trimming and treating the lawn it if it’s salvageable, or laying down some sod.
If there are cracks in the sidewalk or driveway, have those fixed too. You should consider resurfacing or repairing your driveway as well, depending on its state, as this is one of the first things people will see when they get to your home.
These are all moves that you should consider doing before putting your house up for sale. They will help you attract more visitors and will allow you to sell your home with better offers and at a faster rate.
