Should You Do Home Updates Before Selling?

When I teach my “Downsize with Ease” seminars, I ask people how many decades they’ve lived in their homes. Not surprisingly, many participants have had the chance to enjoy their homes for 20-50+ years. 

If you've been in your home for a while, it may be time for some updates. If you're considering selling your home during your downsizing process, you may be wondering what changes you can make to help your home stand out and maximize your sale profits. Today’s buyers prefer move-in ready homes, so clean and updated spaces will attract the most interest. While any home will sell in a seller’s market if priced right, you can earn more by appealing to a larger pool of buyers with some simple updates. When it comes to most updates, my philosophy is “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it—price for it,” but some improvements just make sense. My advice trends towards inexpensive adjustments that can increase the appeal of the home for buyers.

For example:

1. Paint - Today’s buyers prefer understated colors on the walls. Dark colors are not on trend, at least not in large quantities. Consider repainting your home in lighter colors. My stager always suggests Sherwin-Williams Kilim Beige (SW 6106) to our clients. It looks lovely and neutral in most homes.
2. Remove Wallpaper - Buyers feel instant dread when they see wallpaper in a home because removing wallpaper is a difficult job. For best results, remove it and repaint the area before listing your home. Alternatively, you can sometimes paint over it or cover it with a more neutral wallpaper, if that’s easier.
3. Swap out light fixtures - While not inexpensive, replacing light fixtures can go a long way to giving your home a bit of modern flair.
4. Address Major Issues - If any key systems or features in your home, like the roof or windows, are nearing the end of their lifespan, consider repairing or replacing them to avoid undervaluing your property.

There are some projects that you should definitely pause and consider carefully before taking them on shortly before a sale. 

1. Kitchen & Bathroom Remodels - If you plan to sell your house within a year or two of a large project like this, make sure you understand that it’s unlikely you’ll get back 100% of your investment. If you’re planning to stick around in your house for 3-5 years after the update and you would like to enjoy a new kitchen or bathroom during your time living there, by all means, take on the project. If you’ll be selling shortly after making improvements, you might want to consider just doing a “facelift” on these spaces instead of a full remodel. You can redo countertops or re-face your cabinet and drawer fronts in your kitchen. Painting wood cabinets can also freshen up a space. In the bathroom, update your vanity, light fixtures, or even just hang up a more modern shower curtain.
2. Flooring - Flooring is such an individual choice. Unless your flooring is in very poor condition, this might be something you want to leave for the next homeowner. 

There are a lot of options to evaluate when it comes to improving your home to prepare for a sale. If you’re not sure of the best improvements to make on your house prior to a sale, Jess Lex Homes offers a free walkthrough service to help you evaluate your home project priority list. We can put together an “as-is” home valuation and also project the change in value you might receive for working on some of the projects. You can then use concrete numbers (repair costs vs. projected added home value after improvements) to help you make your decisions. 

Don’t make these decisions alone! Reach out to schedule a time to do a home walkthrough. We would love to put together a custom plan for your home preparation.