A Few Repairs Can Seal the Deal on the Sale of Your Home
It’s the paradox of the “as-is” home sale. You want a hassle-free transaction, but you may be delaying the sale and killing your bottom line.
If you want to sell your Riverside, CA, home for the highest price in the shortest period of time, don’t let a buyer in to find a bunch of problems.
What you see: minor repairs. What they see: deferred maintenance, with major problems beneath the surface. The result: lower offers and higher days on market.
Here are some basics areas you should always address:
- Nail holes and scuffed wall paint.
- Leaky faucets or valves, inside and outside.
- Dirty or missing bathtub caulking.
- Cabinet doors or drawers that don’t work.
- Cracked or broken windows.
- Doors that don’t close properly (including sliders).
- Rotted wood trim, fascia or decking.
- Old, stained toilets.
- Cracked counter or floor tiles.
- Fencing: Rust/flaky paint or broken slats.
- Oil spots on the driveway.
- Front door flaking paint and old lockset.
(Need a referral to a contractor or handyman? Call 951-778-9700 today for a referral).
Flooring
Of all the improvements you can make, few have a better return on investment than updated flooring. Neutral colors are best.
Hardwood Floors: If you have real wood floors, give yourself a high-five. Buyers love wood, as long as it’s in good condition.
If you have carpeting covering beautiful wood surfaces, consider ripping out the carpet and accenting with area rugs. But you may have to resurface and refinish the wood. It could get spendy, but not much more than replacing the carpet. (Another high-five!)
Carpet: Unless your current carpeting is new and beige, replace it. That neutral color will appeal to many and offend none. By the way, a “carpet allowance” never wowed a buyer.
Tile: Replace any cracked tiles and chipped grout. Steam-clean the grout to make it look fresh and new.
Vinyl: Depending on the price range of your home, vinyl flooring could be perfectly acceptable, or it could indicate no upgrades in the house.
Under $200,000, you should replace torn or heavily scuffed vinyl with fresh-new – it’s relatively inexpensive, and today’s designs are very pleasing. Over $400,000, consider tiling over it with 18-inch ceramic tile. In the middle, it’s a judgment call. But make sure you repair damaged flooring.
Paint
The other no-brainer repair is new paint for the walls and ceilings. It looks good, smells new and communicates “fresh.”
Colors: Go with beige walls and white ceilings, baseboard and casings. Do NOT use different colors for every room – that’s so 2004. One house, one wall color.
Popcorn: That old 1970s textured ceiling is an ugly safety hazard. It holds onto stains, cigarette smoke and dirt. Worst of all, it likely contains asbestos. It costs about $2 per square foot to remove ceiling texture. Afterward, the ceiling may need to be retextured before you paint.
Wallpaper: Buyers hate wallpaper. It’s usually dated, and people think it’s hard to get rid of. Steam it off and paint the walls. You may have to skim-coat and texture if the walls are damaged. Worst-case scenario, you can paint right over the wallpaper, as long as it isn’t peeling or bubbled. Painted wallpaper can provide an interesting texture on the wall.
Wood Paneling: Dark paneling makes your house look old and small. Paint it to brighten the room and make it look larger. Be careful about removing paneling – you never know what’s under it. It could be plaster or wood lap or even insulation.
Exterior: A fresh coat of paint on the exterior will do wonders for your curb appeal. And it’s not very expensive. Make sure you scrape, fill and repaint wood trim and fascia as well. It might save you some repair costs after the termite inspection.
Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the three most important and scrutinized rooms in the house. It can make or break a sale.
We do not suggest that you remodel a kitchen before you sell your home. But if there are glaring deficiencies, you should address them in the most economical way possible.
You can repaint old cabinets and replace hardware to give the kitchen a fresh appearance. A new kitchen faucet is easy and cheap, too. Old, non-working appliances have to go or use this website to repair them – negotiate a sweet package deal for matching stove, dishwasher and microwave.
For higher-end properties, granite countertops prices have fallen dramatically as more luxury homeowners move to quartzite and marble. White-tile counters may keep your home on the market longer than necessary.
Bathrooms
Studies show that bathroom remodels recoup 100 percent of the cost to renovate. You can install a toilet, vanity with granite countertop and sink, stylish mirror and tile flooring for just a couple thousand dollars. Refinish the fiberglass shower enclosure for $500 more. Voila! Brand-new bathroom!
Roof
If the roof is tattered and leaking, buyers will shy away. They expect the major systems in your home to be in good working order. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roof are the biggies.
Every situation must be evaluated individually. Have your agent help you run the numbers on resale value of a home with necessary repairs vs. a fixer. Then, you can make an educated financial decision.
Want to know what your house is worth today? Want to know what strategies are working to get the highest possible price for a house? Call us today at 951-778-9700 or use the contact form below and ask for a 10-minute consultation.
Illustrations courtesy of Grant Cochrane, naypong | freedigitalphotos.net
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Repairs to Help Sell Your Home | Riverside CA Home Sales | Sell Your Riverside Home | Brian Bean and Tim Hardin Dream Big