Selling your house is always a huge task. And you often have to weigh up whether it is worth fixing things up, or selling the house at a reduced price. But the fact of the matter is, you get more money if you fix things up. 

But how do you know if something needs fixing, or if it’s okay to leave it for the next owner? Keep reading to learn what to fix before selling your house. 

Kitchen 

The kitchen is one of the most expensive rooms to fix up. This means if you want a good chance of selling your house for as much money as you can get, the kitchen has to be in excellent condition. 

Start by ensuring both mechanical systems work in the kitchen. This refers to the electrics and the plumbing. If both of these are in good condition, the rest is pretty easy. 

The next most noticeable concern in a kitchen is the cabinets. Make sure all the hinges are tightened, so the doors aren’t hanging at odd angles. An easy way to elevate the look of your kitchen cabinets is with new handles, and maybe a fresh coat of paint. These upgrades don’t cost much, but they make a big difference. 

If you’re hesitant about making these upgrades yourself, you can hire a handyman to help you out. 

Bathrooms

Most buyers aren’t too fussy about the style and look of a bathroom, but they’re incredibly picky about the quality of the plumbing.

If you’ve got leaky pipes or taps, buyers lose interest almost immediately. Some people even turn on the shower and taps to check the water pressure. 

To instill confidence in your buyers, hire a plumber to do a full inspection of all your bathrooms. They can check the drains and remove any clogs, as well as tighten pipes and plug leaks. 

Flooring

The floors have a huge impact on the overall look and feel of a room. If your floors are of good quality, then you have nothing to worry about. But if your flooring needs an upgrade, it’s best to fix this before selling your house. 

If you’ve got wooden flooring, consider refinishing the floor. This involves sanding it down and doing another coat of varnish. If you’ve got laminate flooring, make sure all the panels are in good condition, and replace any that need it. 

If your house has carpeting, get them professionally cleaned before taking any photographs or showing your house to buyers. If your carpets are in good condition, it gives potential buyers the confidence that you’ve looked after the rest of the house. 

Electrics

Faulty wiring is a fire risk, and the older your house, the more likely the wires are to start getting frayed and faulty. Buyers want to be assured that you’ve kept the electrics in good condition. 

The best way to do this is with an inspection from a qualified electrician, who will issue you with an electrical certificate of compliance. With this, buyers can trust the electrical situation is safe. 

Roof

From small leaks to big sections caving in, any sort of roof damage is a problem. It’s difficult to find the source of leaks, so it takes forever to finally plug them. 

And waterlogged or damaged roofs are likely to cave in, meaning portions of the roof collapse. This is dangerous to your family and your belongings in the house. 

To sell your house, you’ve got to prove to buyers that the roof is in great condition. It’s good to hire a professional to do a roof inspection and make any fixes they identify. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of the things I should fix before selling my house?

There are a few sections of your home that you need to fix up before you try to sell your house:

• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Flooring
• Electrics
• Roof

What happens if I don’t fix things before selling my house?

If you don’t fix things up, it means you can’t charge as much for your house when you’re trying to sell it. 

While your house has a base value that you can get for it, if the house needs a lot of fixing up, then people want a lower price for the house. 

How do I know if something is bad enough that I have to fix it?

Most real estate agents offer house evaluations. You can look into getting one of these and ask them to guide you through where your house’s value could be higher. 

What to Fix Before Selling Your House

If you’re planning on moving, it’s best that you fix these up before selling your house. Otherwise, you greatly reduce the value you can charge for your home. This means you have less money to invest in your new property. 

Contact us for all your home improvement needs!