For many homeowners, one of the first thoughts when selling their house is ‘we had better fix this place up’. All those renovation plans made over the years are taken off the backburner, with the idea that a new kitchen or bathroom will bring a higher price.
This, however, while seemingly logical, might not be the case at all. How can you potentially save yourself from throwing thousands of dollars down the drain on unnecessary renovations?
Before ripping out the kitchen or bathroom, there are some simple things you can do to improve your property that won’t cost an arm and a leg, but will increase its selling power.
Start by making sure the house looks good from the outside, whether that means a quick paint job or a few hours in the garden – first impressions last.
Next, make sure the house is clean and tidy, not dirty and cluttered. Sell, store or give away excess furniture, clothing and household effects to make rooms and storage areas appear spacious.
Once the house has been cleaned up and cleared out, have your local real estate agent look the place over and give you their opinion. They are familiar with the market and the value of property in your area, so could save you time and money.
If they think current conditions in the marketplace mean that you might get more money back by doing the house up, then go ahead, but be prepared for this not to be the case – quite a few homes are sold as is, then are demolished for rebuild or renovated according to the buyers’ own needs.
