Even in the current, strong sellers’ market gripping much of the nation, a property must be in the best condition possible for the sale to go smoothly and motivate higher offers. Focusing on some simple, affordable repairs before selling a home will put more money in your pocket!

Every house has some issues and items in need of repair. Yet you only have so much time and money. So, what should you fix?

In this post, we’ll list 8 simple and affordable home repairs to make before selling a home to put more money in your pocket.

8 Affordable Repairs to Make Before Selling Your Home

Tackle these 8 areas of repairs that might stop a sale from happening first:

1. Consider a Pre-Sale Inspection

When selling a home, no one likes surprises.  Better to know ahead of time what home repairs you need to make before selling.

Consider these advantages:

• A pre-sale home inspection can help prevent surprises by identifying needed repairs before selling your home.
• Finding problems now saves you from having to negotiate them when finalizing the sale.

Have an inspector look over your home and then fix whatever is broken. This way you can confidently move forward with your sale. 

2. Start With Functionality

Before selling your home, go through it and make sure that basic things work as they should.

This includes:

• Doorknobs and locks that work.
• Windows that aren’t cracked and that can open.
• Light switches that work.
• Ceiling fans that function.
• And don’t forget the garage door either!

A few broken components are all it takes to start driving the price down, so get them fixed now. 

3. Paint and Remove Old Wallpaper

Paint is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to update the look of any home before selling. And you don’t need to be a professional painter, either.

Watch a few how-to videos, select your colors, and get busy!

Here are some useful tips:

• When picking colors, lean toward lighter and neutral colors which tend to appeal to most people.
• You don’t have to paint every room, just those that need it.
• Rooms with chipped, or dirty paint are the ones that will benefit most.

While there are some exceptions, if you have wallpaper in your home, it is almost always a good idea to remove it.  

Wallpaper dates a home. Some sellers assume buyers will “look past it.” Very often they do not.

Removing wallpaper helps make a positive first impression and makes a home more appealing to a buyer.

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4. Make Repairs to the Home’s Exterior

The exterior is the first thing buyers see, so you want its best.

First impressions matter, so consider the following home repairs before selling:

• Replace missing fence boards.
• Add sod or seed if the grass is looking patchy.
• Make sure the grass is mowed and that weeds are removed.
• Plant flowers to add color and make the place feel homier.
• Don’t forget the roof. Remove moss and replace missing shingles.

5. Update the Most Essential Area: The Kitchen

From the sales perspective, the kitchen is likely the most important area in a home — and a room that buyers focus on.

Not every kitchen is spectacular, but significant upgrades and repairs before selling the home rarely make sense financially.

Don’t do a full kitchen renovation unless your agent tells you that you can make your money back on the sale.

Instead, think about these minor repairs that can make your kitchen appear more inviting:

• Paint as necessary.
• Consider installing new light fixtures. 
• Replace rough or outdated countertops — expensive granite and marble are not a requirement for a fresh and updated look.

Buyers are going to expect that all of the appliances work. If the oven, dishwasher, or range aren’t working or look awful— replacing them is likely necessary.

6. Don’t Skip the Bathroom

A clean bathroom, where everything works as it should — is a necessity.

When going through your bathroom, keep in mind these possible repairs to make before selling your home:

• Repair running toilets and leaky faucets.
• You can often make a toilet look much better just by replacing the seat.
• Cleaning up the grout can make a big difference.
• Any missing tiles should also be replaced.

The brighter and cleaner your bathrooms, the better.

7. Maximize the Sense of Space With Lighting

Lighting is often more important than people realize and is a simple home repair to make before selling.

Proper lighting can make a small home or room seem larger, open, and inviting.

You want to maximize the sense of space and take advantage of any lighting options or tricks you can, so:

• Replace “dated” fixtures or lamps and consider affordable upgrades.
• Make the most of natural lighting. Remove heavy drapes, replace them with light-colored curtains, and let in the light.

8. Refinishing Hardwood Floors

Without a doubt, hardwood floors are a popular selling feature. There are few things more impressive than entering a home where the hardwood looks spectacular.

Yes, flooring can be expensive, but keep three things in mind:

• Refinishing hardwood floors often yields a high return on investment.
• Sanding, staining, and fixing rough spots don’t need to be expensive.
• Many of today’s vinyl plank floors are incredibly durable and look and feel like real wood — yet are much, much less expensive. 

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How PhotoUp Can Help!

When considering home repairs to make before selling, many owners and their agents are unaware that real estate photo editing and virtual staging services can help smooth over rough areas and even create “after repair” images.  

Time to market is an important consideration in our fast-paced industry. Edited images can save you valuable time since you don’t need to wait for all the repairs to be made to take photos and list the house.  

Instead, have PhotoUp edit the images even before the repairs are completed. 

We can even help with the little things that matter, like greening the grass, replacing gray skies, and removing clutter and unwanted objects.

We hope this post helped you learn about affordable home repairs to make before listing a home for sale.

If you enjoyed reading this post, you may also want to check out the following resources:

• 6 Quick Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home
• Why Curb Appeal Is Important When Selling a Property
• How to Prepare Your Home for Real Estate Photography
• 10 Benefits of Virtual Staging for Real Estate Agents