Selling House: Should You Remodel?

Even if you spent thousands on renovating your kitchen, it’s still a deal-breaker if the roof is leaking. No doubt, you don’t want to hear this, but to sell your home for the greatest value, all major systems need to be working and in good repair. So, the question is: should you remodel? If so, what should you remodel?

Home buyers expect a functional HVAC unit, updated, workable plumbing, and water heater. Further, they want a roof and basement that doesn’t leak. Things you can’t see with the naked eye may seem like wasted money if you’re selling the house. Just be aware that keeping home systems well-maintained is the homeowner’s obligation. Don’t expect potential buyers to pay more, as these aren’t true renovations, just regular upkeep.

Curb Appeal

Before you decide on what to renovate or remodel, check your curb appeal. How many appointments to view your home for sale have been no-shows? Could be they drove by and weren’t moved by its exterior. Perhaps your curb appeal is not appealing. Spiffy curb appeal generally gets you a good return on your investment. Also, it will entice people inside to view your home.

First, remove any clutter in your front yard. Put bicycles and toys where they belong. Dispose of broken items. Pick up and throw away any trash.

Manicure the front lawn, including hedges and shrubs. Pull weeds in flower beds and yard. Sweep and hose down the sidewalks and driveway. Windows need to be done if you’re preparing your home for sale. Either delegate, hire someone, or clean the windows yourself.

If the front porch is large enough, decorate it with two rocking chairs and a table between them. Hang wind chimes and a couple of hanging plants. Plant flowers in two big planters and place them on either side of the front door. Chunk out the grubby welcome mat and replace it with a new one.

Ensure street numbers are easily visible from the street.

What should you remodel on the exterior? We believe switching your old front door with a steel door can get you an enormous return on your investment when your home sells. Strong, steel front doors provide additional security because they are extremely difficult for an intruder to force open.

Best Return on Remodeling

The kitchen and master bathroom will get the best return on your remodeling investments. Paint and repair or replace broken items in other rooms and clean and declutter them.

Family and guests congregate in the kitchen, so updating the kitchen is generally a good place to spend remodeling funds. For example, stainless steel, energy-saver appliances will instantly change the appearance of the kitchen from drab to fab.

Should you remodel your kitchen and bathrooms? Your best option is what is known in the real estate industry as “minor kitchen and bath remodels”. This means don’t tear down walls to open-up space and don’t gut the master bath. Simply take a hard look at your kitchen and master bath and visualize ways to beautify them.

What to Focus On

When you’re selling your home, it can be hard to determine what little fixes will give you the most value. It’s hard to look at upgrades and figure out which will be worth the investment when you’re selling your home. We’re here to break it down for you.

Appliances

While a buyer may have specific tastes in appliances, there’s nothing worse than walking into a home with old appliances. It might be worth your time to invest in new appliances, or it might not. This really depends upon the buyer’s preferences. If your appliances are looking run down or old, it might be best to spruce them up with stainless steel or paint, just so that they don’t detract from an otherwise structurally sound kitchen.

Wood Floors

Buyers love original wood floors now. If you have carpeting over wood floors, you might find that it’s well worth your time and money to have the hardwood floors brought back to life and featured in your home. If your floors are scratched and old, it might be time to update them. Again, this is entirely up to you and your budget, but there’s nothing quite like the selling point of “new hardwood flooring.”

Old Windows

While some old windows may add character, some might be letting in more of a draft than you realize. If you’re looking ahead at possibly selling your home in the future, this might be a great project for now. But if you’re selling your house soon, this is best left for future buyers, who will actually reap the lower utility costs of replacing old windows with new.

Central Oregon home buyers are eco-friendly. Don’t forget this when deciding what to renovate!

Cracked Tiles

While it’s just one cracked tile, and you know how it happened; something heavy fell, etc. a cracked tile might look bad to a potential buyer. This can be an easy fix, especially if you have extra tile from the original project on hand. Replace the tile and give the floor a seamless look, that won’t catch the buyers attention.

Home Theater

Does your home boast a home theater room? Great! Prospective home buyers have reported that they didn’t realize they wanted a media room, but when looking at a house that had one, they’re putting it on their must-have list.

If your home does not have one, should you remodel to create a home theater? Because media rooms are appealing to plenty of home buyers, you’ll likely get a good portion of your investment upon the sale of your home. However, creating a home theater from scratch is an expensive undertaking. The room must be soundproofed. It needs a sound system, theatre-type seating, a large viewing screen, and more.

If you are selling a home in Bend, Oregon, this can be a great way to stand out. Just don’t go over your limit!

Over-Improvement

Now you have a general idea about home improvements that will get you the best return when you sell the house. Just proceed with care not to over-improve your home. Home buyers are doubtful about buying the highest-priced home in the immediate area. The best thing to do is think carefully about what you can afford and what will work best in the long run.

And remember- we at Duke Warner are here to help. Click below to get started today.