What to Not Fix Before You Sell a House

It makes a lot of sense to raise a house’s value by fixing it up before selling it. However, assuming you don’t have unlimited funds, you may wonder what doesn’t need to be fixed up. Generally speaking, homeowners don’t need to worry too much about fixing any removable accents or appliances. They should also completely avoid any major cosmetic overhauls, as well as most minor plumbing and electrical issues since the cost will typically outweigh the benefits. Many homeowners don’t have much time to fix up things around their homes before selling them. If you’re wondering how to sell your house fast check out this website for a step-by-step guide on the process. It outlines exactly what to fix and what not to fix before selling your house.

Let’s take a closer look at each to discuss specifically which repairs to overlook when selling a house.

Removable Accents and Appliances

In the grand scheme of things, replacing broken or even merely outdated appliances may add value to the home in question. Such appliances, however, may prove expensive when looking for something new. Definitely remove any appliances that make the home look old or rundown, but don’t worry about replacing them if doing so is too costly. Likewise, don’t worry too much about replacing removable accents such as curtains or furnishings. Replacing them may help when staging the house, but removing them will still show buyers an open space full of potential. At the end of the day, an empty room still looks much better than a poorly or cheaply designed one.

Major Cosmetic Renovations

Huge renovations may sound like a logical expense, but the numbers prove otherwise. Serious overhauls to certain rooms may actually put sellers back thousands of dollars without allowing them to recoup much of the cost. Data from 2019 shows a huge lack of return on investment for some of the most common home renovations.

Type of Renovation	Appr. Cost	Appr. Recovery	% Recouped
Bathroom Renovations	$35,000	$20,000	57%
Additional Bathroom	$60,000	$30,000	50%
Kitchen Renovations	$68,000	$40,000	59%
New Master Bedroom	$150,000	$75,000	50%

In short, major renovations may set homeowners back by twice as much as they stand to gain. Even worse, some renovations wind up being so extensive that they remain unfinished at the time of sale, causing the house to look even worse than it did at the start.

Minor Plumbing and Electrical Issues

Some plumbing and electrical issues can’t be avoided. Obviously, nobody’s going to buy a house if the pipes are horribly backed up, or if it’s full of exposed wires that may electrocute them at any moment. For smaller issues, however, sellers don’t need to trouble themselves. Nobody’s going to fail a home inspection because of a leaky faucet or a mystery light switch that doesn’t seem to lead anywhere.

Moreover, repairing these minor issues can sometimes open up Pandora’s box. A concern that would’ve stood no chance of ruining a sale may suddenly put the seller back a ton of time and money because the plumber or electrician unearthed more substantial issues that can’t be left unaddressed. It’s best to just leave well enough alone.

Conclusion

If you really need to sell a house, don’t break the bank getting bogged down in huge expenditures and minor utility concerns. Leave these to the buyer, only focusing on what must be done to get your listing off the market as quickly and painlessly as possible.