Is it a good idea to make minor renovations before you list your home?

I recently went on five listing appointments, and one of the most frequently asked questions by sellers was “When I sell my home, what can I do to get the most value out of it without spending a ton of money?”

In answering that question, I tend to ask one of my own: “What kind of time do you have as a seller?” Homes are bought up very fast in today’s market. If you spend a month or two doing small renovations, you could be hurting yourself by keeping your property off the market. Right now is a killer time to list your home; prices are going crazy, and buyers are offering sometimes tens of thousands over list price. It may just be best to list your home on the market as soon as possible.

Part of the reason why prices have gone through the roof is that there simply aren’t that many homes available. To outdo their competitors, many buyers may be willing to do small renovations themselves when the home is theirs, such as painting, changing flooring, adding new countertops, etc. If you take the time and money to do those renovations, you might end up with a result that buyers don’t even like, meaning it might have been better to just list the home without those changes.

“If you spend a month or two doing small renovations, you could be hurting yourself by keeping your home off the market.”

That’s not to mention that sometimes upgrades can reduce your home value, especially if the upgrades are done by the homeowner as opposed to a professional. Something might look great when you see it on HGTV, but if you don’t have the professional experience necessary, hire someone to do it for you.

If you have any questions about how you can get the most value out of your home sale, don’t hesitate to reach out to me by phone or email. I’d love to hear from you.