When putting your home up for sale, you don’t want it to sit on the market for months before selling. Having a home that takes a long time to sell can put a hold on many of your plans and impair your ability to move into your new home in a timely fashion. The main reason that many homes sit on the market is due to repairs. New home buyers don’t want to buy a home only to fix it up themselves. This means that you should strive to make all necessary repairs before listing your home to ensure that it is enticing to buyers. Thankfully there are some easy repair tips that you can follow that can help sell your home quickly and possibly raise the price you can get for it.
1. Roofing Repairs
First off, on our top tips for selling your house quickly, we have roof repairs. While we might not think much of our roofs, they can be a major hangup when it comes to selling your home quickly. While slate and tile roofs can last upwards of 50 years, asphalt and composition shingles only have a lifespan of about 20. If your roof is nearing the end of its life — or is past it — it may be worth getting some roofing repairs before putting your home on the market. A new roof can be a great return on investment, and in some instances can even increase a home’s value by up to $15,427.
If your roof is still relatively new, it’s worth getting an inspection by a professional roofing company, especially if you’ve never had one before. These inspections are recommended to be conducted once in the spring and again before winter. This is because the winter weather can wreak havoc on a roof, as can summer storms. By having regular inspections you can identify any damages or problem areas and have them repaired so that they don’t grow. Even little roofing problems can become large ones if left alone. While you may not need a full replacement, repairing problem areas before selling your home can be a good bonus that can attract potential buyers easier.
2. Garage Doors
Replacing your garage doors can also be a good investment when it comes to finding eager home buyers and because of this, it comes in at number two on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. Even Remodeling Magazine’s 2020 “Cost vs. Value Report” listed this repair at number two when compared to 21 other home repairs. This report found that you can look to recoup around 94.5% of costs by upgrading your garage door during selling. This makes garage door replacement a hot investment, especially if you’ve never had it replaced before. Old doors can also be prone to breaking down over time and no homeowner wants to buy a home only to need to put in a new door themselves. This is one improvement that you should seriously consider if you want to list your home anytime soon.
3. Tree Trimming and Landscaping
Tree trimming and landscaping go hand-in-hand at number three on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. If you have dead, diseased, or dying trees on your property, getting them removed can help attract more home buyers. Similarly, if you have tree limbs hanging over your home that might be a damage or safety risk, you should have them removed to ensure that they won’t come loose during a storm. While trees can be desirable to home buyers, safety considerations and attractiveness need to be considered first and foremost. A tree service company can help you identify if any of your trees pose a risk, or if any are diseased beyond saving.
In the same vein, attractive landscaping can play a huge role in finding interested home buyers. Since the outside of your home stands as the first impression they will get, it’s important to invest in taking care of it. Landscaping can also have a huge ROI — up to between 200 to 400 percent — though the exact amount will depend on what you do and what needs to be done. Repairing your lawn, removing weeds, paving walkways, adding native plant life, and getting professional shrub care can all help make your outdoor areas more attractive to buyers. Adding native plant life also has the added bonus of being easy to tend, while also benefiting native species of insects such as butterflies and bees. Meanwhile, paving walkways can help spruce up the layout and give home buyers a great first impression.
4. Window Blinds and Shutters
Something that impacts both the inside and outside of your home includes window blinds and shutters. Because these can help give a good first impression and a good follow-up impression indoors it falls at number four on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. Window shutters can add a great appearance to both the outside and inside of your home as you’ll be able to easily see them through the windows. When compared with the view of old crooked blinds or drapes it can be a beneficial improvement that can help draw in buyers. Shutters can also offer a great ROI of up to 75 percent making them very desirable to home sellers.
Simiarly, if shutters aren’t your style, even updated blinds can make a huge difference and there are many different styles to choose from. Venetian blinds are one of the most popular choices and they feature horizontal slats which attach with string and can be easily raised by living the bottom upward. Panel blinds and pleasing shades are other popular choices, with the latter being most commonly used for large sliding glass doors. If your current blinds are old, broken, or outdated, it might be work updating them to new shades, blinds, or shutters to help boost the appearance of your windows both inside and out.
5. Air Conditioning Repair
Having a comfortable temperature inside your home can also be a huge selling point. You don’t want buyers to show up for viewing only to be sweating buckets a few minutes in the door. For this reason, air conditioning repair falls at number five on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. Whether your AC is not adequate, old, or not working at all, it’s important to have it checked out by a professional technician. Even if your AC seems to be functioning fine, you might still benefit from a tune-up. Now, if you do need an upgrade or replacement you can rest easy knowing the ROI sits are around 71 percent, and a new HVAC system can be highly appealing to buyers. This is especially true if you take the opportunity to add additional features like a smart thermostat. Improvements like this can be a big selling point for buyers looking for the latest technology in their new homes.
6. Electrical Repairs
Going along with HVAC repairs are electrical repairs at number six on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. If your current circuit breaker is overloading often or you have dimming or flickering lights, it could be a sign that your electrical system needs to be inspected and repaired. Not only can old electrical systems repel homebuyers but they can also be a safety hazard. Have a professional electrician inspect your home, even if you don’t suspect any problems, just to make sure that there won’t be any hazards or problems going forward. Giving the green light on your electrical system and saying it was inspected can help home buyers feel more secure in their purchase.
7. Appliance Upgrades
Old, outdated appliances can also turn buyers off and cause them to look elsewhere. Because of this appliance updates come in at number seven on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. New washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and refrigerators can all boost seller interest and make them more likely to think seriously about purchasing your home. Old appliances like these can also be hugely eco-unfriendly and energy-efficient upgrades can help make the home greener. Many buyers today are looking for homes that help lower their environmental footprint, and energy-gobbling old appliances don’t fit that image. If your home currently utilizes old appliances like these, consider upgrading them before selling. These improvements can not only help you sell faster, but they can help you get a better price overall.
8. Septic Tank Cleaning
If your home has a septic tank it should be cleaned every three years, and if it isn’t, you could face problems. Because no one wants a septic tank backup in their yard, this problem comes in at number eight on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. If your septic tank hasn’t been pumped or cleaned in the last three years it’s time to call a professional to check it out. If your tank isn’t being properly maintained you could risk waste clogging the pipes and rendering it ineffective. When this happens it’s only a matter of time before disgusting backwater begging to bubble up in your home. Wastewater from unmaintained tanks can backup in bathtubs, sinks, and your basement. If this picture isn’t nasty enough, just imagine the smell. An unmaintained septic tank isn’t a strong selling point, so don’t take chances if you don’t know the last time your was maintenance. When hiring a professional for septic tank cleaning, it takes all the stress off your shoulders and you can focus on selling your house.
9. Mold Inspections
Mold can be lurking in your home without you even knowing it. Some mold can even cause life-threatening reactions if it’s not removed properly. For these reasons, mold inspections and removal come in at number nine on our top tips for selling your house quickly list. Mold inspections can help detect mold in places that you might not have thought to look and it can have many benefits. For instance, it can prevent exposure to potentially hazardous forms of mold, some of which can cause rashes, cold symptoms, infections, respiratory problems, headaches, and even toxic mold syndrome in serious cases. Removing any mold can also help improve the air quality in your home if any spores have become airborne. Untreated mold can also be a structural hazard if left alone for too long. If you’ve never had a mold inspection, consider getting one before listing your home, even if you haven’t detected any yourself. You never know where mold growth can be lurking.
Work With Your Real Estate Agent
While these are our nine top tips for selling your house quickly, your real estate agent is another great resource for ideas. An agent will be able to assess your home and tell you what features they think should be repaired or updated to help sell the property faster. They will also be aware of what features are big selling points in your area. For instance, a swimming pool addition may be a great selling point in Florida; however, in more northern states it may not be so important. Work closely with your agent so that you can take advantage of their insider knowledge. Remember, they want to sell your house as much as you do, and they’ll be more than happy to help advise you on how to do so quickly!
If you are looking to sell your home in the near future, consider how these tips can help you improve your home so that it can be sold quicker. While it may sound silly to fix up a home you’re planning to sell, consider the new home you’re moving into. Would you have picked it if it needed extensive repairs and updates? While some home buyers specifically look for fixer-uppers, most want a move-in-ready home. By updating your home for sale you can ensure that buyers are attracted and you can ultimately increase the asking price to help recoup some of the costs of repair. Speak with your real estate agent to learn more about the improvements that buyers are looking for in your neighborhood.