How to sell a house that needs renovations

How to sell a house that needs renovations

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Great Florida Homes

If you’re planning on selling your house in South Florida, you may be concerned if your house needs tons of repairs and renovations that you won’t get the value of the property in the sale. Since completing those renovations can cost thousands of dollars, it’s not in everyone’s best interest, or even within their means, to complete them all.

This is why it’s important to know what to do to fix up your house for your realtor and your potential buyers without shelling out thousands (or tens of thousands) in repairs.

Know what to leave alone

The biggest issue with selectively repairing a house that you plan to sell is that you need to choose what gets repaired and what doesn’t. Since the last thing you want to do is waste money at this stage, you need to know what your potential buyers will change for themselves even if you fix it.

For example, you could spend a ton of money on new carpeting, but if your walls need repairs as well, then you’re probably going to sell your house to someone that wants a fixer-upper. This means that they’ll probably replace the carpet anyway, so it was a waste of money for you to do it yourself.

Knowing what will make your house more attractive to the people you think might be in the market for it is the most important step in understanding what you should and shouldn’t spend money on in your renovations.

What you should fix

Just because certain renovations are a waste of money doesn’t mean that you should leave your house as-is, especially if you’re trying to sell a property that looks rundown.

In that case, you need to focus on function over looks. Instead of buying new carpets, make sure all of the doors and windows work, all the stairs are put together, and all the plumbing is alright. Wiring and plumbing problems are huge turn-offs for potential buyers, more than dirty carpets could ever be.

An easy and cheap repair you can do is simply to clean and mow the yard. Your potential buyers want to see that you’ve taken competent care of the property, even if it needs major repairs. By doing some of the grunt work that new buyers won’t want to do themselves, you can give your house a better outward impression and stand a better chance of making a sale.

The Takeaway

Selling a house that needs a lot of renovations can be a daunting task. You’re probably worried about investing a ton of money into a house that still looks a little rundown and are wondering what you should focus on for the best possible return.

In general, function is more important than aesthetics in a house like this because your potential buyers will be looking for a fixer-upper to turn into their dream home. Forget about paint and carpeting, but focus on making sure all the doors, windows, and stairs are safe and usable and that the roof and plumbing are in good condition. Without much investment, you can make big improvements to properties even when they’re in disrepair. Contact us today to learn more about how to sell a house that needs renovation.