Are You Selling an Old House? Fix These Things First!

Houses, whether they are well-maintained or not, go through the usual wear and tear. So, can you imagine how much repair an old house will need? If you’ve inherited your childhood home or some dilapidated home from a distant relative, you need to fix it first before selling it. While it sounds counterproductive to fix a home then sell it, imagine how cheap the home’s value will be in the eyes of the buyer.

Look around the house and see if the structure is still sound. If it has a good foundation, then that’s a sign that you should fix what you can before selling it. Good structure and foundation will tell you that a property is still good for selling. Whatever area that needs to be fixed is minor compared to a structural problem.

Before putting the house on the market, talk with a real estate agent. They’ll be the ones to tell you what homebuyers are looking for now. Do they want a fully furnished house? Hardly. Most people want to reflect their characters and personalities in their homes. All you have to do is fix what needs to be fixed and clean it up so buyers can experiment with it once they moved in.

Electricity

Are there problems with the power lines? You don’t have to install solar panels on the house’s roof, but you do have to make sure that all electricity lines are working. Besides, your house will not pass the home inspection if there are problems with the electric lines. Call a professional and experienced electrician to check the breakers, switches, and cords. At the very least, this will ensure that homebuyers don’t need to worry about the possibility of a fire or short circuit.

Plumbing

You will need to hire a plumber to repair the internal and external pipes in the house. Plumbing services don’t usually cost much if it’s only a minor problem. However, you will have an issue if the plumbers cannot find the leak or if it’s coming from the interior pipes. Make sure to turn on all faucets and showers to see if they are in working order. This is a straightforward fix that can add to the value of your home.

Paint

Peeling paint is a no-no when you are selling a home. It doesn’t cost much to paint the exterior and interior of a house. You can even do it yourself if you have the time. Choose plain and neutral colors such as white and taupe when painting your house for sale. These colors appeal most to buyers because they make a room look larger than it really is.

If there is wallpaper in the rooms, remove it and repaint that part. Wallpapers make rooms look outdated, so it’s best to remove them, especially if it’s already chipping. You don’t necessarily have to repaint every room (though it will be helpful if you will); just the rooms that look like they really need it.

Exterior

What is the first thing that potential buyers will see? It’s your home’s exterior. It is expensive to repaint the house’s exterior, but you can do a couple of things to spruce it up. One, you can replace the missing fence boards or repair the existing ones. Two, you can clean up the yard and put some plants on it. And lastly, you can clean the walls and remove the moss growth that’s probably on them.

Roof

One of the major fixes that old homes need is the roof. Old homes will usually have mold and mildew. It will also have missing shingles and siding problems. Call a roofing company and ask for an estimation of how much the repair will be. Roof repair is usually expensive, but it will help sell your home. If you don’t repair it, you risk buyers turning their backs on your property. No potential buyer wants to deal with roof problems when they move in.

Kitchen

Every homebuyer wants a spacious kitchen. You do not have to have a major renovation in the kitchen unless the real estate agent tells you to. However, if the kitchen looks like it’s from a 1970s movie, you need to upgrade a couple of things like the countertop, tiles, and wall color. You can also upgrade the kitchen fixtures, such as the faucet. That will improve the look of the kitchen.

Again, you do not need to renovate the whole house to sell it. Upgrading and improving the important things will make it an attractive property. Talk things over with your real estate agent if you are not sure of what course to take.

Meta title: What to Fix When You Are Selling an Old House
meta desc: If you’ve inherited an old house from your parents or a distant relative and want to sell it, you have to fix a couple of things first so you can get its true value. Read more about it here.