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Should I Sell My Home Without Making Repairs?

Homes for Sale LaBelle • Feb 24, 2020

Upgrading Your House vs Not Upgrading Before Selling?


While you can sell your home as it is, it might be a good idea to fix it up in some cases. Perhaps the home needs a new roof, it might have poor piping, or it might need some basic cosmetic repairs such as a new coat of paint. You have to look at the various aspects of selling your home as it is or deciding whether or not to repair it. Here are some factors that you need to consider in the Florida real estate market.

Man unsure about painting a wall

Basic Variables

There are some basic variables that you need to consider. For example, you should look at the condition of the competing homes that are for sale on the market. You have to look at the real estate market itself. Is it neutral, cold, or a hot market? You have to consider the return on your investment if you decide to make major repairs.

You may put too much money into fixing the home and not get the value back when you sell the home. You could be making repairs that a buyer might not even notice when you put the home up for sale. For example, you might think the home needs a new coat of paint, or the buyer thinks that the paint looks great. You should speak to your real estate agent or another expert to weigh both the pros and cons of fixing up your home prior to selling it.

Selling the Home As it Is

Perhaps the home you want to sell needs a lot of work. It doesn't have a functional electrical system, there are holes in the floor, the exterior needs major repairs, and most of the piping leaks. In this case, you would have to put a lot of money into repairing the home. 

This is a home that can't easily be repaired, and it's probably not economical for you to fix it. If you had a home in this condition, you would probably just sell it at the market value so you can attract different offers. People that come in at to flip homes or are contractors may make an offer on the home and take it off of your hands. This might make more sense than putting a whole lot of money into the home. If you were a flipper yourself, this might make more sense.

Do buyers want homes are ones that can fix themselves? 

People may want to fix a home, and most are looking for a home that doesn't require a lot of cosmetic repairs. Those that are looking for a home to fix up are usually a house flipper or they may not qualify for a more expensive home. They will simply want to fix up the home themselves and then resell it.

Most people are looking to fix a home or willing to do simple repairs such as put in new carpet in, paint the walls, or replace some broken light fixtures. Most buyers looking to fix a home don't want to remove walls or rebuild the foundation. 

Most people are either looking to fix up a home or are going to be looking for a discount. For example, if the home costs $100,000 when it is fixed up and needs a $10,000 repair, the buyer is probably not going to offer even $90,000. They can simply go and buy the same home that already has that repair for $100,000 and not have to do the work themselves.

The buyer will probably only offer around $70,000 or perhaps a bit more. They want to do the repairs themselves but still have a profit afterward. If the seller had a major repair such as this, it's probably better for them to do the roof repair and then get a seller that wants to pay full price for the home. A buyer is probably not going to give you a decent offer if there is a major repair that they know they have to do themselves.

Most buyers are not going to buy a home that needs major repairs. They have to put a lot of money and effort into the repair work. They might not be able to do the work themselves. They would have to hire contractors and pay even more to get the home into a livable condition.

Most buyers want to move into a home that they can move into right away. They're willing to do small repairs, but major repairs are not something that they plan to do. In the future, if they changed the house, they make their own renovations, but usually when they first move in there not willing to do this.

Painting a wall with three light fixtures

Before Making Home Repairs

Before making any repairs, you have to determine the market value of the home and how much the home repairs are going to cost. there might not be a return on investment with a repair you plan to do. Areas in the home where repairs can offer more benefits, include the bathroom and the kitchen as we tend to spend more time in these areas. Some repairs that might add a nice cosmetic look to the home might not give enough in terms of a return on, especially if there are in an area the home where no one really goes in all that often.

Look in your area and compare the homes. If a lot of homes have renovated kitchens, this is something you may want to do because you would be competing with these homes that have upgraded kitchens. You can always go with your real estate agent and have a look at homes that are for sale in your local area. You can know the amenities in these homes and the condition and see how your home matches up.

You often don't have to renovate the whole kitchen in this case. Even a new coat of paint, updated hardware, and other small repairs can make a world of difference. You don't have to rush out and buy new appliances right away.

Starting Out

You need to examine the entire home to decide what is worn out, broken, or needs to be replaced. If you have a buyer that comes into your home, they may notice things that are malfunctioning. They might begin to wonder about the condition of the property and may back out of a potential sale.

Look at all of the small repairs that you can make first. These might include cracks in the walls or ceiling. You could repair leaky faucets, fix or replace a broken appliance, and make sure that the HVAC system is working properly. You could repair the roof if necessary as well as any problem windows. You could replace outdated ceiling or light fixtures. You should fix anything that might violate new codes. All new buyers will probably have the home inspected.

Small Cosmetic Touches

You should conduct repairs such as replacing stained or old carpeting. Walls can be painted, and window coverings can be changed, drapes can be replaced by new ones. If you have poor quality furniture, you might want to replace this as a home that looks great during a home showing, can add to the buyer excitement. If you have furniture or other things in the home that are old and beat up, the buyer might think that the rest of the home is best up as well.

The Market

If the market is quite hot, then it's a seller's market. You will probably be able to get away with fewer fix-ups before you sell the home. If the home needs a lot of repairs, it's going to come in at a lower price range. If the market is slow, then the buyer might not even look at a home that needs a lot of repairs. Ask for advice from your real estate agent to determine whether or not you should repair your home prior to selling it.

Conclusion

You have many things to consider prior toselling your home in Labelle, FL. You may decide to fix it, or you may decide not to. It all depends on how much you have to repair and whether or not it's going to be worth your investment. Speak to a qualified real estate agent to determine what is the best course of action for you prior to selling your home.

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