On the Market: DIY Repairs You Should Make Before Selling Your Home

Selling a home can be a frustrating process: you have to find the right agents, figure out the pricing you’re willing to settle for and spend money on repairs to make your house perfect for prospective buys.

The good news is that there are actually a few things you can do around the house to get it ready for sale that won’t cost a lot and that won’t take a lot of time to complete. These repairs can really make a difference to potential buyers, helping you sell your house quickly no matter what the market looks like. Here are three important repairs to consider before putting your house up for sale.

Make Your Home Feel Welcoming

The first thing you want to do is make your house look inviting to prospective buys from the moment they pull up to your house. This is called “curb appeal” and it’s as important as any other first impression in your life.

That means you need to spend some time on landscaping and the exterior of your home. You don’t have to go all out and plant a bunch of new trees, shrubs, and flowers, but make sure that the plants you do have are healthy and trimmed. A few annuals are a great way to add color to an otherwise drab yard and make it look more inviting.

If there are any paint or siding problems, get those fixed immediately. No one will consider buying your home if they pull up and see chipped paint or missing pieces of siding. It’s a relatively easy fix and you can find all of the tools you may need on websites like RS Components.

Update the Lighting

Once people enter your home, they will be looking for things that they like, and having outdated lighting is a big turn off. Fortunately, however, it’s also one of the easiest things to replace.

Research a few interior design magazines and find out what people like with their lighting. Then make a trip to your local hardware store and find a style that works, but don’t spend too much. Once you find a style that you think will work, it’ll only take a few hours at most to update all of the lighting fixtures in your home, creating a more up-to-date and inviting space.

Clean, Clean, Clean

You may not immediately think of cleaning as a “repair,” but it really is. A dirty or messy house has just as much of a negative impact as a cracked foundation or a bad roof. So make sure there aren’t clothes or toys or any other clutter laying around when people come over.

Cleaning is also an opportunity for you to start packing. You can start to get things ready for your move and you can decide what items you want to keep and which items you can throw away, making your move a little easier when the time comes.

These simple things will make your house sell much quicker.