Should You Remodel Your Home Before Selling Or Move? Questions You Should Ask Yourself First. What To Remodel.

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Should You Remodel Your Home Before Selling Or Move? Questions You Should Ask Yourself First. What To Remodel.

Article Written By
Michelle Bunch
Real Estate Agent for Walzel Properties, LLC
Professional Blogger Freelance

Home Sales Are Still Hot. Move-In Ready Homes Are Getting Full Asking Price. What To Discuss With Your Real Estate Agent To Determine If You Should Remodel Or Move

Home sales are still hot in many areas around the United States, especially in the Houston, Texas area. It is still a seller's market. This means many sellers are getting plenty of offers on their homes and some are getting the asking prices or well over the asking price.

The more the home is move-in ready the more money the seller tends to get in the sale. Move-in ready homes typically have clean neutral paint, clean flooring, inspections with nonproblematic reviews, and tasteful updates within the home. Move-in ready homes are a firm example of why you Shouldn't Remodel Your Home Before Selling. Discuss this with your expert real estate agent to determine if your home classifies as move-in ready or what could be done to make your home move-in ready.

Characteristics that you could do to make your home move-in ready could save you a lot of money as opposed to doing a huge revamp of your home. This also avoids the theory of the terribly horrifying act of over-improvement that we need to avoid especially in today's market.

With houses selling so quickly is it really worth it these days to do some of the top expensive remodels in order to sell your home like remodeling kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, ceiling light fixtures, doors, paint, etc?

In some cases, it is not. That is why it is important to seek out your favorite real estate expert for a Comparative Market Analysis CMA, as well as a personal evaluation of your property to discuss your home's potential value, marketability, and their idea of what they think you could change. Once you have obtained that information it is important to create a budget so what you do next makes financial sense.

As you read further on you will learn a very in-depth description of what to take into account when creating a Should You Remodel Your Home Before Selling Budget.

Want To Make Improvements & Remodel Your Home? Don't Make This All Too Common Mistake. Here Is Why.

While some homeowners are on a constant trend of remodeling; some are constantly updating, painting in neutral colors, repairing as needed, building dream porches, adding on, and so much more. And many without the intent of ever moving. Hopefully, if there ever comes a time when they do have to move, they have not put themselves in a position where they have ever over-improved. For the purposes of this article let us keep in mind if you are wanting to, or if it makes sense to improve it is important to not over improve your property.

Why is this important? It is important because over-improving your property will cause your property to be overvalued and next to impossible to get the value you put into your property back out of it in your sale. Therefore while reading this article pay attention to all the factors discussed and make note of everything mathematical including your CMA assessment to determine if it makes sense to do any repairs, improvements, and or remodeling. Once you come to a final conclusion of If it is a good time to sell your house right now, you can choose to place your home on the market As-Is, At A Unimproved List Price, At A Improve List Price, Or At A Remodeled List Price. These price points can be obtained and discussed with your expert local real estate agent by using CMA's and adding in adjustments to come up with a perfectly competitive price for your property.

Over-Improving Your Property Can Cause Buyers To Not Buy Your Property

In today's market buyers are worn out and frustrated at the years in a row of the seller's market, the competition, bidding wars, paying over appraisal value, paying over asking price, waiving contingencies, contracts lacking contributions and perks, losing out on the deals like the good old days where the wash and dryer or a pretty mirror was thrown in. So understandable so they definitely and usually don't want to pay on top of that remodel and revamp costs especially if the seller asks for excess costs in addition to those costs.

So as stated you will need to sell your remodeled home to recover all costs of your improvements, plus any balance on your mortgage, and any debts on your loan. If you were to have invested too much you might end up pricing your home out of reach to the point that you can't recover your investment. It is always difficult to recoup the cost of remodels. The larger, the more custom, the more expensive the remodel the more difficult it is to recoup the investment. Therefore it is very important at all times to be very careful with remodeling budgeting regardless of if you are deciding to not sell your home right now or deciding to sell your home in today's marker.

Questions

There Are Many Questions To Ask Yourself Before Deciding To Remodel Your Home Before Selling. Some Are More Important Than Others. Before You Start Buying Products And Services To Remodel Or Renovate Here Are The Questions You Should Ask Yourself.

  • Do you want to move?
  • Do you have to move?
  • How much do you owe on your home?
  • Have your Real Estate Agent create a Comparative Market Analysis CMA. This is a report that will provide you with an estimated idea of what your home could sell for in the current market. It considers what has sold in comparable homes to yours in your neighborhood in the past 6 months. You can use this value when considering your decision.
  • If you use a Realtor to sell your home how much will you profit on your home after commission?
  • After contacting your preferred title company how much do you have to consider in closing costs?
  • If you have not had an inspection done and your home is not newer have an inspection done. If there are major issues like structural and foundation, plumbing, electrical, roofing, termites, mold, window and door, asbestos, lead-based paint, and chimney issues you will want to cure these issues first before any remodeling. The reason for this is a bad home inspection report is a major reason why buyers might walk away in a competitive housing market.
  • Estimate the cost of improvements needed. How do those expenses look when it comes to your improvement budget in total with a sales commission, closing costs, and expenses needed to cure major issues? Determine if remediating repairs is a reasonable expense. Add that to the commission and closing costs. Deduct that from what you owe or have in equity and decide at that point if you would like to continue with the idea of remodeling your home to sell. Now here is a very very important point! Never ever ever over-improve! This includes repairs as well as remodeling. When it comes to repairs sometimes one must choose to not repair and place the home on the market As Is. As Is simply means as it sounds. The home is for sale As It Is. No repairs, Don't Ask- Don't Get. The buyer can make an offer and not ask for anything more from the seller. There are tons of Handy Men and Handy Women out there that love to buy up homes that need repairs that can do their own repairs without hiring repairmen and repairwomen, and plenty that don't mind paying for it. Sometimes homes that need repairs sit on the market a little longer and need some price reductions, but in hindsight, you just have to be patient and know this happens all the time and you will get through it. You as the seller can sweeten the pot at any time or as recommended after a few months on the market or during negotiations by offering a contribution to sellers. This is where you can tell sellers you can credit them a certain amount at closing to cover unspecified expenses.
  • The next very very important point is never ever ever over improve with remodeling. Over-improving with remodeling can outprice you in your market, therefore, making it very difficult for your home to ever sell or sell for the value it is worth. This can create a nightmare to sell your home and many times can cause your home to sell for less than it is even worth.
  • After considering all of these expenses add them up and deduct them from the home estimate found on the CMA. Do you break even? Is it worth it? Should You move forward? Should you do repairs or leave it alone? Should you remodel or leave it alone?
  • This is where you should have a follow-up meeting with your real estate agent to go over all the above material.

THE


Here Are The Best And Cheapest Home Improvements And Remodel Projects To Do Before Selling Your Home

  • Minor Home Repairs. Keep Receipts, Brochures, Documents, A List Of Contacts, And Warranties Provided
    Refresh Cracked, Missing, Or Moldy Caulk.
  • A Fresh Coat Of Neutral Paint Consistent All Through The House.
  • Deep Clean Or Replace Damaged, Smelly, Or Dirty Flooring. Keep Any Warranty Provided.
  • Buff Out, Refinish Or Replace Damaged Wood Flooring. Keep Any Warranty Provided.
  • Replace Damaged, Dysfunctional, and Outdated Faucets.
  • Clean & Refresh Landscaping. Consult A Gardening Expert For A Budget Plan That Suits You.
  • Cure Any Pool, Spa, And Fountain Issues. Keep Any Receipts And Documentation Of These Repairs And Upgrades.
  • Sand Any Banister, Trim, Or Door Scratches And Cure Those Areas, As Well As Your Budget, Can Afford.
  • Air Duct Cleaning. This Will Make Your Smell Fresh And More Appealing To Buyers And Ensure Higher Air Quality
  • Tile And Grout Cleaning.
  • If Kitchen Or Bathroom Cabinets Make The Area Look Dark And Small An Alternative Is To Paint Them Lighter. Don't Forget To Remove The Hardware First. Consult Your Local Pain Salesperson For The Best Type Of Washable And Durable Paint For Kitchens And Bathrooms.
  • Interior Trim And Kitchen Cabinet Refacing If Necessary. This Is A Less Expensive Alternative To Replacement And More Tasteful Than Faux Finishes.
  • Interior Trim And Bathroom Cabinet Refacing If Necessary. This Is A Less Expensive Alternative To Replacement And More Tasteful Than Faux Finishes.
  • Replace Countertops If Outdated To Gray Or White Styles Made In Granite, Marble, Or Quartz.
  • Bathroom Mirror Transformation If Necessary.
  • Minimal Landscape Lighting.
  • Repaired And Stabilized Concrete.
  • Repaired Gutters.
  • Water Stain, Floor Buckling, Kitchen Leak, Mold Buildup Restoration.

Here


Here Are The Most Expensive And Not Always Necessary Home Improvements For Resale. These Improvements May Not Be Recommended Between 2022-2025. These Recommendations Also Depend On Home Equity, The Real Estate Market In Your Area, If You Are In A Sellers Market, And What Your Personal Situation Is?

  • Kitchen Remodel
  • Bathroom Remodel
  • Siding replacement
  • Roof Replacement
  • Window Replacement
  • Airconditioner Replacement
  • Lighting Replacement
  • Door Replacement
  • Kitchen Counter Replacement
  • Backsplash Replacement
  • Finish Basement
  • Add Deck
  • Exterior Painting
  • Room Additions
  • Garage Door Replacement
  • Lighting Replacement

things


Things To Do To Get Your Home Ready To Sell

  • Work With Existing Window Coverings So Natural Light Can Come Through.
  • Have Pest Control Remediate Then Follow Up With A House Cleaning To Get Rid Of Evidence Of Pests.
  • Declutter Your Home Of Personal Photography.
  • Clean Out Closets Of Items You Have Not Used Or You Do Not Think You Will Use. Choose To Donate, Give To Friends, Or Sell.
  • Clean Out Kitchen Pantry, Kitchen Cabinets And Drawers, Bathroom Drawers, And Bathroom Cabinets.
    Clean Out And Declutter Your Home.
  • After You Have Cleaned Out And Decluttered You Can Choose To Redecorate You New Available Space Or Leave It Alone.
  • Tackle Your Garage. Many Buyers Use A Garage For One Of Two Things. One, A Very Clean Uncluttered Garage For A Car Only. Two, A Very Organized Storage
    Unit For No Car To Store Holiday Decorations, Tools, Etc.
  • You Are Probably Moving For All Sorts Of Reasons. Look At What You Have In Your Home That You Will Not Use In Your Next Home. Are Those Items Making
    Does your Home Look Cluttered Now? If So Place Those Items Aside And Reassess What Your Home Looks Like. Does It Look Homey Or Do You Need To Redecorate? Choose To
    Redecorate So Your Home Is Ready To List Or Put It Back So your Home Is Staged Well.
  • If You Have Pets Hide Any Evidence You Can That You Have Pets Or Move Those Items To A Less Central Location. You Can Also Make That Evidence Look Fancy So
    It Blends Into Your Home Better And Less Noticeable.
  • Look At Your Home From A Buyer Stand Point And See What Your Would Change Then Make Those Changes.
  • Remove Things Like Kleenex Boxes, Water picks, Toothbrushes, Makeup, Mouthwash, perfume, Soap Containers Unless Decorative, and everything off bathroom counters.
  • Remove everything unless decorative from bathtubs and spas.
  • Remove everything out of the showers and place them in a tub. Place the tub wherever you can fit it during showings like under a bathroom cabinet or in the garage.
  • Declutter everything off bedroom nightstands like electric alarm clocks, coasters, high-end phone chargers, and baby monitors.
  • Declutter kitchen of countertop items like Keurig pod holder, toaster, ice cream maker, coffee bean grounder, George Forman grill, quesadilla maker, spice rack, and coffee mug holder.
  • Declutter the living room of remotes, magazines, newspapers, and coasters.
  • Organize laundry room. The new trend in listings is to make your laundry room look like a Pinterest post. So take out your tape measure and spend a little on some baskets to organize your detergents.
  • If you don't have a junk drawer or a catch-all table you probably are not human. It is still ok to have a junk drawer. It is best to have a junk and catch-all box while your home is listed. You can grab one at the container store or somewhere online. Keep it somewhere that it looks nice. Go through it and put things where they
    belong when you find a moment.
  • If you have a sprinkler system make sure your settings are to nighttime so they are not spraying people during showings. They should be set to nighttime anyway as the sun soaks up the water more during the day and costs you money.
  • Power wash your home.
  • Clean the inside of your refrigerator.
  • Make sure you do not have potent air fresheners that might turn off potential buyers. It's ok to have them, but if it is too heavy it can really turn people off.
  • Have a deep clean of your home done. Start with the What goes up must come down cleaning theory. Start with dusting on top ad work your way down. Dust doors and windows. Then clean all doors and windows. Clean kitchen cabinets and top of the refrigerator. Polish kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Clean all house trim. Clean all bathrooms. Vacuum the entire house. Have a professional carpet cleaner come in or do it yourself. Have hard flooring cleaned, moped, or use a floor cleaning extractor.
  • If you have an outside roof over a porch power wash or hose off.
  • Replace any lightbulbs if necessary.
  • Remove any cobwebs from the inside and outside.
  • If you have a front or back porch sweep and power wash if necessary.

Last, but not least, and shocking after this entire article houses sell all the time by doing nothing to them. As long as they are clean and organized. Consult your favorite local real estate expert today to start your home value and real estate market consultations. And don't forget the most important takeaway in this article when it comes to remodeling, redecorating, staging, and getting your home ready to sell in today's real estate market is to create a budget that makes sense in order to never ever over-improve.

Article Written By
Michelle Bunch
Real Estate Agent for Walzel Properties, LLC
Professional Blogger Freelance
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