Which Repairs or Upgrades Truly Help a House Sell?

by carolinaone_marketing 24. February 2015 02:52

With so many Charleston, SC homes for sale, it can be hard to make your house stand out. You know you’ll need to make some improvements to help it sell, but you also have a limited budget. So which repairs really make a difference? Here is our short list of the changes that will really grab buyers:

Adding central air. In Charleston, there is one amenity that is "make or break" for many owners, and that’s central air. Many home buyers consider this a basic criterion; they know they can add it themselves if they have to, but they may not even ask to see homes that don’t have it. Fortunately, this works in your favor: central AC is a fairly inexpensive amenity to add, and it dramatically increases your home’s appeal

Reforming "problem rooms." It’s surprising how few homeowners organize their "fix list" room by room. Major repairs, like a new roof or raising a settled foundation, can be extremely expensive whereas remaking a single room can be relatively cheap—and has a huge impact, because most buyers make judgments from the gut as they walk through a house. Imagine yourself as a buyer and ask if there’s any room in your house that would just make you wrinkle your nose as you walk in. Maybe it’s a terrible 70s vinyl floor or maybe it’s stains from old water damage on the walls. Choose your worst "trouble room" and make a mini-project out of transforming it into the nicest room in the house. This can be as simple as new carpeting, a fresh paint job and swapping out some cheap looking fixtures.

Cosmetic changes. Again, remember that buyers often make choices based on how pretty something is and not necessarily how much work or cost is involved in the house. Basic cosmetic improvements will always boost home appeal and home value. These can include: filling cracks, replacing stained carpet, removing old wallpaper, changing window treatments, and arranging furniture so each room is easy to walk through. In some cases you may want to make more substantial changes, like replacing old cabinets in a kitchen, but these bigger improvements aren’t always needed.

Refinishing original elements. This won’t apply to every Charleston house, but if you have an older home with antique elements consider if it will be cost effective to restore any of them. Repairing and repainting wooden shutters is an easy way to boost charm and curb appeal, while refinishing hardwood features inside will make your home look like magic. This doesn’t just apply to historic gems; even some mid-century homes have a nice hardwood floor hiding under vinyl or carpeting.

 

 

Tags:

Charleston SC homes for sale

TextBox