What Not To Fix When Selling a House

When selling a house, you may feel like you should fix every small detail, but that’s not the case. Of course, it’s totally up to you to undergo minor repairs, but you’re not expected to.

If there are major structural issues, these will need to be rectified before a house sale goes through. As you can guess, any huge issues, like structural cracks, will put off potential buyers when you’re selling a house.

So, if you’re getting ready for the home selling process, follow our guide to find out why not all repairs need to be done when selling.

What does and doesn’t appeal to prospective buyers

When potential buyers come to look at your home, what do you think will be the most appealing aspects that will sway their decision to place an offer?

A modern, upgraded kitchen, bathroom and living area are most likely to be the biggest factors. Also, a garden with plenty of potential – or one that doesn’t require any work – will also help prospective buyers make their minds up on your home.

Minor cosmetic issues like small paint chips or wear and tear marks on walls and floors are unlikely to impact their decision-making. Of course, major repairs like large plumbing leaks or a leaking roof will put them off and you’ll be advised to fix them by real estate agents.

But, when talking about purely curb appeal, most buyers won’t see the small problems within the house. Even if they do, they know they can fix them after moving in as, often, a fresh coat of paint is just what some walls need.

What to do before selling a house

Before putting your house on the market, there are three things you should do to determine which issues require fixing and which ones you can ignore.

1. Schedule a home inspection

To determine what needs fixing and what doesn’t, and to figure out a final selling price, it’s a good idea to get a home inspection report. This will tell you clearly which issues need fixing, it will find minor electrical issues and other aspects of your home that could need major renovation.

2. Get advice from a real estate agent

Another thing you can do is speak to a real estate agent who can offer advice on how best to market your home and any changes you need to make for the best possible curb appeal.

Top real estate agents will tell you exactly what potential buyers want when searching for a new home so you can maximise your property’s appeal.

3. Do the fixes make financial sense?

The final thing to do at this stage is to weigh up the return on investment you would get with a fix when selling a house. If there are no major issues, is it worth your time and money to fix it if it doesn’t add value to the home?

When selling a house, you want to ensure you get as much as you possibly can so consider which repairs are cost-effective. Why attend to minor repairs if they’re not going to impact the value of your property?

What shouldn’t you fix when selling a house?

If you’ve gone through the above steps, you’ll know exactly what does and doesn’t need to be done to your home to get it up to a good selling standard.

If you’re still a little unsure about which things you don’t need to fix, we’ve compiled a list to help.

So, here’s what not to fix when selling a house:

Minor electrical issues

Small electrical problems like a faulty light switch or a cracked plug socket shouldn’t be your concern when selling a house. These are examples of things you don’t need to fix when selling.

Hanging wires, though, should be fixed. There should not be any loose outlet plugs or visible electrics – this suggests to the buyer that there are more problems with the property.

Replacing old appliances

It is not your responsibility to replace old appliances just for the sake of selling a house. In most cases, appliances leave the property with the seller so there is no need to replace them (not yet anyway!).

There are some instances where outdated appliances are left behind for the new homeowner. This is something that is agreed with the residential conveyancer and the next steps are then up to the buyer.

Minor plumbing issues

If a bath tap is leaking or the toilet takes a little too long to fill back up again after flushing, you can leave these before selling your home.

Minor plumbing issues shouldn’t affect your property’s appeal to prospective buyers. If you have a major leak then that’s a serious issue that needs fixing urgently.

Fixing normal wear and tear

As you walk around your home, you may notice small imperfections on walls, skirting boards and doors. These are simple wear and tear issues that do not need to be fixed before selling a house unless they’re extensive and an eye sore that could affect your sale.

If you have any missing tiles in the kitchen or bathroom, you may want to fix them. Small cosmetic improvements can make a big difference and lead to a successful sale – but they’re not compulsory.

Replacing the front door or windows

Again, like other aspects of your home, unless the doors and windows don’t work, you shouldn’t need to fix or replace them to attract buyers.

These could be seen as unnecessary costly repairs and may not add a huge amount of significant value to the property.

Ensure a smooth selling process with a high-quality conveyancing solicitor

So, you’re ready to sell your home but you’ll need a professional to conduct all the legalities. Luckily for you, GD Property Solicitors are your best choice for conveyancing solicitors in Manchester and beyond. We’ve helped thousands of people complete their house sale or purchase all over the UK.

We offer a swift, efficient process that can be completed entirely online all from the comfort of your home.

If you’re interested in speaking to us about your house sale, you can request a FREE quote right now and contact us to speak to a member of our team.