Should you sell your home as is or renovate?
When home sellers decide to put their property on the market, they often wonder how much they’ll have to spend to make the property seem appealing to a large group of potential buyers. This also entails deciding what renovations or repairs should be done before the property is listed. But are these repairs really necessary, or will a quick cosmetic fix suffice in creating a good impression?
Every home is different, and many other things could influence the time a property spends on market, but if you are wondering if selling as is might just be the easier route to choose, read on.
Assess the potential workload, time, and money it’ll take to upgrade
Taking into account what the potential return on investment will be if you do decide to undertake repairs or renovations is one of the key factors that will influence a decision to go for the renovation, or rather sell the property as is.
In this regard, you can count on the advice included in the home inspection report. When done by a certified home inspector that knows their stuff, home inspections can go a long way in ensuring that home sellers advertise their home at a price that is not so high it scares off potential buyers, but still allows for profit on the sale.
A home inspector will take a thorough look at the property, and will assess the condition of the home, checking for structural faults, problems with utilities, and mold and pests. Their finding will be contained in the home inspection report, and this document will give you a good idea of any potentially significant repairs that need to be done.
In addition to using the home inspector's knowledge, Mark Batson has decades of experience in custom home building and renovations in Wilmington. Mark knows what to look for during a home inspection and he will be able to educate his clients on what renovations/corrections need to be completed to ensure the integrity of the home's structure/design is upheld.
In a comparative market analysis, the Mark Batson Group will assess the home, too, also considering other factors like the neighborhood, nearby amenities and the price that comparable properties in the city or suburb sell for. The home inspection report will reveal faults that may influence the sale, and our team will be able to gauge whether comprehensive repairs and renovations are really necessary, keeping your current financial status in mind.
If, for example, the home inspection report shows that the kitchen needs to be upgraded, Mark Batson will be able to get a range of quotes from his design + build firm, Tongue & Groove. By doing so this will give the clients a good idea of what they're likely to pay. While the kitchen is one of the rooms in the house that often makes or breaks a sale, an overhaul of this space could prove too expensive for you to manage.
In a case like this, our team might advise that you rather conduct small, more cosmetic renovations like giving the home a fresh coat of paint to try and make the home seem more appealing to potential buyers, instead of spending a lot of money on renovations that might not yield a return on investment that justifies them. However, if the repairs pertain to the bathrooms, kitchens or the roof, you might just want to consider doing them anyway, as these are three factors that could cause your home to stay on the market for a much longer time than you might have envisioned.
Take your location – and the market – into account
Where your property is located has a definite influence on both the days it spends on market, as well as the price it ultimately sells for. If your property is located in a sought-after, up-and-coming neighborhood, it will obviously be more appealing to buyers – but the market conditions at play at any given time will definitely also have a hand.
The property market is famously unpredictable, although the Mark Batson Group can give you a good idea of whether the current market favors home sellers, or people looking to acquire a property. Asks us what current market conditions are like – if a buyers’ market is the status quo at that moment, you might want to consider taking some time to do the repairs over a period of time and putting your home on the market when conditions are more favorable. This takes the pressure off having to fork out large amounts of cash immediately.
If the property is being sold in an area that is being eyed for further development, however, you might be better off selling the property as is. If developers are planning to renovate the homes in a specific area on their own, or are planning to demolish the homes in order to develop the land for other purposes, you are likely to get a good price without even having to do any significant renovations or repairs.
‘As is’ doesn’t mean ‘falling down’
Unless your home is going to be demolished anyway, it will be a mistake to present a shoddy property to potential buyers. Even so, some small cosmetic renovations like repainting the property (or certain rooms) could reap greater returns than you might think in the long run.
There is definitely a group of buyers that specifically look for property they can completely renovate and re-sell, but even these buyers will be hesitant to spend money on a home that looks less-than-impressive.
The photos used in your online property listing will be the very first impression potential buyers have of your home, and if these pictures don’t catch their attention immediately, you won’t be able to count on a great turnout when the time comes to put the property on show.
Even if the home requires some more weighty repairs, buyers’ minds are more at ease knowing that they won’t have to re-do the house completely. Ask our team about essential repairs, but also ask us what smaller upgrades could prevent your property from sitting on the market for too long. As experts of real estate in Wilmington our team will know and understand what appeals to buyers and what tends to put them off. Don’t disregard the guidance our team provides – we’ve been in this game for a long time and won’t make suggestions that will not benefit you financially in the long run.
Conclusion
To renovate or not to renovate? Whatever you think the answer may be, take the valuable information the Mark Batson Group can provide you before making a final decision. The property inspection report, compiled by a certified home inspector, and a walkthrough with Mark Batson will immediately point to repairs and renovations that are crucial, and our team will consider all of these before recommending that you renovate.
Please reach out to our team to discuss your real estate questions and needs.
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Office: 910.679.4611
Mobile: 910.264.1941