6 Things You Don’t Actually Need to Do Before Selling a Home, Real Estate Pros Say

The process of selling one’s home comes with a long to-do list of projects to tackle and documents to review, but if you’re looking to take a few tasks off of your plate, keep reading.

Here, three real estate pros speak to six misconceptions regarding things you may think you need to do before listing your home for sale, but are actually not super beneficial. Abstaining will save you time and money in the long run!

Renovating So-So Spaces

If you feel that your kitchen or bathroom isn’t up to par, you might assume that renovating it prior to listing your home for sale is the most sensible decision. However, Taylor Lucyk, a real estate broker and the founder of Taylor Lucyk Group, explains that you may be better off leaving spaces in their current state.

“Many buyers would rather make those changes themselves to suit their taste, and you don’t always get back what you spend,” he says.

Instead, Lucyk notes, consider taking on some smaller projects that will still make an impact. A good decluttering session and the addition of fresh paint can work wonders, for example, he shares.

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Replacing Flooring

You actually don’t need to replace all of your flooring before selling your home. Jacob Naig, a real estate investor, licensed agent, and contractor, explains that this is one of the biggest misconceptions he encounters in his Des Moines, Iowa, market.

“The truth is most buyers would prefer to select their own flooring after closing,” Naig says.

As an alternative, you can look into getting your floors cleaned or laying down a new area rug if needed, he adds.

“No one is being fooled with a fast install, and you’re not going to see the return unless the floors are in an unfortunate state,” he says.

Repainting Every Wall

While paint touch-ups here and there are beneficial, as Lucyk stated above, do not assume that you need to go ahead and repaint every wall in your home before potential buyers walk through. In Naig’s opinion, doing so is “overkill, unless the colors are truly outrageous.”

He finds that, as with other features, buyers would rather select their own paint colors after move-in.

Upgrading Appliances

Many sellers think that it is best to invest in new appliances prior to selling, Naig shares, but this is actually less important than you might think.

“If the appliances are clean, in working condition, and matching, then you would be better off to offer a credit or just price accordingly,” he says.

Naig adds that buyers would rather save some money on their home purchase and instead order the pieces that they truly want down the line.

Jen Barnett, a broker and the owner of The Front Agency, agrees with this insight and notes that this is where it’s best to consult with your listing agent.

“They can advise you on realistic things that will make your property more desirable for buyers and that will be reflected in a higher appraised value,” she says. “Some updates just will not translate to your bottom line.”

Paying for a Home Appraisal

Sellers often assume that they are the ones responsible for paying for a home appraisal before putting their house on the market, but Barnett shares that this is actually the buyer’s responsibility, if needed. Again, this is where your listing agent can help out, too.

“A good listing agency should provide sellers with a complimentary market analysis to help them determine a fair price for your home in order to list it,” she says.

Waiting to List Your Home

Some sellers will wait to list their current home for sale until their new home is under contract, but there is no reason to hold off here, according to Barnett. She says that a purchase offer can actually be made stronger by having a home already for sale.