Keeping your home in good condition can feel like a full time job. Unless you have plenty of time on your hands, it’s difficult to repair everything that you need to.
When you are thinking about selling your home, you may have to make some tough decisions about what gets fixed first. In the red hot Nanaimo real estate market, properties have been going fast!
Here are the most important things to fix before selling your home. When the time comes, check out our blog post on finding the right contractor so you can trust that the job is being done right.
Repairing vs. Upgrading
There is a fine line between repairs and upgrades around the house. Generally, repairs are important fixes that you can make to maintain the value of your home. Upgrades are optional fixes that increase the value of your home.
Upgrades usually involve something new, like new appliances or hardwood floors where carpet used to be.
Kitchen Appliances
The kitchen is one of the most important areas of the home and it also goes through a lot of wear and tear. Appliances need special attention. Take care of any leaks or minor malfunctions, and check your fridge to see if it needs a new water filter or a freon replacement.
Kitchen Cabinets
Loose hinges, stuck drawer tracks, or chipped paint are examples of issues that you can fix with a quick trip to the hardware store and some DIY YouTube videos.
You should look for the beginning signs of water damage or rot, especially in cabinets that are close to your sink or dishwasher. Even if these signs are purely cosmetic, it can convince a buyer that there are other plumbing issues lurking below the surface.
Wiring and Electrical Issues
Defective or outdated wiring will be one of the first things noticed in a home inspection. This will make potential buyers wary, so it is much better to resolve any issues with a licenced electrician.
Smaller issues could include faulty light switches or missing wire nuts, which are relatively easy to fix. Larger problelms, such as circuit breaker replacements or other internal issues, could cost you $1,000 or more.
Carpets and Flooring
Damage to flooring is easy to spot by a potential buyer when they are being shown your home. Many common flooring problems are easy to fix for a low cost.
Look for cracked tiles, scratched hardwood, or stained carpeting first. When it comes to carpeting, ripping out a stained or dirty carpet and leaving the unfinished floor below is preferred.
Bathroom
Just like in the kitchen, cabinets are a point of concern that are easy enough to fix with new drawer pulls and hinges. Refinishing a bathtub or shower is also a good idea, as is doing what you can to fix chipped tiles and countertops.
The main concern in your bathroom is plumbing and water damage. Water stains from past plumbing issues are a problem, as are clogged drains and barely-functioning bathroom fans.
A bathroom may seem like a lost cause after years of use, but there are many quick solutions to common problems. If you aren’t sure where to start, hire a trusted contractor to help inform your decisions.
Repaint Walls
Painting can be an awful lot of work, especially in rooms that have been lived in for years. But switching to a neutral colour is much better for new buyers who will have their own ideas about the interior design of the home.
There is one exception to this. If a room is already dark and uninviting (perhaps a cool basement room without natural light), keeping the room a warmer colour is the right choice.
Think about colour schemes that appeal to a wide audience, and give a “neutral” makeover to those accent walls. Avoid colours that may divide your audience, like bright primary colours or patterns.
Exterior Drainage
A buyer in the Vancouver Island real estate market should be aware of the region’s notoriously wet climate. Anywhere that water pools near the foundation of your home is a major red flag – even if you haven’t had any issues with flooding yet.
Make sure that the ground slopes away from your home around its perimeter and watch how water flows through your downspouts. If you notice anything that could be a problem, get in touch with a contractor to grade your yard properly.
Landscaping
Even if your yard isn’t a place you spend a lot of time, you should still do what you can to make it look appealing. Your yard will be the first thing potential buyers see when they arrive, and it has a big impact on their overall impression.
Clean up weeds and overgrowth first. Trim back hedges or trees that are touching the home, and tackle any piles of junk that we all know can pile up over the years.
Key Takeaways
When you start talking to your realtor in Nanaimo about selling your home, you will likely hear about the strength of the market as the community continues to grow, thanks to its infrastructure and amenities.
But this is no reason to think that you don’t need to fix some things up before you sell your home. Jeff King Real Estate can help you stand out among the homes for sale in Nanaimo, and command an excellent sale price with some DIY work around the house or the services of a good contractor.
Do you have more questions about buying or selling in Nanaimo? Have a chat with the Jeff King today.