How to Prioritize Home Maintenance When Selling a House
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For a quick sale and the highest possible selling price, it’s important to make your home attractive to the widest audience you can. So how should you prioritize home maintenance and repairs before you list your home for sale? First, consider having a professional home inspection done before listing to get a detailed report of your home's condition. Share that with your realtor and have them invite colleagues to tour and share feedback about your home and what is most important to prospective home buyers. As you consider repairs and updates, below are some general recommendations for how to prioritize maintenance when you’re selling your home.
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1. Your first priority should be to repair anything that affects structural integrity, safety, or financing approval for your home.
Foundation issues, roof damage, and electrical problems can be expensive to fix, and they are more likely to be deal breakers for a home sale. Health and safety issues are equally important - issues like asbestos, mold, lead paint and pest infestation will drive buyers away quickly.
2. Identify and fix anything that’s broken or not functioning properly.
Broken mechanical systems like HVAC, water heaters and appliances are likely to have buyers asking for replacement or pricing concessions, because they can’t live comfortably without them. Smaller items like cracked tiles or broken hinges give buyers the impression that you haven’t taken care of the home and create questions about bigger maintenance issues.
First impressions are critical, so give plenty of attention to curb appeal.
3. Most buyers will decide if they like a home before ever stepping in the front door. They want to see a tidy yard and a home that looks well-maintained.
Keep the yard mowed and trimmed, pull weeds, and apply fresh mulch. Clean your home’s exterior trim and siding, and consider repainting or re-staining if it’s faded or the paint is deteriorating. House painting is best left to a professional - a poorly done paint job detracts from your home’s appearance and can actually reduce property value. A good painting contractor can also address issues like damaged wood, and replace missing or damaged caulk for weather sealing. Exterior house painting might seem like a big project to take on before selling a home, but it can make a big difference in curb appeal and selling price, particularly if your house paint is faded, cracked or peeling, or if the paint color is generally unappealing.
4. Make your windows shine.
Clean your windows inside and out, including the screens, window sills, frames and shutters. Replace missing or damaged caulk around windows, doors and trim. It’s important for weather sealing, and should be done before any exterior painting. Repainting the front door is a cost-effective way to help create a welcoming entrance.
5. Garage doors need attention, too.
Give your garage door a thorough cleaning and inspect it for rust, especially on the bottom panel, which is most exposed to winter snow and salt. If the finish needs a refresh, a professional painter can repaint your entire garage door for far less than the cost of replacement.
6. Clean out the gutters and make any repairs needed.
Damaged or clogged gutters can contribute to foundation damage, roof leaks, and landscape erosion, so clean them as needed and make sure downspouts and extensions are properly directing water away from the foundation.
7. Decks and porches should look ready for relaxing.
Declutter and give your outdoor spaces a good scrubbing, then check for peeling paint and wood damage. All exterior wood needs regular maintenance and weather sealing. If you pour water on your deck and it soaks in instead of beading on the surface, it needs to be resealed or repainted. This is a reasonable DIY project, but a professional painting contractor can refinish a deck quickly and cost-effectively.
A clean, well-maintained home interior with neutral, updated finishes will help buyers envision moving in and making it their own.
8. Declutter and depersonalize, then deep clean everything.
Home buyers love touring sparkling clean houses that are minimally staged, so they can picture their own furniture in each room. Pack up personal items and family photos, which can distract them from your home’s features. Remove outdated and extra furniture to make rooms feel as large as possible. Clean and inspect every surface for everyday wear and damage. Even if you don’t need to paint, spend time deep cleaning and touching up walls, baseboards, trim and doors, so your home looks clean and well-maintained.
9. Remove wallpaper, fix drywall damage, and repaint walls in soft neutral colors.
Wallpaper and bold paint colors are major turn-offs for many home buyers, so repainting before you list your home for sale is a good investment. Before you paint, make sure any drywall or plaster damage is repaired. A good painting contractor can fix damaged walls, match wall texture seamlessly, and paint with no mess for you to deal with. Choose soft shades of white, beige and gray - they are widely appealing because they create a fresh, clean feel, and make spaces feel larger.
10. Update old bathroom and kitchen cabinets with fresh paint or stain.
Outdated cabinetry in older homes (think 80’s golden oak) can have home buyers worrying about an expensive kitchen remodel. The great news is you probably don’t have to replace older cabinets and trim, which are often expensive solid wood. Re-staining or painting cabinets is an affordable kitchen update that can be done in a couple of weeks with dramatic results. It’s not generally a good DIY project - a lot goes into creating a smooth, durable finish that won’t chip or peel over time - so it’s best to hire a professional painter.
Foundation issues, roof damage, and electrical problems can be expensive to fix, and they are more likely to be deal breakers for a home sale. Health and safety issues are equally important - issues like asbestos, mold, lead paint and pest infestation will drive buyers away quickly.
2. Identify and fix anything that’s broken or not functioning properly.
Broken mechanical systems like HVAC, water heaters and appliances are likely to have buyers asking for replacement or pricing concessions, because they can’t live comfortably without them. Smaller items like cracked tiles or broken hinges give buyers the impression that you haven’t taken care of the home and create questions about bigger maintenance issues.
First impressions are critical, so give plenty of attention to curb appeal.
3. Most buyers will decide if they like a home before ever stepping in the front door. They want to see a tidy yard and a home that looks well-maintained.
Keep the yard mowed and trimmed, pull weeds, and apply fresh mulch. Clean your home’s exterior trim and siding, and consider repainting or re-staining if it’s faded or the paint is deteriorating. House painting is best left to a professional - a poorly done paint job detracts from your home’s appearance and can actually reduce property value. A good painting contractor can also address issues like damaged wood, and replace missing or damaged caulk for weather sealing. Exterior house painting might seem like a big project to take on before selling a home, but it can make a big difference in curb appeal and selling price, particularly if your house paint is faded, cracked or peeling, or if the paint color is generally unappealing.
4. Make your windows shine.
Clean your windows inside and out, including the screens, window sills, frames and shutters. Replace missing or damaged caulk around windows, doors and trim. It’s important for weather sealing, and should be done before any exterior painting. Repainting the front door is a cost-effective way to help create a welcoming entrance.
5. Garage doors need attention, too.
Give your garage door a thorough cleaning and inspect it for rust, especially on the bottom panel, which is most exposed to winter snow and salt. If the finish needs a refresh, a professional painter can repaint your entire garage door for far less than the cost of replacement.
6. Clean out the gutters and make any repairs needed.
Damaged or clogged gutters can contribute to foundation damage, roof leaks, and landscape erosion, so clean them as needed and make sure downspouts and extensions are properly directing water away from the foundation.
7. Decks and porches should look ready for relaxing.
Declutter and give your outdoor spaces a good scrubbing, then check for peeling paint and wood damage. All exterior wood needs regular maintenance and weather sealing. If you pour water on your deck and it soaks in instead of beading on the surface, it needs to be resealed or repainted. This is a reasonable DIY project, but a professional painting contractor can refinish a deck quickly and cost-effectively.
A clean, well-maintained home interior with neutral, updated finishes will help buyers envision moving in and making it their own.
8. Declutter and depersonalize, then deep clean everything.
Home buyers love touring sparkling clean houses that are minimally staged, so they can picture their own furniture in each room. Pack up personal items and family photos, which can distract them from your home’s features. Remove outdated and extra furniture to make rooms feel as large as possible. Clean and inspect every surface for everyday wear and damage. Even if you don’t need to paint, spend time deep cleaning and touching up walls, baseboards, trim and doors, so your home looks clean and well-maintained.
9. Remove wallpaper, fix drywall damage, and repaint walls in soft neutral colors.
Wallpaper and bold paint colors are major turn-offs for many home buyers, so repainting before you list your home for sale is a good investment. Before you paint, make sure any drywall or plaster damage is repaired. A good painting contractor can fix damaged walls, match wall texture seamlessly, and paint with no mess for you to deal with. Choose soft shades of white, beige and gray - they are widely appealing because they create a fresh, clean feel, and make spaces feel larger.
10. Update old bathroom and kitchen cabinets with fresh paint or stain.
Outdated cabinetry in older homes (think 80’s golden oak) can have home buyers worrying about an expensive kitchen remodel. The great news is you probably don’t have to replace older cabinets and trim, which are often expensive solid wood. Re-staining or painting cabinets is an affordable kitchen update that can be done in a couple of weeks with dramatic results. It’s not generally a good DIY project - a lot goes into creating a smooth, durable finish that won’t chip or peel over time - so it’s best to hire a professional painter.
