Avoid These Common Home Prep Mistakes

Real Estate Podcast with Amy Wengerd

Don’t part ways with your hard-earned money; beware of these mistakes. If you’re prepping your home for a sale, here are the top three mistakes you must avoid: 1. Updating any other level aside from the main one. The main level of your house, where the kitchen is located, is by far the most important place to invest your money when selling, so forget about updating the other levels. Of course, if you plan on living in your home for a long time and building equity, then feel free to update any other level that you want to. But for those getting ready to sell, don’t spend tons of money renovating rooms that aren’t on the main level. “Someone will buy your home because they like its location and layout, not because it has a brand-new furnace.” 2. Going crazy with interior renovations. We get asked all the time about materials, as in, “Should I install hardwood floors?” Here’s the truth, though: Replacing your carpet and repainting everything a neutral color are the only things you should focus on. Leave everything as it is. Don’t start wainscotting, installing crown molding in the bedrooms, making accent walls, etc. Those things won’t give you a good return on investment. If you want to install flooring, luxury vinyl tile is way less expensive than ceramic and it still looks fantastic. 3. Buying new appliances. If your furnace is old, don’t buy a new one unless your current one actually breaks down. Someone will buy your home because they like its location and layout, not because it has a brand-new furnace. Of course, that’s not to say a new furnace wouldn’t be a nice perk, but it’s definitely not the wisest way to spend your money in preparation of hitting the market. Our team has a warranty plan that we can use to negotiate during inspections should any issues arise regarding the age of any of our homeowners’ appliances. This warranty will cover the buyers for the first 12 months that they live in their house, so again: Don’t fret about your older appliances. If these tips aren’t enough and you just need some more one-on-one advice on selling, that’s perfectly understandable. That’s why we’re here and ready to help. Give us a call or send an email and we will give you a free 20-minute in-home consultation and answer any other questions you may have. Our goal is to help you get the absolute most profit on your largest investment when it comes time to sell. We look forward to hearing from you soon!