FAO Homeowners: Fix It or Forget It? What You Should Repair Before Selling
You've decided to sell. Great news. But then you start looking at your home through fresh eyes and suddenly notice the cracked ceiling, the sticky kitchen drawer, the damp patch nobody has mentioned for three years.
The question every seller asks is this: Should I spend money fixing these things, or should I drop the price and let the buyer deal with them?
The honest answer is it depends. But here is a straightforward way to think it through.
Repairs worth doing
Some repairs are not optional. They are the difference between a sale completing and one falling apart.
· Structural issues. A surveyor will spot them. A buyer will renegotiate or walk. Fix them early or price them in properly from the start.
· Damp or water ingress. This is one of the biggest buyer turn-offs. If there is a live problem, address it before you put the property on the market.
· Boiler or heating problems. A buyer who discovers the boiler is on its last legs will use it as a hammer to renegotiate the price. Spend the money or get a service certificate.
· Electrics and gas. Any significant issue flagged by a surveyor may delay the mortgage process or lead to further investigation.
Repairs that probably are not worth it
Cosmetic upgrades rarely give you a pound-for-pound return. A buyer will repaint. A buyer may replace the kitchen tiles if they wish. Spending thousands on a new bathroom suite before you sell is almost always a bad idea.
Focus instead on things that cost little but make a real difference to first impressions: a fresh coat of neutral paint, clean grouting, tidy garden edges, clean windows, light fittings that actually work.
The price reduction question
Here is the thing. If you choose not to fix a known defect, you cannot ignore it. You have a legal duty to disclose material issues that could affect a buyer's decision.
And be careful with the maths. Sellers often underestimate how much buyers will knock off for something they perceive as a hassle, even when the actual cost of fixing it is modest. A buyer worried about a leaking roof will not just deduct the cost of repairs. They will deduct the repair cost, plus the inconvenience, plus a bit more for their peace of mind.
In many cases, spending a few hundred pounds before you go to market costs you far less than the negotiation that follows when a surveyor finds the problem for you.
Get the right advice first
Before you start spending money, talk to an agent who knows the local market. They can tell you what buyers are sensitive to, what is likely to come up in a survey, and where your money is best spent.
The goal is a clean sale at the right price. The best way to get there is to go in with your eyes open.
If you are getting ready to sell in and want honest advice on what to fix and what to leave, contact us today, no pressure, just experienced, expert advice.
Estate Agency Done Ethically
We are proud members of the Ethical Agent Network (EAN).
A national group of independent agents who have been independently tested to ensure we meet strict standards of honesty, service, professionalism and community care.
To learn more about what we do, why we passed the EAN test, and why we are the only local agency in the network, contact us today.
#AgentsYouCanTrust
