(Photo by Shopify Partners from Burst)

Today’s real estate market is so hot that many homeowners are wondering if they need to make any fixes or do any renovations at all before listing their home for sale. It may seem like homes are selling well without much effort, but that’s not necessarily true. 

Even in today’s market conditions, there are some renovations that should be done to achieve your best outcome when selling — and others that can definitely be avoided to save time, effort, and money, while your home will likely still sell easily anyway.

A trusted real estate professional like LIST WITH ELIZABETH® can help you to consider today’s market conditions and how they impact what you should – and shouldn’t – renovate before selling.

Not all renovations are worth it.

Obviously no seller wants to spend their time and money on a project that isn’t worth the cost or is too specific for some homebuyers. That’s why some hot renovation projects – especially the super trendy ones – are costly mistakes. 

Homebuyers shouldn’t plan their renovations or home designs around fads or trends, and sometimes they shouldn’t change things at all. 

Before making any decisions, talk to your real estate agent to see if they have any thoughts about what other sellers are doing before listing their homes and how buyers are reacting to those upgrades. Don’t spend the time and money to be trendy – only fix things that will actually benefit your bottom line. 

Highlight your existing upgrades.

Sometimes it’s just as well to showcase the work you have already done on your home to make it look updated. And since many people completed their own DIY home renovations while they were at home during the pandemic, it’s highly likely that they have already completed some renovations on their property that are worth noting.

Whether it’s painting, a bathroom remodel, installing new flooring, or lighting updates, you should let your real estate agent know about any fixes or renovations you have completed, even if they were personal projects, because this information might be enough to make your home attractive to buyers. 

Buyers are interested in DIY, too.

Not only because homes that need a little work are generally a bit more affordable, but also because DIY work is popular and helps to make a home more personal, buyers are more willing than ever to put their own work into fixing up a home. In fact, it may be preferable! 

Choosing new flooring, fixtures, or hardware could be waste of a seller’s time, money, and attention if the buyer will want to change it again after the purchase. And especially in today’s market, where renovation work is taking longer due to supply chain issues, lumber shortages, and worker backlogs. 

So sellers trying to decide whether or not to renovate can take a cue from buyer behavior and choose to do less work on their property knowing that buyers are perhaps more willing than ever before to purchase a home that doesn’t meet all their needs and renovate it themselves. 

After all, when it comes to renovations, a seller’s return-on-investment should take precedence over most other factors. 

Reach out to your local real estate professional at LIST WITH ELIZABETH® to find out what projects you should prioritize before you sell and how to highlight your upgrades to maximize your home’s resale potential.