How Much Work To Do Before Selling a House: 3 Levels of Prep

You’re selling a house that needs repairs, but you don’t want to spend too much money or sweat equity if there’s no significant return on your investment (ROI). So before you pay workers or strap on your trusty toolbelt and dive into your next home improvement project, you’ll want to carefully choose the right repairs to maximize your profit.

To help you determine how much work to do before selling your house, we’ve gathered expert advice from DeWayne Carpenter, a top-performing real estate agent in Melbourne, Florida, with 28 years of experience; and Jennifer Rosdail, a top agent in San Francisco, California, with 22 years of experience.

Their insights and our research point to three levels of home improvement that can result in a successful sale. These include:

Select improvements: Some needed repairs, but not everything
Turnkey: Completely repaired or remodeled from top to bottom, move-in ready
“As is”: Minimal improvements (if any), which is reflected in the price

Let’s review each route so you can decide what’s right for your needs and goals for this sale.

Level 1: Make select improvements (the sweet spot)

The level one sweet spot is doing repairs that will make your house marketable. The goal for most home sales is to select just the right amount of improvements that will attract buyers, without fixing everything in sight.

“The point I want to get a home to, usually, is the point where someone could simply move in,” says Rosdail.

Here is a list of ways you can achieve this balance of repairs and preparations when selling your home.

Clean and declutter

According to Carpenter, one of the best ways to start is by cleaning and decluttering your home so buyers can envision themselves there, and not be distracted by any extra items on display.

If you find that a professional cleaner would make it easier for you to tackle cleaning the entire house, according to Angi, hiring a pro typically costs between $117 and $235, depending on how much work is necessary. Hiring a professional stager usually costs an average of $1,500 to $4,000, according to Homeguide.

Deep clean or replace old carpet

If you have a carpet that’s in decent shape but needs a deep cleaning, that can make a big difference when selling your house, since flooring is everywhere. But if the carpet really needs to be replaced, choosing consistent flooring for the house typically looks more open and makes a lasting impression. Installing new carpet may also be a solution for your buyers who won’t have to worry about the replacement costs, which can average between $782 and $2,811.

“Flooring is your biggest ROI. Buyers do not like seeing a lot of transitions between flooring,” says Carpenter.

Carpenter explains that by changing the flooring throughout the house, the rooms will look bigger, as opposed to renovating a single kitchen space where you might be tempted to renovate multiple items after you start, which can become a “pandora’s box.”

Paint with neutral colors

Painting using neutral colors, such as whites and creams, is typically the best way to freshen up your house and give the biggest pool of buyers a chance to visualize a blank slate for their decor. The average cost to paint the interior of your home, according to HomeAdvisor, is between $966 and $3,059, depending on the total square footage of the rooms.

Spruce up your curb appeal

Having nice curb appeal is the best way to make a great first impression and have buyers excited to see the rest of your house. Carpenter recommends that adding fresh mulch, having a mowed lawn, and a clean exterior are the best ways to show attractive curb appeal. If you want extra help, you can also hire professional landscapers that typically cost between $1,258 and $6,031. Also, according to HomeLight’s Top Agent Insights for End of Year 2023, 31% of agents believe that larger or improved outdoor spaces or garden areas are one of the biggest selling points of a house.

Give kitchens and baths a facelift

A facelift of your kitchen and bathroom may be necessary to bring those rooms up to date. Often, you can neutralize with paint, and replace sinks or countertops that need an update without choosing the most expensive options in order to increase your ROI.

“It makes the whole kitchen [or bathroom] perceived as updated,” says Rosdail.

When you’re doing select improvements, you don’t want to go too far, as a complete kitchen remodel can cost between $14,611 and $41,440. This is true for bathrooms as well, which can also be expensive, as an entire renovation typically costs between $6,630 and $17,542.

Stage, stage, stage

Carpenter said sometimes he hires professional stagers to come into the house to help the homeowner improve the flow and look of the rooms.

“If [sellers] have a couch that is in a position that makes the room look closed off and small, [stagers] will move it. If they have throw pillows or something like that, then stagers might reappropriate those, or if they have excessive knickknacks, stagers will probably edit those,” says Carpenter.

Carpenter suggests that visiting a model home usually gives the homeowner an idea of what they should strive to achieve, which is creating a homey feel, but not excessive personalization.