What Not to Fix When Selling a House: The 2022 Guide

While it’s true that you should make an effort to make sure your home is good enough to be sold, you’re not required to fix every single issue you see. The keyword is to make it “good enough,” not perfect.

Essentially, you’ll only need to address major issues around your home. Leakages, faulty wirings, broken pipes—these are examples of what you should focus on before putting your home on the market.

The general rule is that you should only make renovations to your space if it adds to the home’s value or attracts more potential buyers for your property. If it’s not necessary, it’s better to stay off of fixing it.

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5 Things You Shouldn’t Fix When Selling a House

Making changes to your home so that it’s “up to code” is a myth. No home is ever truly up to code unless it’s a brand new home. And buyers of pre-owned homes are aware of this.

They won’t expect your property to be perfect. So, it’s okay to lie low on the renovations. Trust us, you wouldn’t want to overdo the preparations for your home sale.

Here are five things you don’t need to fix when selling your house.

Cosmetic Issues

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Most buyers only focus on the general condition of the house. As long as there are no areas of immediate concern, it wouldn’t sway the buyer’s decision to make the purchase.

That small part of your wall with chipped paint could be bothersome for you since you always see it. Or maybe you have scratched floors from your pets or from moving things around. That’s okay.

Because chances are, your buyer would overlook these minor cosmetic issues in your home. They wouldn’t mind seeing normal wear and tear around your home.

Also, most buyers do repaint the walls or change the flooring once they’ve acquired the keys to your home. You’re not required to do it for them. Doing so only decreases your profit from the home sale and they might not even like the color or material you choose. Leave these things to the buyer. It’s for the best.

Partial Renovations

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It’s not advisable to renovate only some parts of any room in your house. Changing the showerhead or faucets in your bathroom wouldn’t give you the return on investment you thought it would. The same goes for changing your kitchen’s cabinet handles or backsplash.

If you’re going to take on a kitchen or bathroom renovation, you’re better off going all the way. If you want to change your showerhead, might as well upgrade your whole shower and vanity area, too. If you’re going to change your cabinet handles, consider updating your kitchen cabinets and countertops along with it.

Doing so will maximize the return on your investment and increase your property value. Making partial renovations would only take away from your profit. And honestly, it wouldn’t do much for the appeal of your home.

Linens and Other Removable Items

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Linens get dirty easily. But just because they’re dirty doesn’t mean you have to replace them with new ones. Try doing a deep clean for your pillowcases and curtains. This could make all the difference in making the room go from looking drab to being full of life.

If a deep clean doesn’t work, you should do what these removable items are for—remove them. You’re better off not putting curtains in your living room if all they do is make the space look dark. Plus, not having curtains or blinds allow for natural light to come in. This could make your space look brighter and more appealing.

The same goes for carpets. If you’ve had your carpets for quite some time now, chances are, they’re dirty and need to be cleaned. If they still don’t make the rooms in your home look cozy and inviting, it’s better to get rid of them altogether. You don’t need to buy a new carpet. That only adds to your expenses. And again, not all buyers will relate to your design choices.

Old Appliances That Still Work

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We understand that it could be bothersome for you as the homeowner to know that your appliances have some age on them. But the thing is, potential buyers wouldn’t mind at all that your appliances aren’t brand new—as long as they’re working fine.

You don’t have to buy a new television or microwave if they still serve their purpose around the home. Your air conditioner might not be cooling up the room as it used to when you first got it. But maybe that’s only because you haven’t cleaned it in a while.

If cleaning doesn’t work, you don’t have to buy a new one. You can look at second-hand units being sold online that are still working fine. Doing so will help you save money while still addressing the issue at hand.

Minor System Issues

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If you have any major issues with your electrical wirings, water pipes, or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, you should have them fixed as soon as possible. It’s not only about safety risks. Leaving an issue unaddressed might lead you to bigger and more complicated issues later on.

But things like having an old water heater that still works fine or a wobbly socket wouldn’t be much of a problem. If there’s a switch in your house that doesn’t do anything, it’s nothing to be concerned about.

Minor system issues like these don’t need to be fixed when selling your house. It’s still good to disclose them to potential buyers, though. It helps avoid misunderstandings later on.

Moving to Calgary

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Unless there are things in your home that need immediate attention or are just a major eyesore for anyone looking at them, you don’t need to fix them. In preparing your home for selling, you’re not required to put it back in the condition you got it the first time.

Some things are just better left on their own, especially if they’re still working just fine. Take these five for example:

• Cosmetic issues like chipped paint or scratched floors
• Partial kitchen and bathroom renovations like changing accessories without changing the fixtures and furniture along with them
• Linens and other removable items like carpets and curtains
• Old appliances (like an air conditioner or television) that still work
• Minor issues with your electrical wirings, plumbing, and HVAC system

Once you’ve put your home on the market, it’s time to look into where you should move to next. You might want to consider moving to Calgary for that matter. The cost of living and house prices are cheaper compared to other bigger cities and provinces in Canada.

Get in touch with a trusted real estate agent in Calgary to find the best home for you as soon as possible.