Seller’s Curiosity: What, Exactly, Is It Going to Cost You To Sell Your House? Well, It Doesn’t Run Cheap…

Buyers sometimes consider going DIY when it comes to projects to help sell their home. While this can certainly cut costs, homeowners need also to consider that these DIY projects can actually end up costing more than if they had hired a professional. Some preparations may be simple tasks, while other homes may require more investment.

Painting is undoubtedly one of the best  improvements a homeowners can do. Keep in mind that the color you choose is just as important as repainting in itself. Dark paint colors also have the capacity to make a room look smaller than it is. It is important to use neutrals. This can be a DIY activity, if you don’t have the money, or don’t wish to spend it. p_101931609_wCROP

Be sure to clean your windows! Transparent windows make a huge difference to a potential buyer. To a homeowner, they may not realize how much money this can cost in itself just to clean them. Hiring someone will cost a few hundred dollars, but is most certainly worth it.

Certain necessary touchups should be left to conversation with the buyer before acting on them. These can include stained carpet, cracked molding, or faded hardwood floors. This is because sometimes a buyer may want to completely change the look of it anyway. You don’t want to spend thousands re-staining or replacing hardwood floors, when they plan to put down carpet anyway once they move in. See: Homeseller’s Checklist: Expenses to Expect When Selling Your House – Nolo.

Staging your home will likely make a huge difference to a buyer. Many buyers do not possess the visual creativity to imagine a home decorated. Consider hiring a decorator help declutter, reorganize, and in some cases refurnish it after you’ve moved your stuff out. Stuspa-treatment-salon-toweldies show that buyers pay more for staged homes. Expect to pay a professional stager a few thousand dollars for their services.

Even if you decide to save money by staging your own home, you will still have to put some money into accessories and necessities. It is important to buy fresh flowers, a clean doormat, white towels for the bathrooms, replacing stained furniture, and hanging artwork. The artwork does not have to be impressive, or expensive.

Landscaping is essential. Sometimes, it will require hiring a landscaper. If the yard is not too bad, you will be able to buy flowers and plant them yourself. However, sometimes it might be necessary to plant new grass. You should have flowers pruned, the yard cleared of any leaves or debris, or any general weeding.

Having a professional inspect your house for either termite/pest damage or other structural matters isn’t required , nor expected in most parts of the United States. Buyers expect to pay for their own inspectors, and in fact will probably want to hire ones they know and trust regardless of whether you’ve had the property inspected first. home-inspector

If you’ll be moving out before putting your house on the market, you can expect to pay higher in utilities than you generally pay when you are living in the home. This is because you must leave the lights and heat/air on in the home, as your agent could have a potential buyer call at any moment to come see the house.

It is important to have the appropriate air temperature setting for the season, the lights on, which makes the house appear nicer! For further reading, see: What Does it Cost to Sell Your House? – Realtor.com.

2 thoughts on “Seller’s Curiosity: What, Exactly, Is It Going to Cost You To Sell Your House? Well, It Doesn’t Run Cheap…”

  1. Hi. I am looking to sell my house, however when I purchased it, the home was above market value but I thought the value would go up over the years as I purchased it ten years ago. Will this affect how much money I make off of my house?

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  2. Hi Sandy. Selling a house can be a fantastic experience if you buy the home below market value and are aware of all the costs involved. Selling a house can also be a disappointing experience if you are not aware of all the costs involved and do not make as much money as you had hoped to. There are many costs involved in selling a house and knowing those costs upfront will make the experience much more enjoyable. You will most likely have to pay a real estate agent, title insurance, recording and closing fees, and possibly much more when you sell a house.

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