Repairing your West Seattle home
Be wise about your repairs . . .
You may not get out what you put in
You have lived in your home for some time and I'm sure there are things that have annoyed you, and items that you think or even know that need fixing. But don't think you have to jump in and fix everything.
There are repairs that will certainly help a home sell more quickly such as, new carpeting, fresh paint, or roof etc. But don't think that by paying for these repairs that you will re-coup the cost in the sale of the home. For instance, if you replace the carpet, you may find out that your buyer wants to put in hardwood floors. Or if you repaint the home, you may have chosen a color that your buyer doesn't like. So if you are going to do repairs, spend as little money as possible. If you are going to paint, choose a very neutral color throughout, and if you are going to re-carpet, again go neutral.
Some major repairs may be necessary. For instance, if your roof is past its expected life and has several old layers on it, we advise it be replaced. This will surely turn up in an inspection and it will be a large negotiating point for a buyer, so if you can afford it, replace it and remove the possiblity of a price concession because of an expired roof.
If you have any leaks, repair them! Water intrusion is always a scary thing for buyers.
If there are worn out cabinets handles, loose hinges, leaky faucets, broken switch plate covers etc., fix them. These are things that people will touch and if they are in really bad shape it will leave a negative impression. These are actually fairly inexpensive repairs and you can easily do them yourself.
If you really want to know what's wrong with your house, consider hiring a professional home inspector to do a thorough inspection. They will give you a very detailed report and call out every defect imaginable. This can give you an opportunity to see what a buyer will see in their inspection report, and give you the opportunity to repair the items that make the most sense.
