dollar. The remodel may add value to the home, but the return in dollars spent will only be around 50%. Smaller upgrades, like replacing outdated fixtures in the kitchen and bath, are certainly worthwhile, but major remodeling of those rooms just to sell your home isn’t wise, especially when you’re facing foreclosure. However, ignore repairs that a home inspector would red-flag or a mortgage company would demand before issuing a loan to a buyer. If major problems, such as a leaking roof or outdated electrical wiring, exist, you might want to repair those before putting your home on the market, or expect to give concessions to the buyer.
STARTING WITH THE BASICS
Every listed home should meet the basic expectations of any buyer; it should have a sound roof, functioning gutters and downspouts, foundation without cracks, functioning heating and/or air conditioning system, solid subflooring, and safe and secure electrical wiring. With financer-mandated home inspections, you might be required to remedy any shortcomings to get buyer financing approval. The market value of your home is determined by the prices of comparable homes recently sold in the area. Extensive remodeling to sell the home or to increase the value might not pay off. The property needs to be up to the standards of neighboring homes, so while the kitchen has to be comparable to others, as in the example above, spending $25,000 to remodel a kitchen in an area where comparable homes recently sold for $275,000 will not increase the house’s value to $300,000. While it could be a helpful selling feature, it won’t return dollar-for-dollar value, particularly during an imminent foreclosure.
MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE IS A MUST
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