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My House Needs Massive Repairs – Can I Still Sell?

MarketPro Homebuyershouse Pavement

In our experience, when it comes to selling homes there are two options—fight or flight.

These are equally viable options for survival in nature and we think it’s an apt analogy for selling your home. Today, we’re going to cover the two paths you can take to sell a house that needs massive repairs.

Fight The Good Fight

The first option you have is to do the hard work that you’ve been putting off for years. Your house likely needs repairs because you never had the time or expertise to tackle those projects. And likely the expense was one that you didn’t want to incur.

If you are determined to put your house for sale on the open market, you’re going to have to get out your toolbelt or your wallet.

Here is our list of mandatory repairs and presentation tips to get top dollar from consumers in the market today:

Focus on Kitchens and Bathrooms

Many realtors will tell you that kitchens and baths sell homes. Make sure both of these areas really shine. If you have a great flow to your kitchen and plenty of storage and prep space, you may get away with some paint on the cabinets and new countertops.

If your kitchen hasn’t been update in more decades than you can remember, if laminate countertops are peeling and more than one person can’t be in the room at a time, you may need to completely replace everything.

HomeAdvior has reported that the average kitchen remodel price is between $12,000 and $34,000.

Check and Repair the Foundation—And The Roof

Normal weather can damage your foundation or roof. There doesn’t have to be an earthquake, hurricane, or tornado to create significant issues. And in the Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania regions, we experience all of these events. If the doors and windows in your home have issues opening, closing, or staying opened or closed, your foundation may have shifted. Spots on the ceiling indicate a roof leak.

Home inspectors will pay special attention to these areas to make sure they are in excellent condition. You don’t want buyers to discount the house for these to critical and expensive areas. Depending on the size of your house, keep $2,000 – $17,000 on hand to repair or replace these areas of the house.

Check and Repair the Furnace, HVAC, and Water Heater

These are big-ticket items and buyers will negotiate the sale price of your home down because they will likely have to replace them soon. If these major home systems are at or beyond their expected lifespan, they will need to go. Prices are far too wide ranging to provide an estimate here, but you would have replaced them if they were inexpensive.

Remediate All Termite Damage, Water Damage, Fire Damage, Mold or Smell from Smokers in the House

All of these can hurt the integrity of the home as well as create smells and unsightly areas that will turn buyers away.

Make a good first impression

We recommend starting outside since curb appeal is huge when trying to get buyers in the door. Make sure you have a freshly mown lawn, weeded flower beds, and no overgrown bushes or trees that new owners will have to remove. A brightly-painted front door gives off a welcoming feel and reminds buyers of the home’s potential.

If the boards on your front porch or back deck flex when you walk on them, take out any rotted boards and secure the structure. If concrete steps have chips, consider a fresh skim coat and paint.

Stage the house appropriately

Here’s another checklist to get your house ready to sell:

  • Open up blinds and curtains and clean the windows inside and out. Let in the light.
  • Clean your vents and baseboards.
  • Vacuum, mop, and sweep every floor.
  • Declutter every room.
  • Organize countertops and closets if your positions are in the house. Buyers will look in there!
  • Remove any personal photos.

With all of these areas covered, you’re almost ready to sell. Do you feel like you’ve been in a fight just reading through all of these items?

So, after you’ve coordinated the roofers, foundation experts, electricians, flooring companies, kitchen installers, and any other trades that need to perform services to get the right price and the work done on time, you’re onto the next step.

You need to find an agent to list your home, have open houses, and negotiate on your behalf to get the best price for your house. Realtor fees are generally 6% of the sale price of the home.

Now, let’s talk about your second option.

Take the Easy Route and Sell Your House Fast

If the few areas of home repair we talked about are daunting, if the costs aren’t feasible, you have another option—sell your home to MarketPro Homebuyers.

MarketPro Homebuyers has made its name throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania helping countless sellers in this exact situation.

We buy homes as-is in any condition.

If your cabinets and countertops are outdated or broken—no problem!

If your roof needs a repair—we’ll still buy it!

If the HVAC, plumbing and electrical all have issues—we’re prepared to make you a cash offer today!

We pride ourselves on providing a headache-free selling process that helps you move out quickly, without any of the hassles of fixing or selling your house.

Our team tailors our services to meet your unique needs every step of the way. If you’re concerned this approach won’t get you the full value of your property, MarketPro Homebuyers’ customer-focused team will put your mind at ease. We’ll go through every cost and compare it to what you would get on the traditional housing market – all without fees, closing costs, or commissions. We strive to make the whole process as low-pressure and friendly as possible!

If you’re looking to sell a distressed home in the DMV area, look no further than MarketPro Homebuyers. Get started with an instant quote, and see how simple selling your as-is property can truly be.

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