{"id":14342,"date":"2020-02-28T08:21:53","date_gmt":"2020-02-28T16:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=14342"},"modified":"2026-04-13T01:17:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T08:17:28","slug":"home-renovation-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/home-renovation-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Home Renovation Myths You Might Believe (But Just Aren\u2019t True)"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re ready to put your home on the market, it\u2019s tempting to fall for the renovation bug. You know the one: You\u2019ve wanted to redo that tile flooring in the kitchen, but you\u2019ve never made the time. Why not do it now? Or you watch those home design shows and push, \u201cWe can do this. We just need a weekend to paint every room in the house, and we can add way more to our asking price\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Real estate agent Adam Greer<\/a>, who serves the Columbus, Georgia, area as well as neighboring communities in Alabama, sees this a lot. Unfortunately, it\u2019s frequently with homeowners who aren\u2019t as handy as they think. He\u2019s noticed floors with unusually shaped tiles, walls with streaked paint, countertops that aren\u2019t level, and drywall that shows seams.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of times buyers get in over their heads when they try to do things,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems a lot easier if you\u2019re looking at some of those TV shows and you have all the tools and money in the world to make sure it goes well.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

National spending on home improvements and repairs is expected to top $330 billion<\/a> before the year\u2019s end: a modest growth of less than 2% over recent years, but steady enough to show that redoing our homes is still very much on our minds.<\/p>\n

The reasons why homeowners renovate vary. Some need to take on repairs before they sell, like if an FHA lender won\u2019t approve financing<\/a> because a home has a cracked window or chipped paint. According to one survey<\/a> of about 142,000 homeowners, 16% said they renovated their homes in 2018 to address damage related to their home\u2019s age or pests. However, the majority of those surveyed (57%) took the plunge because they\u2019d long wanted to do so and finally had the time or financial means. Moving was another renovation inspiration, with 11% of respondents saying they planned to sell the home soon<\/a> and wanted to increase its value.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s sort through some home renovation myths so you can decide whether the projects suddenly calling to you are worth the time and expense before listing.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: (Shopify Partners \/ Burst )<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/b>1. It\u2019s cheaper to do it yourself.<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re a skilled DIYer, this may well be the case \u2014 but be honest with yourself. Angie\u2019s List, a reputable online directory of service providers nationwide, recommends asking yourself these questions beforehand<\/a>:<\/p>\n