{"id":19212,"date":"2025-04-25T04:00:41","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T11:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=19212"},"modified":"2025-09-22T06:56:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T13:56:39","slug":"how-much-work-to-do-before-selling-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-much-work-to-do-before-selling-house\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Work To Do Before Selling a House: 3 Levels of Prep"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re selling a house that needs repairs, but you don\u2019t want to spend too much money or sweat equity if there\u2019s no significant return on your investment (ROI)<\/a>. So, before you pay workers or strap on your trusty toolbelt and dive into your next home improvement project, you\u2019ll want to carefully choose the right repairs to maximize your profit.<\/p>\n

To help you determine how much work to do before selling your house, we\u2019ve gathered expert advice from DeWayne Carpenter<\/a>, a top-performing real estate agent in Melbourne<\/a>, Florida, with 29 years of experience; and Jennifer Rosdail<\/a>, a top agent in San Francisco<\/a>, California, with 23 years of experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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A Top Agent Can Guide Your Home Prep<\/h3>\n

Save money and time by partnering with a top agent who will know what repairs you need to help sell your house, and what repairs you can skip. It takes just two minutes to match clients with the best agents in your market.<\/p>\n \n

\n Find Agent<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Their insights and our research point to three levels of home improvement that can result in a successful sale. These include:<\/p>\n

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  1. Select improvements<\/a>:<\/strong> Some needed repairs, but not everything<\/li>\n
  2. Turnkey<\/a>:<\/strong> Completely repaired or remodeled from top to bottom, move-in ready<\/li>\n
  3. As-is<\/a>:<\/strong> Minimal improvements (if any), which are reflected in the price<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let\u2019s review each route so you can decide what\u2019s right for your needs and goals for this sale.

    <\/div><\/p>\n

    Level 1: Make select improvements (the sweet spot)<\/h2>\n

    The level one sweet spot is doing repairs that will make your house marketable. The goal for most home sales is to select just the right amount of improvements that will attract buyers, without fixing everything in sight.<\/p>\n

    \u201cUsually, I want to get a home\u2019s condition to the point where someone can simply move in,\u201d says Rosdail.<\/p>\n

    Here is a list of ways you can achieve this balance of repairs and preparations when selling your home.<\/p>\n

    Clean and declutter<\/h3>\n

    According to Carpenter, one of the best ways to start is by cleaning<\/a> and decluttering<\/a> your home so buyers can envision themselves there, and not be distracted by any extra items on display.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe biggest advice I give to sellers is to go through with a buyer\u2019s eye,\u201d says Carpenter. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have stagers or someone that can help you with that, just try to be hypercritical of your own house and think, \u2018Oh, if I were buying this house, this would turn me off or I would notice this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

    If you find that a professional cleaner would make it easier for you to tackle cleaning the entire house, according to Angi, hiring a pro typically costs between $118 and $237<\/a>, depending on how much work is necessary. Hiring a professional stager usually costs an average of $1,500 to $4,000<\/a>, according to Homeguide.<\/p>\n

    Deep clean or replace old carpet<\/h3>\n

    If you have a carpet that\u2019s in decent shape but needs a deep cleaning, that can make a big difference when selling your house, since flooring is everywhere. But if the carpet really needs to be replaced<\/a>, choosing consistent flooring for the house typically looks more open and makes a lasting impression. Installing new carpet may also be a solution for your buyers who won\u2019t have to worry about the replacement costs, which can average between $782 and $2,812<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \u201cFlooring is your biggest ROI. Buyers do not like seeing a lot of transitions between flooring,\u201d says Carpenter.<\/p>\n

    Carpenter explains that by changing the flooring throughout the house, the rooms will look bigger, as opposed to renovating a single kitchen space where you might be tempted to renovate multiple items after you start, which can become a Pandora\u2019s box.<\/p>\n

    Paint with neutral colors<\/h3>\n

    Painting<\/a> using neutral colors, such as whites and creams, is typically the best way to freshen up your house and give the biggest pool of buyers a chance to visualize a blank slate for their decor. According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost to paint the interior of your home is between $966 and $3,086<\/a>, depending on the total square footage of the rooms.<\/p>\n

    Spruce up your curb appeal<\/h3>\n

    Having nice curb appeal<\/a> is the best way to make a great first impression and hget buyers excited to see the rest of your house. Carpenter recommends adding fresh mulch, having a mowed lawn, and a clean exterior as the best ways to show attractive curb appeal. If you want extra help, you can also hire professional landscapers who typically cost between $1,249 and $6,281<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Also, according to a HomeLight Top Agent Insights survey<\/a>, 31% of agents believe that larger or improved outdoor spaces or garden areas are one of the biggest selling points of a house.<\/p>\n

    Give kitchens and baths a facelift<\/h3>\n

    A facelift of your kitchen<\/a> and bathroom<\/a> may be necessary to bring those rooms up to date. Often, you can neutralize with paint, and replace sinks or countertops that need an update without choosing the most expensive options to increase your ROI.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt makes the whole kitchen [or bathroom] perceived as updated,\u201d says Rosdail.<\/p>\n

    When you\u2019re making select improvements, you don\u2019t want to go too far, as a complete kitchen remodel can cost between $14,589 and $41,530<\/a>. The same is true for bathrooms, which can also be expensive, as an entire renovation typically costs between $6,639 and $17,621<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Stage, stage, stage<\/h3>\n

    Carpenter says he sometimes hires professional stagers<\/a> to come into the house to help the homeowner improve the flow and look of the rooms.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIf sellers have a couch that is in a position that makes the room look closed off and small, stagers will move it. If they have throw pillows or something like that, then stagers might reappropriate those, or if they have excessive knick-knacks, stagers will probably edit those,\u201d says Carpenter.<\/p>\n

    Carpenter suggests that visiting a model home usually gives the homeowner an idea of what they should strive to achieve, which is creating a homey feel, but not excessive personalization<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Know what NOT to fix when selling your home<\/h3>\n

    When deciding how much work to do before selling your house, you need to determine what repairs will make your home marketable. But it’s also important to eliminate other repairs<\/a> that aren\u2019t necessary for your bottom line. When making your final choices, you\u2019ll have to decide what is the most cost-efficient to fix<\/a>. The repairs that typically WON\u2019T fatten your wallet include:<\/p>\n