Sellers may not need renovations before listing
Costly upgrades may not pay off in a price-sensitive market. Agents can help sellers focus on safety, insurance and financing issues while using cleaning, maintenance and strategic pricing to address dated features.
Pre-list renovations do not always deliver enough of a return to justify their cost, especially in a price-sensitive market where home buyers are taking longer to make decisions, agent Cara Ameer said in Inman.
Sellers can often leave dated appliances, finishes, flooring and fixtures in place as long as they are clean, functional and well-maintained. Replacing them before listing could result in money spent on choices that do not match a buyer's taste or plans for the property. Larger projects carry even more risk because a kitchen or bathroom remodel can quickly become expensive without producing an equal increase in the sale price.
Agents should instead help sellers identify issues that could impact safety, insurance coverage, or financing, including repairs that may be required for FHA or VA loans. Other deferred maintenance can be reflected in the asking price rather than completed before the home goes on the market. In many cases, thorough cleaning, basic upkeep, and realistic pricing may serve sellers better than a costly round of cosmetic improvements.
"Pricing strategically to account for things that will need attention is a more cost-effective approach, so long as nothing impacts insurability and the ability to obtain a loan," Ameer said. "Spending money on repairs and improvements that are not critical to buying will not necessarily bring a higher return, especially in a price-sensitive market. One of the most reasonably priced things a seller can do is ensure the property is clean and well-maintained, even if it is not the most updated."
Source: Inman (07/09/26) Ameer, Cara
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