You’ve probably heard that there is a listing shortage and homes are flying off the shelves as quickly as they come on the market. So, do you really need to do anything to your house to prepare it to sell? Can’t you just list it as it is? Does it even make a difference?

Yes, I do believe it does make a difference and here are some reasons why.

First, it is likely the buyer will still have a home inspection. If you have repairs that need to be done or any deferred maintenance, it will be discovered by the home inspector. The buyer will most likely negotiate with you to make those repairs. This could involve finding contractors, getting bids, and scheduling repairs while you are trying to pack up your home to move. This could be very inconvenient and stressful. What if the repairs are not to the buyer’s satisfaction? This could be another problem. Better to take care of those things prior to listing, so you can avoid the additional stress.

Secondly, if the buyer is obtaining a loan, they will be having an appraisal. The appraiser is looking for anything that could be considered a safety issue. On certain types of loans, this includes peeling paint on homes built prior to 1978 due to lead-based paint. The appraiser will require these repairs to be made prior to closing so that he or she can come back and inspect them. You could be finding out about these repairs just a few weeks or even days prior to your scheduled closing. This can cause a delay in closing if you run into this kind of time crunch and more stress and hassle for you.

Besides making repairs and taking care of deferred maintenance, I still recommend decluttering and staging. Making your home look clutter free, clean, bright, and spacious will still bring you a higher price. I find that today’s buyers are looking for move-in ready homes in good to excellent condition. Often, buyers do not have the time, money, or skills to fix up or update a home. For those buyer’s willing to do the work and pay for the expenses to get the home the way they want it, they do expect a discounted price. Homes that are updated, staged, and move-in ready are getting multiple offers with very good terms for the sellers. Why not take advantage of that?

If you do not have the time or desire to prepare your home to sell, you will still be able to get it sold in this market, but if you are expecting the buyer to take care of repairs and updates (and some buyers will), you can also expect to discount your price.

It is really all about managing your expectations. Hopefully, this article will give you some insight on what will be best for you. Contact your favorite REALTOR® prior to selling and have them give you a list of things to do to prepare your home to sell. Take their advice to decide what repairs and updates will pay off for you, not just in money, but also in reduction of stress and hassle. Happy house selling!