Y’all know the feeling, right? Selling your house in Texas can be like wrangling a herd of longhorns! Everyone’s got an opinion on what you should fix, paint, or renovate. But hold on, partner. Before you empty your bank account on a fancy new kitchen renovation, let’s talk about what you can skip fixing without hurting your chances of snagging a great contract for sale. It makes no difference, whether you are in Houston or Dallas Texas, the cost to fix and make renovations take away from your bottom line profits. As you gear up to place your Texas home for sale on the housing market, be sure to find a good realtor or real estate agent and to treat any renovation as a strategic investment. Shrewdly avoid sinking money into repairs or renovations that add cost but won’t significantly increase the property value or expedite a home sale.
Grasping why certain repairs or renovations might be unnecessary can be pivotal when selling a house in Texas. Ask your realtor or real estate agent:
- Does the cost of improvement materially elevate the home’s market appeal to get a purchase contract for sale?
- Does the cost of the repair or renovation justify the potential increase in for sale price?
- The property repair issue, if not fixed, likely to deter a prospective buyer or significantly impact their offer in the current housing market in Texas?
Our View On What Not To Fix for Texas Home Sellers
Now, we ain’t gonna lie, we’ve seen our fair share of fixer-uppers in our time. Over 2,500 houses across Texas, from the bustling streets of Houston to the charming suburbs of Dallas, you name it, we’ve renovated it. So, trust us when we say, we know what sells and what sits. And let me tell you, sometimes the smartest move is to not fix and leave things be.
Here are our top tips for what NOT to fix when selling a house:
- Flooring Choices Are Personal: Flooring? In Texas, that’s like asking about your favorite kolache filling – everyone’s got their own taste! From rustic hardwoods in Houston to sleek tile in Dallas, Texans love variety. So, unless your carpet’s got more tumbleweeds than fibers, or your floorboards are doing the two-step on their own, a good ol’ steam clean and some TLC might be all you need. Remember, most folks are gonna rip it out and put in their own style anyway, so save your pennies for that dream vacation!
- Minor HVAC, Electrical, or Plumbing Issues: Texas houses may not be museum-perfect, but there’s a certain charm to their character. Most folks here appreciate a well-built home with good bones, even if the electrical ain’t the newest model. Unless your AC sounds like a herd of stampeding longhorns or your pipes gush like a busted oil well, chances are a fresh coat of paint and some preventative maintenance are all you need. Texans care more about a solid, functional home than one with all the bells and whistles. That’s why a study at Texas A&M found homes with minor HVAC tweaks sold 15% faster – a happy hum beats a high-tech headache any day!
- Partial Bathroom or Kitchen Renovations: Our team includes real estate agent and realtors with years of experience in Texas, we’ve seen that kitchens and bathrooms can make or break home for sale. However, it’s crucial to understand that in the diverse Texas market, partial renovations might not align with buyers’ varied tastes. Full remodels that reflect current trends have a greater impact on your home’s marketability and price than halfway renovations that might not appeal to everyone.
- General Wear and Tear: Y’all know those little dings and scuffs that come with years of living life in a Texas home? The chipped wallpaper, the slightly wonky floorboards? Don’t fret, they ain’t gonna scare off buyers. Most folks spend less than a wink and a nod looking around, picturing their own memories in the space. Instead of stressing over every tiny fix and flaw, focus on the big picture – fresh paint, good vibes, and that undeniable Texas charm. Let the buyers imagine their own stories on those walls, because that’s what sells, not a museum-perfect finish.
- Window Treatments: Now, sunshine in Texas is like gold dust, especially when it ain’t scorchin’ the living room ceiling! So, if your blinds are lookin’ more like tumbleweeds than window treatments, toss ’em! Let that natural light flood in and make your rooms feel bigger and brighter for free. Sure, some windows might have a bit of Texas wear and tear – maybe a broken seal or two – but most house buyers won’t sweat it unless it’s drafty enough to send shivers down a rattlesnake’s spine. They’ll just see the potential for that perfect sunlit reading nook.
Also, it could be helpful to survey online forums like Reddit to see what other viewpoints and ideas are best to what should or should not be fixed? This Quora online forum thinks kitchens are the one thing to do before anything else.
Fix or Not Fix Something in the Texas Housing Market
When deciding on what not to fix when selling a house or which renovations to bypass, consult with your realtor and tap their housing market experience. But consider the following, especially within the context of the Texas housing market:
- Is the fix or not fix issue a potential deal-breaker for prospective buyers in Texas?
- Is the anticipated renovation cost to fix before selling likely to exceed the added value for the sale contract of the house?
- Could the unrepaired issue to fix lead to a lower offer based on the standards of comparable homes in your specific Texas housing market and neighborhood?
- Might the issue extend the time your home spends on the housing market, leading to additional cost for sale in the Texas real estate landscape?
- Is it probable that the buyer would prefer to personalize or make their own changes to the area in question, a common occurrence in the diverse and individualistic Texas housing market?
Repairs And Fixes To Make Before Selling A Home in Texas
While understanding what to fix and what not to fix when selling a house is crucial, it’s equally important to recognize repairs that can add tangible value to your property, particularly in the competitive and varied Texas housing market:
- Focus on Curb Appeal: In Texas, where first impressions significantly influence a property’s appeal, cost effective yard enhancements and fixes can dramatically improve your home’s curb appeal. This is especially relevant in Texas’s diverse landscapes, ranging from Houston to Dallas Texas.
- Neutral Paint Tones: In any housing market, neutral paint colors can make your home appealing to a broader range of house buyers, ensuring it caters to the widest possible audience in a state as large and varied as Texas. At Bright Bid Homes, we have done over 2500 renovations, and one trick we use to choose the right paint color is to focus on the “light reflecting value” or LRV. A high LRV in a neutral color will make the room feel bigger and more appealing. See this article for more depth on LRV.
- Major Functional Defects: Primary core property systems and components must be in working order, particularly in the Texas housing market and its hot summer, where comfort, functionality, and energy efficiency are key considerations for buyers. These are must fixes.
- Updating Light Fixtures and Fans: A minimal cost to update to modern fixtures can transform a space, enhancing your home’s buyer appeal and potentially reducing its time on the housing market, a vital consideration in Texas’s warm climate.
- Choosing the Right Window Treatments: While removing damaged blinds is advisable, investing in tasteful curtains and rods can enhance your windows’ appearance, adding a positive aesthetic touch at minimal cost. This is especially pertinent in Texas, where the intense sunlight makes window treatments a significant feature in a home’s overall for sale appeal.
Emphasizing Your Texas Home’s Potential
Selling your Texas home doesn’t have to be like a Fort Worth rodeo. By understanding what buyers in your housing market truly value and focusing on strategic home fixes and selective renovations that add tangible for sale value without breaking the bank, you can set up your house for sale for success. Let’s not get caught up in unnecessary renovations and fixes; instead, let’s focus on the unique charm of your Texas home and its potential for buyers to create their own memories within its walls. Remember, a well-maintained home for sale with good vibes and curb appeal is what truly sells, not a museum-perfect finish. Now go on, partner, and wrangle yourself a sweet contract for sale and get that house sold!
*** For Texas homeowners that have special circumstances and need to sell a house fast, our company offers real estate solutions tailored to the Texas sellers that need cash offers on their houses. Cash home buying services like Bright Bid Homes offer a different way to sell a house in the Texas housing market. We offer a model that can get a cash offer to buy a house within 24 hours and close a deal fast. If you are a Texas homeowner that needs to sell your house fast, reach out to our team to find out how we can help you turn your house into a bright opportunity.