Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff When It Comes to Pre-Sale Updates 

When it comes to selling a house, attention to detail is so important. Buyers today want homes that are move-in ready with modern features and all their details in order. In fact, only 33% of buyers we surveyed said they would even consider purchasing a home that isn’t move-in ready. Also, 68% of buyers said that the biggest dealbreaker to buying a home is when it is in despair with visible wear and tear.¹ Unfortunately, a lot of listings don’t have all their details in order, and many are showing at least a little bit of wear and tear.  

Unless the property is a new build, it is a rarity when a listing is ready to be put on the market as-is. Almost every home could benefit from a few quick touch-ups or some basic listing prep before it is put up for sale. Without these simple home improvements, the house could sit on the market for months. An unfinished home also sells for less, so the homeowner is leaving money at the closing table. Altogether, the seller may become frustrated with you for not selling their home faster or getting them top dollar.

Why the Small Stuff Matters 

If a home is in good shape overall, it may be tempting to skip doing any pre-listing work and just put the home on the market as-is. While this approach may save you and your homeowners some hassle initially, it could cost you in the long run. 

Overgrown bushes, grimy siding, broken cabinet pulls, dirty floors, cluttered countertops, and chipped paint can all make a home look unfinished or neglected. Fortunately, a little TLC can make a huge difference and take the listing from unfinished to spotless.  

Taking the time to fix these small things can also have quite a few benefits for your clients. A home that has undergone these home improvements is typically more likely to get buyers through the door. With more buyers interested, you are also much more likely to get an offer. Consequently, the home is less likely to sit on the market for an extended time. 

In many cases, these finishing touches can also add up monetarily for the seller. A home that is truly move-in ready often has a higher sales price. Because the cost to make these small updates tends to be minimal or well worth the price, your homeowner ends up walking away with more money in their pockets at the closing table.  

In fact, a lot of smaller home improvement projects have a big return. Just look at the average return on investment for these projects below based on past Curbio homes.¹  

• Landscaping 251% 
• Power Washing 135% 
• Minor Fixes 297% 
• Interior and Exterior Painting 159% 
• Refinished Hardwood Flooring 348% 
• Carpet Replacement 280% 
• Deck Refresh 124% 

Combine these standard home improvement projects with some deep cleaning and our staging services, and the home is sure to make a statement when it hits the market. For you, this means a faster turnaround time on listings and a happy client ready to refer you to others.  

Let Us Sweat the Small Stuff for You  

Curbio is the Realtor’s choice of contractor for a reason. With no minimums on scope of work, we can take care of all these simple, but necessary tasks. Let us do the deep cleaning, painting, power washing, and staging for all of your listings. You can rest easy knowing that you will have a dedicated project manager who will not only take care of all the details behind the scenes but also who will keep you in the loop with regular updates and photos of progress.  

Stop biting off more than you can chew, and let us take care of it instead. Get started today with a free estimate.

Sources: 

1.  Curbio (2022). Preparing to Sell: 2022 Home Improvement Report