The Top 8 Pre-Listing Updates For Tampa Homes

Tampa is a beautiful city and home to one of Florida’s largest real estate markets. However, its humid, subtropical climate can pose problems to maintaining a healthy home. The wet season, in particular, which runs from May to October, can have adverse effects on homes, resulting in them needing extra attention before selling.

Regardless of damage from wet weather, all homes need some repairs and improvements to make the right first impression and sell successfully. That’s why we’re excited to share the top 8 pre-listing updates for Tampa homes!

Mold remediation

It’s common knowledge that mold thrives in warm, humid environments, and Tampa fits the bill. So, if you’re already aware of, or a pre-listing inspection reveals that your home has mold, take care of it before you put your home on the market. Why? 

When seen on the market or found during the buyer’s inspection, it could either: 

• Scare buyers off
• Drastically reduce what they’re willing to pay for your home
• Delay the closing process if the buyer requests that you take care of the mold

Plus, you wouldn’t want to purposefully omit this info and put the new homeowners’ health at risk.

Carpet replacement

Speaking of Tampa’s humid climate, you’ll want to give some thought to your existing flooring. Carpet was a popular choice in the 70s and 80s, but it can absorb excess moisture in the air, making it a prime habitat for mold to grow and dust mites and other pests to thrive. If your carpet is worn down, consider replacing it with tile or luxury vinyl tile to fit the design preferences of today’s buyers.

Adding or staging outdoor space

Your home’s curb appeal plays a significant role in attracting the broad set of buyers you need to get your home sold quickly and for the best price. And your other outdoor spaces also need to look their best to cater to Tampa residents’ desire to spend time outdoors (at least during the cooler months).

Consider doing some curb appeal landscaping, which could include:

• Tending to your lawn
• Growing plants that are popular in the area, such as trumpet honeysuckle, climbing roses, and privacy hedges
• Doing hardscaping (e.g., installing stone walkways, a patio, or a firepit)

You can also stage an outdoor space such as your porch or patio. It’s incredible how much more inviting these spaces can appear with the addition of a comfy seating area, a stylish rug, and a few vibrant plants!

Roof repair or replacement

Florida is infamous for being battered by storms and hurricanes, resulting in all kinds of roof damage. Debris can pile up, standing water can penetrate your roof’s underlayment, and shingles can be knocked loose.

Whether your roof suffers from hurricane damage or just the usual wear and tear, repairs, or even a roof replacement, are smart pre-listing upgrades to make. A strong roof will give potential buyers peace of mind and allow you to sell for significantly more.

Exterior repairs

Wear and tear are normal under any circumstances. But the humid, sandy, and windy weather conditions in Tampa can contribute to higher-than-average damage to every type of siding—from stucco to vinyl.

Whether the paint has just worn down or the siding material itself is damaged, tending to your siding will ensure your home stands out for the right reasons. If buyers see a home’s exterior is damaged, they’ll always question how well the exterior, interior, and home systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) have been maintained. Since the primary reason home buyers choose to buy new is specifically to avoid renovations, you want to make sure these are not concerns for your listing. 

HVAC upgrades

Is your HVAC system on its last leg? If so, replacing it could make your home more appealing to buyers. After all, when summer rolls around, A/C is a must, and a brand new HVAC unit will be attractive to buyers hoping to avoid repairs in the first year of homeownership. 

Kitchen upgrades

Everyone knows that the kitchen is one of the most important rooms for selling a home. So if yours is dysfunctional or outdated, updating it could mean the difference between selling at the bottom of the comps to selling at the top. 

Updating your kitchen might include anything from a full remodel to a simple refresh (painting cabinets and swapping countertops). Your real estate agent will act as an advisor to help you determine if you should update your kitchen—and to what extent. They know the market, and what’s important to buyers, so you can be sure they’ll only recommend updates to help you sell faster and for more. 

Bathrooms upgrades

Like kitchens, today’s buyers have a different set of expectations for bathrooms from when you probably bought your house. Modern home buyers want modern, contemporary bathroom designs with spa-like features that enable self-care. Especially if you have an older home, reglazing your tub and tile surround, replacing flooring, painting or replacing vanities, new flooring, or new fixtures may be necessary to fetch top dollar. 

Curbio is improving home improvement for real estate agents and their clients. We pair real estate agents’ market knowledge with our pre-listing renovation expertise to tackle any home improvements necessary and get homes sold successfully (whether that means maximizing profit or selling as fast as possible). The best part? We do all the work (including sourcing and vetting subcontractors) and wait until closing to get paid—with no interest or fees. Ready to get started?

Learn more about how it all works here, and have your Realtor® kick things off by requesting a free, no-obligation estimate.