A common confusion that several residential property owners in Christchurch often face is whether to repair their house only to an extent or completely renovate it to make it fit for resale. Well, it is difficult to put your house on the market when it requires obvious repairs and renovation, especially if it has to compare to the other houses on the market. But property owners seldom have the time or capital to go for this exercise.

In this article, we will explain that it is still possible to sell your house ‘as is’ without completely having to overhaul it. All you need is to take care of certain factors, as discussed below.

Research your buyers’ pool

Are you attracting investors or bargain hunting property buyers to buy your fixer-upper house? These are the broad categories of the potential buyers you might be interacting with:

Flippers or investors

They will want to buy your house at a discounted price, fix them, and sell them at a hiked-up value. They select fixer-upper houses based on their would-be potential for profit.

Bargain hunters

They are those with their sights set on a house in a specific location. They will look for a bargain as they cannot or will not afford the average full value of the house in that area.

Renovators

They are after fixer-upper houses for their configuration. They are usually likely to pay a little above the discounted price if there is more than one party competing in the bid for the house.

Additional Read: FAQS: SELL DAMAGED PROPERTY WITHOUT AGENT COMMISSION [CHRISTCHURCH]

Tips for selling a fixer-upper house

Try to restore the curb appeal of your house

The landscape surrounding the house is essential. However, it may not be necessary to go all out and re-designing it. Simply maintaining it, cleaning it up, de-cluttering it can do the trick. Well, landscaped houses can spike your price up by 1-10%. If you DIY, then you can save there also.

Fix and clean the indoor

It is also essential to de-clutter the inside and fix the furnishings to increase the house appeal. It adds to your resale value if the indoor amenities and furnishings are repaired to look their habitable best to buyers. Patch the holes, deep clean the ceramic-ware, fix the doors and hinges, plumbing, add worn-out caulking, and treat stains.

Find out about renovation loans

Research and discuss renovation loans with your buyer. Instead of springing for new repairs on your own, find out how much renovation loan your property can fetch and list it. Then buyers can carry out the repairs they want, on any scale.

Highlight the best features of the house

It is advisable to market your house for its best features. Features such as fireplaces, patios, closets and their size, views and orientation, garage space, location, local amenities, etc., can help attract buyers. The renovation loan is already there for cosmetic upgrades.

Price the house accurately according to who you can sell it to

Fixer-upper houses should never be overpriced or undervalued. Consult a professional realtor for the necessary upgrades and what they can do for your house value. Calculate how much you stand to profit if you conduct those renovations, highlight sought-after features, and sell to the right customer accordingly, at a price they are willing to pay for those features.