So you’re going to sell your Miami Lakes home within the next 6 to 12 months. You want to make repairs and improvements to it first. Great!
Now for the not so fun part. Should you gut and update your Miami Lakes kitchen? Replace all the windows in your Miami Lakes home? Replace the flooring throughout?
Probably not. That’s a whole ‘nother article.
For a sale 6-12 months down the road, there are items you should consider that make a positive impact and there are some you should avoid.
Keep in mind the goal of any repair or improvement should be:
- Will it photograph well?
- Does it have a high-quality function?
- Does it provide a good first impression?
If the answer is “yes” to those three questions, then consider the investment. If not, pass. And no matter what, leave idiosyncratic improvements for yourself and your future residence.
Which Improvements Matter Before a Sale?
Buyers will be more forgiving of an outdated bathroom so long as it isn’t shabby. Shabby bathroom features include: peeling grout or caulk; corroded or dulled fixtures; chipped or cracked tile; a drafty or noisy ventilation fan, and shower doors that have clouded up over the years.
Replace all bathroom fixtures; recaulk and regrout; make sure that loose tile are secured and ventilation fans are up to snub. Upgrade the light above the vanity. In a high-humidity climate like South Florida’s, select light-colored finishes that resist mold, mildew and stains and wipe down easily. Dark colors and hard to clean materials visually shrink a bathroom.
Neutral-color counter-tops at the vanity and clear glass for shower enclosures appeal to the masses. Flashy colors and materials or idiosyncratic finishes turn off many.
Do Not Let the Backyard Photograph Poorly
Your Miami Lakes backyard is part of the square footage of your home. Many buyers will spend as much time living outside as inside so don’t take that for granted.
Signs of a shabby Miami Lakes backyard include sunken pavers, torn screening, dirty pool coping and an overall tired looking pool deck. Secure loose pavers, repair the screening, replace missing or broken storm drains and make sure all gate latches work properly. Give the pool coping a good scrubbing. If your pool deck is questionable, I recommend having it inspected before making the call as to whether or not to refinish before your Miami Lakes home hits the market.
Practical Interior Updates
A kitchen remodel can get bogged down by HOA or building approvals and required permits, while overlooked mistakes may cost more to repair before selling than the project saved. For homeowners considering remodeling Miami Lakes, taking a practical approach means creating a functional, appealing kitchen that meets local requirements and attracts potential buyers.
Unless they are trashed, a Miami Lakes kitchen update need not include gutting it. Focus on the items buyers interact with: paint the cabinets or replace cabinet doors; replace cabinet and drawer pulls; replace a chipped countertop and give it a good cleaning; replace the backsplash; update the plumbing fixtures, and consider replacing some or all appliances to coordinate finishes.
Unless it is falling apart, resist replacing original terrazzo kitchen flooring. Coordinating other flooring choices to terrazzo can be difficult and replacing it diminishes a sense of cohesion throughout your home. If your kitchen floor is terrazzo, chances are other rooms may be too.
If the cabinets, countertops or appliances are in really bad shape, then by all means, replace them. If they’re just a bit dated, painting the cabinets and replacing a drab backsplash with a neutral one breathes new life into your Miami Lakes kitchen.
Let There Be Light and Open Spaces
Buyers are more interested in light than square footage and a Miami Lakes home feels smaller with heavy drape coverings, dingy yellow stained ceilings, drab or dated ceiling fans and overstuffed furniture.
Paint the walls and ceilings, repair any drywall issues, simplify any elaborate lighting fixtures and consider sheer coverings to let as much natural light in as possible.
Exterior Details and Listing Preparation
Many Miami Lakes homes have character filled exteriors and lush landscaping which make lackluster exteriors that have gone without love and care all the more apparent.
Power-wash everything, repaint what needs it, patch the stucco, replace the address numbers and make sure all entrance way lighting is working. If pavers along the walk or driveway have sunken, raise them up as opposed to masking the problem with planters.
Remember that most Miami Lakes Home Owners Associations, laid out without much jargon at https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hoa.asp, have restrictions and require pre-approvals for exterior paint colors, front doors, window shutters and changes to landscaping. Get those approvals squared away before putting your home on the market.
Before the Listing Photos
Walk your Miami Lakes home from front to back, side to side, top to bottom. Get out a notepad and jot down anything that needs attention. Narrow that list down to three things a buyer may second-guess upon seeing it and ask yourself, will these issues cause a buyer to question other unseen issues with my home? If so, correct them.
Keep receipts, manufacturer’s warranties, building permits and/or HOA approvals for all repair and maintenance work. Prospective buyers like to see evidence of maintenance.
