As you prepare to sell your home, taking costs into consideration is paramount. As you may have already experienced, selling can be one of the most stressful life events. Surprise expenses are high on the list of triggers. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the five of these sneaky costs. Here’s to not being blindsided!
- Commissions
Real estate agents can receive anywhere between 4-6% of your home’s profit. And while this percentage is negotiable, you’re still losing thousands of dollars on average. If you want to go this route in selling, make sure to shop around for agents or have agents bid on selling your home if possible.
- Home Repairs
A simple walk-through will show you how many repairs, big or small, that your home needs before being sale ready. It’s important to let the pros handle the job when it comes to important home repairs like roofing, plumbing and electricity. Potential buyers may also request for older carpets to be clean or replaced. While cleaning costs an average of $150, carpet replacements can be thousands of dollars. Don’t be caught off guard by requests to update or repair cabinets, appliances and even door hinges. Nothing is off limits whether big or small when it comes to home improvement requests, so be sure to factor the potential cost and inevitable time they will require.
- Utilities
You may have already moved into your new home and are just waiting for someone to purchase your old house. If this is the case, it may be tempting to stop paying electricity for a home that no one is living in. However, it’s important to the sale of your home to keep the lights and heat on. No one wants to buy a dark and cold home.
- Painting
New paint is certainly a great and fairly quick way to modernize and freshen up a home. However, at up to $80 a gallon for a single coat on 400 square feet, things can get expensive really quick. You can always choose cheaper paints, but you’ll run into quality and the need for more coats. Either way, you’ll be paying a pretty penny to spruce up your interior.
- Staging
If you’re a pro at interior design and have stayed on top of the best staging strategies for selling, then this isn’t really a cost for you. If you don’t have this superpower, it’s to your advantage to hire a professional stager. You’ll be paying for the services but also for the accessories that they suggest for a better sale. If you live in California, this service can cost you anywhere from $253 to $2590. Yikes.
If all these costs seem overwhelming and you’re looking for a different sale option, we’re here for you. We can purchase your California home fast. Click here to contact us and receive an offer, you could close in as little as 10 days!
About the Author: dean@homehelpersgroup.com
