When it’s time to sell your home so you can move on to the next stage of your life in retirement, nothing shows the history of your life there more than your flooring. If you have lived in your home for decades, your carpets may be dirty, matted, and thread-bare, even if you clean them frequently. Wood floors have become dull and scratched, while vinyl tile is ripped or scratched.
What To Do About Old Flooring
Real estate professionals often disagree on whether it’s better to sell a home as-is and price it accordingly, offer buyers a flooring allowance, or replace the flooring. As a seller, it can be a tough decision to determine what to do about the floors without spending a fortune. The fact is that some homebuyers buy a home and replace flooring to reflect their own taste. Subsequently, you have spent money to upgrade flooring only to have it replaced. Many buyers want a move-in-ready home. Some buyers lack the vision to see past worn carpeting and scratched floors, Some sellers opt to replace old worn carpeting with low-quality new carpeting.
You first need to assess the state of your floors. The carpeting may respond well to a good cleaning. Cleaning and a couple of coats of floor acrylic can do wonders for wood floors. If you are on a limited budget, your real estate agent may recommend that you list your house without making a major investment.
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Consider Buyer Preferences When Replacing Flooring
When your home needs new flooring to make it show better, you should consider current buyer preferences which often lean toward hardwood floors rather than carpeting. Many buyers want hardwood in their living and dining room, along with hardwood or tile in kitchens. They like carpet or hardwood in bedrooms.
If your home was built prior to the 1970s, your original flooring might have been hardwood rather than plywood subflooring. Rollback the carpeting to see if you have hardwood floors. They may need a bit of refinishing to make them appealing to buyers.
Consult With Me Before Making A Flooring Decision
When replacing the flooring is necessary, you have plenty of affordable choices to select from. Besides carpeting or hardwood, high-quality laminate offers the appearance of wood at less cost. Woodgrain porcelain tile works well in kitchens and entryways.
I, as your real estate agent, can offer you insights about what is selling in your area. You will find that my recommendations might vary depending on whether your current home is in the moderately priced area versus an upscale one. I understand that your goal is to sell your home for a reasonable price without making a major investment that will not pay off.
Roy Thomas SRES® (Senior’s Real Estate Specialist) is a REALTOR® with Sutton Group Professional Realty. Since 1991, Roy specializes in helping retirees with their later in life real estate transactions. Call Roy at 902-497-3031 or contact Roy here
