The Most Important Repairs Sellers Should Make for Buyers

Dusty Rhodes • February 21, 2022

Thinking about getting your house in shape to list for sale before the super seller’s market fades away? If you’ve owned your home for five years or more, or if you’ve been putting off maintenance tasks, you may have a great deal to figure out first. Maybe your home could use some big ticket upgrades, or perhaps the roof is at the end of its life. Repairs can certainly boost home salability, but not all will net sellers a worthwhile return on the investment or help them to sell quickly. To determine the most important repairs sellers should make for buyers, it comes down to two main components: seller goals and local market conditions.


Should Sellers Make Major Home Repairs?

When it comes to performing any major remodeling or home improvement project, most statistics show that you will not recoup the cost of those big-ticket item repairs. As nationally syndicated consumer columnist Clark Howard says:


“The reason you do an improvement to your home is ’cause you want to. Because you end up losing money when you do a home improvement; you don’t make money.”


Howard’s assertion is supported by the findings of the two most current and credible sources, the annual Cost vs. Value Report by Remodeling Magazine and the National Association of Realtors’ annual Remodeling Impact Report. The Cost vs.Value report breaks down its findings by ZIP Code to reflect local construction costs, while NAR’s report includes valuable feedback from Realtors’ perceptions of the impact of each project’s resale value and the risk of losing sales should owners forgo an improvement when needed.


(As a note, the most current NAR report is based on survey data from the summer of 2019, nine months before the pandemic arrived, and thus not reflective of the current extreme seller’s market. Remodeling’s report was gathered in the first half of 2021 and reflects rising contractors’ costs that have led to spikes in home prices.) 


So, if you’re looking to make a major buck in your home sale, major repairs may not be the best route. However, if you opt not to make repairs, it could cost you a sale entirely. This is when working with an agent to establish your goals and strategize accordingly becomes paramount.


Home Repair Costs are Rising, and Sellers’ Returns are Falling

Homeowners’ average return on their investments in improvements has fallen 11 points since 2014. Project costs have been rising steadily for years, and soared especially during the pandemic due to supply chain issues and labor costs.


However, a recent Homes.com survey found that this year’s competitive marketplace has somewhat bucked that trend and made it easier for pandemic sellers to recoup much, if not all, of their home improvement costs. According to the report, 82% of homeowners who sold in the first half of 2021 accepted offers at or above listing price. Of that group, over a third (34%) spent $10,000 or more on repairs or upgrades, and one in four recouped those costs entirely by selling for $10,000 or more over listing price.


But sellers may not be able to expect those same robust selling prices for much longer. Price growth and buyer activity is cooling down, meaning buyers may not feel desperate enough to overlook needed repairs that previous pandemic buyers have been more forgiving of.


What Do Sellers Need to Disclose About Repair Needs?

State laws require sellers to disclose specific information to buyers about the house’s structural and other features that might affect the house’s value. For example, in some states, sellers cannot fraudulently conceal major defects such as a leaking basement or termite infestation. Many states have created standard forms with which sellers are expected to record any problem affecting the property’s value or condition. 


State legislations aside, standard real estate contracts contain a contingency clause that allows the buyer to conduct a house inspection. Should the inspection find that repairs are needed, contingency clauses usually require sellers to make them before closing, give buyers the right to renegotiate the selling price to account for the cost of the repairs, or walk away from the deal and retrieve their earnest money. In today’s highly competitive markets, some buyers are making bids that omit one or more contingency clauses, but most retain the home inspection clause.


What Should Sellers Repair Before Listing?

In today’s seller’s market, it’s unlikely that sellers will lose deals over minor repair needs. In fact, Homes.com’s aforementioned survey found that 32% of homeowners who plan to sell in the latter half of 2021 plan on making repairs prior to listing. Remember, though — the market is showing signs of slowing down.


If you plan on selling in the coming months, make a list of all significant repairs needed and get estimates on the cost of repairing them. It might also be wise to hire a home inspector who can prepare a report listing necessary repairs that would require you to disclose them to potential buyers under your state’s disclosure requirements. 


Once you have your list of issues, divide them into these categories: 

  1. Minor repairs that can be fixed before listing (such as landscaping) and/or cost less than $5,000 each to fix, like painting, trash removal, or gutter repairs and cleaning.
  2. Major repairs you’ll either have to fix or otherwise disclose to buyers, such as water and sewer systems, structural systems, electrical, HVAC systems, wood-destroying insects, and hazardous materials such as lead paint. 
  3. Issues from the above lists (or others you may have missed) that have the greatest potential to become deal breakers that drive away buyers. Depending on the market, these deal breakers could include a cracked foundation, a leaky and/or moldy basement, extensive termite damage, an old roof that needs replacing, or window-unit air conditioning. This is the list you ultimately want to focus on.


What you add to the deal breakers list will depend on both your goals and your local market. Does a quick sale take precedence, or is your main goal a high selling price? Are there issues that local buyers are consistently walking away from? Your agent will have those insights, and can help you determine which repairs will strike the balance in between.


How to Sell Your Home When Major Repairs are Needed

Repairs for some major potential deal breakers, like old roofs or moldy basements, can be paid for with an equity line of credit you pay off at closing. For repairs you absolutely can’t afford to fix —but can’t afford not to fix if you want it to sell — you have three options:

  1. Get repair estimates from local contractors. Proceed with selling as planned and disclose problems as required by law. Should the issues surface in the buyer’s inspection, be prepared to fix them before closing or lower the sales price.
  2. Make the minor, inexpensive repairs, then get an appraisal to determine your home’s market value. List your house at that value, minus the cost of repairing any potential deal breakers your agent has identified. Share the estimates with serious buyers and their agents, explaining that you lowered the price and why. A lower price should attract interest, and bidders may even raise their offers beyond what the repairs would cost you.
  3. Sell your house “as is.” Don’t make any repairs or improvements, but price your home a good deal lower than its actual value to reflect the home’s condition. The low price could generate a lot of interest, especially from investors, and your best offer may be as high, or higher than, the actual value. This can be a gamble in a cooling market, but your agent will know if it’s a strong option.


There’s no “one-size-fit-all” solution to identifying the most important repairs sellers should make, but as long as you identify your goals and work with a knowledgeable agent, you’ll enjoy a much more successful selling process.

Source: Homes.com


Dusty Rhodes Properties is the Best Realtor in Myrtle Beach! We do everything in our power to help you find the home of your dreams. With experience, expertise, and passion, we are the perfect partner for you in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We love what we do and it shows. With more than 22 years of experience in the field, we know our industry like the back of our hands. There’s no challenge too big or too small, and we dedicate our utmost energy to every project we take on. We search thousands of the active and new listings from Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Garden City Beach, Longs, Loris, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Surfside Beach real estate listings to find the hottest deals just for you!

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Top Mistakes Homeowners Are Making in 2026 (And How To Avoid Them)

By Dusty Rhodes • March 23, 2026
Let’s be clear: selling your house is absolutely possible right now. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), roughly 11k homes sell every day in this country. And the sellers who are making their moves happen all have one thing in common: they’ve adjusted their strategy to match today’s market. They’re realizing inventory has grown. Homebuyers are more selective. And buyer expectations are higher. The sellers who struggle are usually approaching today’s market with yesterday’s expectations. Here are the three biggest mistakes they’re making – and how to avoid them. 1. Pricing Based on What Their Neighbor Got a Few Years Back Setting your price is the most important decision you make when you sell – and the one that’s most often mishandled. Realtor.com data shows almost 1 out of 5 sellers in 2025 had to drop their price. Here’s what those sellers went wrong. Buyers have more choice and more negotiating power now that inventory has grown. And house hunters will actively avoid your house is if feels like it’s priced too high. That’s why overpricing usually leads to: Fewer showings Less competitive (or lowball) offers Longer time on market And all three of those side effects are things you don’t want to deal with. What To Do Instead: The good news is the cure is simple. Just price for today’s buyer, not yesterday’s headlines. Lean on your agent’s knowledge of recent comparable sales, current competition, and local buyer behavior to land in the value “sweet spot” that drives traffic and urgency from day one. 2. Trying To Skip Repairs That Buyers Now Expect A few years ago, you could sell as-is and still get well above asking. Today? Not so much. Right now, NAR says two-thirds of sellers are making at least some repairs. And the reason why is simple. In a market with more inventory, buyers compare homes side by side. Homes that don’t show well (or feel dated) are going to lose attention quickly, even if the issues are minor. What To Do Instead: Ask your agent which high-impact, low-stress updates they’d recommend for your house. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s helping buyers see themselves moving in without a mental to-do list. Small investments in staging, repairs, and curb appeal can make a huge difference in how quickly offers come in – and how strong those offers are. 3. Playing Hardball When Buyers Try To Negotiate Today’s buyers have housing affordability at the top of their minds. And since money is already tight, they’ll be pickier and will probably ask for some compromises from you. Whether that’s making repairs, giving them a credit at closing, or taking just a few thousand dollars off your asking price, negotiating is normal again. So, if something pops up in the inspection, you’re going to need to be open to talking about it. If you’re not, you may very well see your buyer walk away. And some sellers are figuring this out the hard way. Redfin data shows one of the big reasons home sales fell thru in 2025 was inspection or repair issues. Odds are those homeowners weren’t willing to flex a bit to get the deal done. What to Do Instead: Meet with your agent to make sure you understand what buyers in your area care the most about. Align your price with value, present the home clearly and confidently, and stay open to reasonable negotiations that keep deals moving forward.

10 Aging-in-Place Features Pros Swear By

By Dusty Rhodes • March 16, 2026
They’re often called aging-in-place features, but things like curbless showers, nonslip flooring and wide walkways and doorways can benefit everyone, no matter their age or ability. “Regardless of aging in place, there is a place for these in day-to-day life, whether it be a teenager on crutches, a family member having had surgery, active kids,” designer Dana Bass says. “It’s not just about aging in place. We’ve got to account for unplanned life emergencies.” Designer Tammy Battistessa of Ellaire Kitchen & Bath Design agrees. “Whenever possible, I include aging-in-place and universal design features in every project, as I believe many of these features benefit clients of all ages and abilities, in addition to allowing a client to safely remain in their home for a longer period of time,” she says. Creating a home that can adapt also makes it more sustainable. “Aging in place is a key element to making legacy homes that can evolve over time,” architect Tim Barber says. With all that in mind, we asked more than 50 home design and construction professionals to share the aging-in-place features they always recommend. Here are the 10 that came up again and again. 1. Wide Walkways and Doorways Planning ahead is one of the most important steps when incorporating aging-in-place features. Many of these elements require thoughtful design and construction, so it’s wise to start early — and to consider hiring professionals who understand the nuances. “Thinking through how you will really use the space makes all the difference,” designer Haiku Durden of HDS Design says. “Having a designer involved really makes a difference.” A professional can help you create a plan that works for your current needs and anticipates future ones. “We currently default to aging-in-place features when our clients are near retirement or retirement age,” says designer Jenny Guggenheim of Guggenheim Architecture and Design Studio . “Preplanning by adding blocking behind the wall finish, spacious floor planning to allow for wheelchair or walker use.” In fact, spacious layouts are among the most commonly recommended aging-in-place strategies. Wide walkways and doorways — and generous clearances around furniture and fixtures — make it easier for anyone to move through the home comfortably. Installing a continuous flooring material throughout also reduces tripping hazards caused by changes in height or texture between rooms.

The Price You Set Can Make (or Break) Your Sale

By Dusty Rhodes • March 2, 2026
There’s one decision you’re going to make when you sell that determines whether your house sells quickly, or it sits. Whether buyers make an offer, or scroll past it. Whether you walk away with the maximum return, or you end up cutting the price later. And that’s your asking price . The #1 Mistake Sellers Make Today: Trusting the Wrong Number If you’re thinking of moving and trying to figure out what your house may sell for, it’s tempting to start with an online home value tool. They’re fast, free, and easy. And you don’t have to talk to anyone. But here’s the problem: they don’t know your house. And that can be a bigger drawback than you realize. Where Online Estimates Fall Short Online tools often lag behind the market. They look in the rearview mirror, relying on closed sales and delayed information. And in that sense, they’re using incomplete data . That’s not a miss in how these systems are built. Some information just isn’t available online. Bankrate explains: “ While these tools can be a useful starting point, keep in mind that they typically do not provide the most accurate pricing. Algorithms can only rely on the information available; they can’t account for things like a home’s condition or renovations made since the last public information was updated.” They can’t see: The unique features that make your house special All the work you’ve put in to keep it in good condition Or, how in-demand your specific neighborhood is right now So, while they may do a good job in some cases, they can’t be as accurate as a local agent who has boots on the ground day in and day out. In a market where buyers have more options, a seemingly small margin of error can cost you thousands if you price too low, or weeks of lost momentum and time if you price too high. If you want to sell for the most money and in the least amount of time, you don’t want the fast answer on how to price your house. You want the right one. That’s why the savviest homeowners today don’t rely on algorithms when it actually matters. They rely on people, specifically trusted local agents. What an Expert Agent Brings to the Table According to 1000WATT , sellers overwhelmingly believe real estate agents have the best sense of a home’s true value, far more than any automated tools.