9 projects you shouldn’t do to sell your home

Upgrades to skip when you’re preparing to put your house on the market.

Getting ready to sell your home takes some energy — cleaning, organizing, packing — but it doesn’t need to take a lot of money. Don’t worry about investing in major projects, which likely won’t have the return on investment you’re hoping for. Here are nine upgrades you shouldn’t do.

If you're hoping a major kitchen remodel will pay for itself, you'll be disappointed.

1. Kitchen remodels

New cabinets, flooring, countertops and appliances — they add up quickly. In fact, the average major remodel can cost you $25,000 or more. Experts suggest you’ll recoup less than half of what you spend. If your kitchen feels outdated, consider a minor renovation instead. You may get up to 96% back if you keep it small, such as installing new appliances and countertops. But don’t go overboard with luxury materials; they’re expensive and won’t increase your home’s value.

2. Bathroom upgrades

Upgrading a bathroom can be as expensive as a kitchen redo, and you’ll likely only recoup about half of your cost. If the owner’s bath is looking a bit shabby, invest instead in some small upgrades. Fresh caulking and new sink or shower fixtures provide a quick — and affordable — facelift.

Your flooring choices may not be someone else's.

3. New flooring

It’s perfectly acceptable to want hardwood flooring throughout your house, but will the new owners want it? You may love brown carpet, but potential buyers may prefer gray. In other words, installing new flooring may not make a difference. When you prepare to sell your home, skip the expense and work with what you have. Deep clean all the carpets and wash other flooring as needed.

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4. Painting the entire house

While a freshly painted house is nice, your color choice may not match those of potential buyers. If you want to paint a room, focus on the owner’s suite and kitchen, the two most important rooms to buyers.

Buyers don't expect new windows in an older home.

5. Replacing windows

Unless your windows are cracked or sagging, chances are most people won’t really think about them. But you’ll definitely notice the pinch of your pocketbook. Vinyl windows, for example, cost between $800-$1,200 apiece to replace. If you have eight windows in your home, that could be $8,000 or more. That’s a lot to spend when the average ROI is only 67%.

6. Replacing the roof

Shingles last an average of 25 years, so unless your house is due for new ones, don’t worry about reroofing. You’ll spend close to $10,000 on the project, but your home’s value won’t increase more than $5,000 on average.

A swimming pool could deter buyers who don't want the upkeep or the safety concerns.

7. Swimming pool

Although it seems like a desirable luxury, having a swimming pool could be a drawback to many potential buyers. Because it can only be used for a few months out of the year in Utah, people may scoff at the cost of maintaining, heating and winterizing a pool. There’s also the safety concern, especially families with young children.

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8. Elaborate landscaping

Curb appeal is important when you want to sell your house, but you don’t need to redo your landscaping to attract buyers. It’s probably not worth your time or the expense to add a water feature, install a fire pit or build an outdoor pizza oven. As nice as outdoor amenities are, it’s more important to keep your yard clean, the grass mowed and the flower beds freshly mulched and weeded.

Buyers will likely install their own curtains or blinds, so don't worry about replacing yours.

9. Installing new window treatments

If your blinds or curtains are in bad shape or look outdated, it’s better to just remove them than to invest in new ones. The next owners will have their own ideas of how they want to decorate and that may include replacing the window treatments — old or new. If they look fine, leave them be. No one is going to pass on your home because they don’t like the curtains.

Stick with the basics

While minor upgrades and updates can help you sell your home, keep in mind what buyers really care about. If your changes won’t make a big difference to potential buyers, there’s not much point in spending money you don’t need to.

When you’re ready to put up the For Sale sign, list it on KSL Homes. You can describe the perks and charm of your property and your neighborhood.

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