What can harm the real estate value of your property?

It is often the simple things that devalue your home. Before you decide to list your property for sale, look at the following ways homeowners devalue their homes and consider how to fix them if necessary. Applying a little forethought and practicality will help you reap the most value from the sale of your home.

Do-It-Yourself projects gone awry

DIY projects can be fun, but if you riddle your home with projects that are half-done or poorly done, buyers will cringe at the thought of redoing projects or hiring someone to complete them. Buyers who see dollar signs will either walk away or deduct from their bid. A general rule of thumb is to hire someone to manage a project if you lack the confidence that it will look professional.

Pets

Pets are wonderful additions to a home, but can bring unwanted issues when trying to sell. Damage to walls, carpeting or woodwork needs repair before you list the house. A good carpet cleaning will lessen the smell of pet odors too. Buyers would rather not move into a home that has lingering evidence of pets, especially if they have allergies. So, farm Fido out while the home is on the market to ensure the best offer you can get.

Wasted Square Footage

We like our home to work with our lifestyle, and to accommodate specific needs we may turn a bedroom into a closet, or a garage into a gym. While these personalized spaces work for a homeowner, the perceived wasted space is a turn off for most buyers. Ultimately, the missing square footage detracts from the value of your home. Changing the space back to its intended use is a huge endeavor and buyers may focus on the cost of such a project. Never remove a bedroom or bathroom, and resist the temptation to convert the garage to living space. A garage is sought after by all buyers regardless of their age group.