Best Remodels Before Selling Your North Texas Home

WatchRemodeling a Home From Top to Bottom

Selling your house is a funny thing. You've lived with that wobbly towel bar for years and never noticed it. A buyer walks in and it's the first thing they touch. Meanwhile, they barely look at the custom built-ins you spent a fortune on.

So let's have a little fun with this. Here's where to spend before you list, and where to save your money. I won't make up return-on-investment numbers. Your realtor knows your market best. But here's what we've learned working on a lot of North Texas homes.

Rule One: Fix What Buyers Can Poke

Buyers poke things. They open doors, flush toilets, flip switches, open windows and run faucets. Anything that sticks, drips, flickers or wobbles tells them the house wasn't cared for, even if it was.

Before you list, walk through with fresh eyes and fix:

• Doors that stick or won't latch
• Leaky faucets and running toilets
• Burned-out bulbs and broken switches
• Loose handrails, towel bars and cabinet hardware
• Windows that won't open or have foggy glass
• Torn screens

Cheap, quick and it changes the feel of the whole house.

Rule Two: Paint Is Your Best Friend

Fresh, neutral paint makes a house look clean, bright and move-in ready. That lime green accent wall you loved? Buyers will spend the whole showing wondering how long it'll take to repaint.

Inside, go light and neutral. Outside, touch up trim, doors and shutters. And if you're painting brick, please read our backwards how-to first: how to destroy your brick exterior with latex paint. Use the right product so you don't find out the hard way that your brick is damaged when the buyer's inspector does.

Rule Three: Curb Appeal Gets Them in the Door

If buyers don't like the outside, a lot of them never come in. Low-cost wins:

• Mow, edge and clean up the beds
• Trim overgrown shrubs and trees
• Fresh mulch
• Clean the windows
• Paint or replace the front door
• Updated house numbers, porch light and mailbox
• Power-wash walks and driveways
• Clean or fix gutters

Our landscaping crew does overgrown cleanups and shrub trimming all over North Texas. See our lawn care and landscaping page.

Rule Four: Kitchens and Baths Get Looked at Hardest

You don't necessarily need a full remodel. Sometimes a refresh does the job:

• Paint or refinish cabinets
• New hardware
• Updated light fixtures
• New faucets
• Fresh caulk and clean grout
• Replace a dated or damaged countertop

If the kitchen or bath is really rough, a bigger update may make sense. Talk to your realtor about your market.

Rule Five: Don't Hide Problems

Buyers will have an inspection. Water stains, roof issues, foundation cracks, old leaks and unpermitted work tend to come up. It's usually better to fix real problems before listing than to negotiate them at the closing table. If you've got roof damage, our roofing team can take a look.

What Should I Skip?

Where people overspend before selling:

• Ultra-custom, very personal finishes
• High-end upgrades the neighborhood won't support
• Big projects that won't be done before you list
• Anything trendy that only you love

The gold-plated faucet can come with you to the next house.

What About Flooring?

Damaged or very dated flooring can turn buyers off. If you're replacing it, neutral and durable is the way to go. Water-resistant options like LVP and tile are popular in kitchens and baths.

How Does G3 Help Sellers?

We can help you figure out what needs to be fixed, what's worth updating and what to leave alone, then get it done on a schedule that works for your listing date. Your estimate spells out the exact scope before work begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting ready to sell? Call (945) 300-9018 or use the button below to start your remodel.

Keep learning: see our Remodeling page, read Clear Communication Makes Every Renovation Better, or read what homeowners say in our customer reviews.