Should You Sell As-Is or Spruce It Up? What Gets You the Best Price?

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When it’s time to sell your home, one big question always comes up: should you invest in updates or sell as-is? The answer isn’t always clear, and it depends on the market, your home’s condition, your bandwidth to deal with these updates and what buyers are looking for. Let’s break it down with a real time example.

We met with our client for the first time over a year ago. We used this time to talk about her goals and her timeline and we assessed the current state of her home.

We went back to our desks, reviewed the comps, put together a list of recommended updates and emailed her an as is price ($325,000) and what we believed she could get for her house if she made the following updates ($400,000).

Her list:

• Completely move out and have the home staged.
• Paint the entire home, including the unfinished basement.
• Replace the light fixtures on the main floor and in the primary bedroom.
• Refinish hardwood floors on the main floor only.
• Replace the toilet in the downstairs bathroom.
• Replace the faucet in the downstairs bathroom.
• Replace the floors in the kitchen with LVT.
• Replace the kitchen countertop with quartz.
• Replace the kitchen sink and faucet.
• Replace the kitchen appliances with matching stainless steel appliances.
• Have the home professionally cleaned prior to pictures and showings.
• Misc handyman items, re-attach a kitchen cabinet door, fix the storm door, repair a piece of trim in the front entry, fix leaky faucets and laundry drain.

After talking with her kids she decided to move forward with the updates prior to listing the home. And now the fun begins.

The first step is often the hardest, moving out of a home you’ve lived in all your life is no easy task. Don’t underestimate the amount of work it takes. Once the house was empty, we got to work. Matt and I made selections, gathered bids, and lined up everything needed to move forward.

With the plan in place and contractors lined up, the next big question was cost. How much would these updates actually add up to, and more importantly, would the investment pay off? Here’s how the numbers broke down:

• Paint: $13,080
• New Light Fixtures: $469
• Refinish hardwood floors: $4,000
• New toilet and faucet plus install: $700
• LVT floors, quartz countertop, sink and faucet plus installation: $5,195
• Stainless steel appliances: $2,500
• Staging: $2,100
• Professional Cleaning: $200
• Misc handyman fees: $2,320

Total: $30,564

Was it worth it?

We listed the home for $400,000, an increase of $75,000 over the as-is price, ultimately selling for $426,500 with no contingencies. After factoring in the $30,564 investment, that’s a net gain of over $70,000.

In the end, the updates not only paid off but exceeded expectations, with the home selling quickly in multiple offers.

Every situation is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But in this case, thoughtful updates and strategic investments paid off. If you're wondering whether updates make sense for your home, let's talk—we’d love to help you weigh the options.

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As always, from all of us here at Matt Engen Group, thanks for reading.

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