Do the math.
Small expenses can protect large returns.
That’s one tip when selling your house, but it can be applied in many areas.
To make your house show well, fix at least everything that visibly needs fixing. Squeaky doors. Loose handles or handrails. Cracks in walls or sidewalks. Lights that don’t work. Anything that looks dirty.
Compared to what you’ll sell your house for, these are tiny expenses.
Go a little further and replace items that are outdated — light fixtures from the 20th century are a good place to start. Go further yet and replace carpeting that appears worn (although the risk is that buyers sometimes want their own carpets anyway), or at least shampoo carpeting or furniture that needs it.
Look around your house before listing it to see what you can do to make it looked nicer, warmer, cleaner.
Then add up your costs and compare it with what you think a buyer might deduct for a house that “needs work.”