Toronto Home Renovation Advice: 8 Major Turnoffs for Home Buyers

Think a home renovation will help boost the value of your Toronto home? We’ve outlined 5 Toronto home renovations that will boost your home’s value in the past. However, in this post, we’re going to highlight some of the key reasons why buyers aren’t sold at most open houses

In some cases, the house is just not the right fit for the prospective buyer. In many other cases, a quick fix or a home renovation project, can not only engage prospective buyers but also raise the value of your home on the Toronto market.

At the closing of a sale, a buyer will enter negotiations with certain demands for the seller to improve some areas of a home or seek credit to make the improvements themselves. The best way to avoid this is to renovate your Toronto home ahead of time.

When showing your home first impressions are everything, and some buyers won’t be able to see past certain things. The following is a collection of major turn offs prospective buyers have when browsing through homes online and in person - and some home renovation advice so you can avoid them.

1. Paint and Wallpaper

In a previous blog post, we’ve talked about the significance in how different colours play in a home. Whatever your personal colour preference may be, it could be a major turn off to the buyers looking through your house. The same goes double for that hard-to-remove wallpaper. The more colourful or “loud” it is, the more it is likely to clash with someone else's personal preference.

If you are going to repaint your home, it’s advised to use warm and inviting neutral colours. Whites and light beiges welcome more natural light into the home and give off impressions of “fresh” and “clean”.

2. Any dirt, grime, or filth

Whether it be an off smell in the basement or some rust around the bathroom toilet; if any areas of your home appear unclean, it can come back to haunt you. When a prospective homebuyer sees any hint of uncleanliness, they will begin to start thinking “what other nightmares are waiting for me in this house?” Go through your house with a fine tooth comb, or get an outsider to look for things you may have missed.

3. Unfinished basements

In another blog post, we discussed how a home basement renovation can greatly increase the value of your home. Due to the age of most Toronto basements, many of them are now in undesirable states. If you are able to turn that outdated, dingy basement into a beautiful bar, rec room, or home theatre area, your property will start to gain far more attention.

4. Dated ceilings and walls

Do any areas of your home feature popcorn acoustic ceilings, wood panelling, or even shag carpeting?  These outdated types of fixtures can be a major eyesore to people viewing your home. Any areas of your home that remind buyers of the ‘60s or ‘70s, could likely benefit from a renovation project.

5. Outdated appliances and fixtures

When it comes to impressing others with your home, it always comes down to the details. If your home has any tarnished doorknobs, 15 year-old dishwashers, or ovens that have prepared decades worth of meals, buyers can become very unimpressed. Yes, the buyers can purchase their own appliances, but it’s just another thing for them to put on their to-do list. Moving is already stressful enough. Putting in some new fixtures and appliances can really go a long way for you to truly maximize the value of your home.

6. An uninspiring kitchen

As we said in the last paragraph, outdated kitchen appliances won’t likely cut it. Given that the kitchen is the most valuable part of your home, it is the area that can benefit most from a kitchen renovation. Look to update the appliances, kitchen cabinets, and give your kitchen a warm and inviting coat of paint.

Read: 7 Kitchen Renovation Mistakes You Need To Avoid.

7. Misrepresenting the house

Taking a photo from certain angles and writing some convincing ad copy can go a long way to getting your home noticed online. But when buyers pull up to your house for a viewing, can they expect a similar experience? It’s not good practice to let the buyer build up the perfect picture of your home online, only to be let down by some of the less than desirable aspects of your home not featured online.

8. Poor curb appeal

When selling your home, first impressions are everything. Obviously cutting the lawn and sprucing up the garden will help. However, buyers will be looking at the integrity of the shingles, the age of the siding, the stones on the sidewalk, the paint job on the porch, and more. If your home isn’t getting much attention online, it may be in need of an exterior home renovation.

Get Your Toronto Home Renovation Started Today

If you are looking for the maximize the value of your home on the Toronto market, then put your trust in a Toronto home renovation expert. Bryant Renovations understands the needs of Toronto home buyers and will offer great insight into the ways your home can stand out. If you are interested in a Toronto home renovation then contact us today, or discover more about us online.