Selling a Long-Time Family Home in Spring

If you've owned your Spring home for many years, it probably reflects the decade you last updated it. That's normal. The question is which updates will pay off before you sell — and which won't.

Worth doing

• Repairs a buyer will find. Leaks, roof wear, aging water heaters, electrical issues. These cost more in negotiation than to fix.

• Fresh neutral paint. One of the most reliable ways to make an older home feel current.

• Lighting. Replacing dated fixtures and adding bright bulbs changes how rooms photograph.

• Deep cleaning and decluttering. Free or low cost, and it makes a big difference.

• Curb appeal. Trimmed trees, fresh mulch and a clean entry set the first impression.

Usually worth skipping

• Full kitchen or bathroom remodels. Buyers often want to choose their own finishes, and you rarely recover the full cost.

• Trendy finishes. What's popular now may not be what the next buyer wants.

• Major additions. Too slow and too costly before a sale.

Consider a pre-listing inspection

An inspection before you list shows you what a buyer will see. You can fix the important items, price for the rest, and avoid surprises after you're under contract.

Price on today's comparables

In Spring, value changes from street to street. Price from recent sales of truly comparable homes, not from what you paid or what an online estimate says.

Ask a tax advisor early

If you've owned for a long time, talk to a CPA before you list about how the sale fits your situation.