Do You Have to Patch Holes When Selling a House? Explained!

Consideration for house repairs is necessary for the successful sale of a home.

A good way to keep your home in good condition and ensure the best possible resale value is to make sure you have been working on things that would benefit from repair work.

However, to what extent is it necessary to patch holes before selling a property? Don’t worry about the holes unless you’re specifically asked to fix them in the contract, home inspection report, Property Disclosure form, or by your state law.

Anyone with experience might be able to imagine that there would be consequences of normal wear and tear that could make the home look less appealing to a buyer on top of the regular maintenance cost.

Read on to find out when and how you should repair holes in a house.

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Do you have to fix everything before you sell your house?

Problems with the water heater, bad plumbing, leaky roof, and too much junk piling up in the basement are typical problems when selling a house.

These should be fixed so potential buyers can see they are getting a great deal.

Take care of such repairs before you list your house with a real estate agent, or after you’ve listed your house before you set it and forget it.

Other necessary improvements that may need to be done before you sell include:

fill in crevices in the walls and ceilings
repair faulty heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning units
fix all broken faucets
put in the new glass for a shattered window
power-wash mildewed areas of the siding, deck, and windows
replace sagging ceilings, floors, or worn-out carpets
fix leaky roofs
get rid of the garbage and junk in the basement and garage
retrofit any old light and ceiling fan

What not to fix when selling a house:

do any major repairs to the exterior of the home like repainting or replacing the roof
don’t do major landscaping work like planting new trees, shrubs, and flowers
don’t install a new floor
don’t change out all the cabinets and countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms.
don’t buy new furniture or make significant changes to the floor plan
don’t paint trendy finishes

Do you have to patch holes when selling a house?

Cosmetic repairs are the least of your worries when you sell your home, but unfortunately that will depend on your state, Property Disclosure form, the home inspector’s viewpoint and the main purchase contract.

Since homes are sold as-is, with or without such unforeseen surface defects as holes or wear and tear, generally a buyer can buy a home in the same condition as it was when he or she entered it.

At this time, the negotiations have already been finalized, and even if there was an unguaranteed or hidden defect, the buyer cannot revoke the offer.

Unless there is a major structural component or some other defect, a buyer knows what he or she is buying into when they buy a home.

In the unlikely event that a buyer finds a major negligence issue such as gouged, dented, cracked or otherwise damaged surfaces when they buy, you have to complete the work required and then submit the documentation to the buyer.

Provided the buyer is satisfied, plans to personalize the home have begun, and any defects are under control, the buyer is not likely to file a claim.

Best way to fill in nail holes

Fill nail hole with caulking
Apply a mixture of plaster and water to the hole, let it dry
Patch gaps with toothpaste-aspirin compound
Cover nail hole with a primer and acrylic paint
Mend dents with wood filler
Hide depressions with putty
Shoe polish and a drop of clear varnish
Seal cracks with crayon
Disguise a hole with crafty glue

Do you leave curtain rods when you sell a house?

Yes, when you sell a house, it is important to leave all fixtures attached to the wall for the most part.

So, blinds, shades and rods should all stay up. In most markets, this is something that is expected.

However, items considered as personal items such as curtains, drapes, art work, hardware, ceiling fan, pictures, etc. can be removed.

In essence, anything that is not affixed to the wall is expected to be removed before a home is sold.

The contract should specify this for the buyer and seller to be clear. You do not want to go back to a home and see that someone has taken your curtain from the wall!