Last year, I saw a client in Brossard invest $15,000 in a new kitchen. He sold his home for $45,000 above the neighborhood average. But I also saw another guy spend $30,000 on renovations and recover only $10,000 at sale. The difference? He knew which ones actually sell houses.
The question 'should I renovate before selling?' doesn't have a one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your market, your property's condition, and most importantly, what buyers in your area actually want.
Kitchen and Bathroom: The Two Worth Your Attention
Let's start with the good news. An updated kitchen is almost always worth it. Buyers look at it first, and a 1990s kitchen can derail a sale before you even get to the bathroom.
In Longueuil and Saint-Lambert, we regularly see renovated kitchens add 8 to 12% to a home's value. A renovated bathroom? Count on 5 to 8%. These two rooms alone can justify renovating before sale.
But here's the catch: you don't need high-end finishes. Buyers want functional and modern, not Calacatta marble cabinets. A kitchen renovation between $12,000 and $20,000 does the job on the South Shore. Beyond that, you're throwing money away.
The Pitfalls to Avoid: Renovations That Cost You Money
Here's what I see too often: someone renovates their master bedroom like a penthouse, changes all the window coverings, or builds a home theater in the basement. Then the buyer arrives with their own vision and says 'no thanks, I would've preferred you left it to me.'
Hyper-personalized renovations are a gamble. It works for some buyers, but for others, it shrinks your pool of candidates. In Boucherville and La Prairie, I've seen pools converted to xeriscaped gardens that cost more than they returned.
The best returns on investment don't come from spectacular renovations, but from invisible ones: a new roof, electrical systems up to code, a foundation without cracks.
Renovate or Sell As-Is? The Real Math
Before deciding whether to renovate before selling, ask yourself: What's the actual condition of my home? Does my home need priority repairs to sell? And how long am I willing to wait?
If your roof leaks, your electrical needs updating, and your windows are from 1985, renovations aren't optional — they're necessary. Inspectors will see it, and buyers will negotiate hard.
But if your home works well and only needs a fresh coat of paint and a slightly dated kitchen? That's when we calculate. A renovation takes time (2-4 months minimum), costs money, and can be stressful. Sometimes selling as-is and letting the buyer make their own choices pays off faster and nearly as much.
Our Approach at Team Khan: What Actually Works
We never say 'you must renovate' right off the bat. We look at the local market first. In Brossard, buyers want modernity. In La Prairie, they'll accept a bit more old-world charm. In Longueuil, it's a mix.
Next, we evaluate your competition: what are other homes at your price point offering? If the three houses next to yours have new kitchens and yours is from 2005, renovating before selling becomes almost mandatory. If the whole block is in the same shape, skip it.
Finally, we look at your timeline. Do you have three months to renovate? Great. Do you need to sell in two weeks? We sell as-is and adjust the price accordingly.
Renovating before selling isn't an exact science, but it's not random either. Profitable renovations before sale are those that appeal to the widest range of buyers and pay for themselves. Kitchens, bathrooms, and structural work — that's the winning trio. Everything else is context. Need to know if your home needs renovations? Give us a call.
