Skip to main content
Success in Seniors Real Estate

Is It Necessary for Longtime Homeowners to Do Updates Before Selling?

Here’s why not every senior homeowner is going to make every update.

One question we’ve been getting a lot is, “How do I get my senior seller to update their home before listing?” The simple answer is maybe you don’t. Maybe this particular seller isn’t going to update their home, and that’s fine.

Long-time homeowners have taken great pride in their homes and taken great care of them. They get all the systems services and take care of their highest priorities. However, the home decor is often not as trendy as current-day standards. Most of us as agents would really like for every home to look like an HGTV remodel, but that’s just not realistic for every client.

“The overwhelm is just not worth the investment for some.”

When you consider seniors, you’re looking at a very diverse group of people. You’re going to talk with some folks who are 100% in on maximizing their investment with updates and upgrades. On the other side, you may have someone who just doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of remodeling and would rather sell as is.

There’s nothing wrong with selling as is. The key is to give the client options. On one side of the equation, you have a totally remodeled, redecorated, move-in ready home. On the other side, you have an as-is home with no changes and maybe a few required repairs from the inspection report. Share those options with the client and ask them which is preferable. If they choose the second option, that’s great. Now it’s all about pricing. 

When you’re dealing with long-time homeowners, it’s not that they don’t want their home to look its best. The overwhelm is often just not worth the return on investment for them. If you try to push them to update the home when they don’t want to, you may lose that client altogether. 

I hope this tip was helpful. If you have any questions for me, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.


If you are considering a specialty working with mature homeowners and downsizing seniors, join our community of Certified Senior Housing Professionals by signing up today for Success in Seniors Real Estate!

Leave a Reply