Should You Replace Old Windows Before Selling a Home?

If your energy bills are climbing, your windows are difficult to open and close, and the window frames appear to be deteriorating, then you probably need new windows. However, if you are considering selling your home in the next year or two, you may be unsure whether replacing your windows is a smart choice.

Every situation is different, but in most cases, the answer is yes – you should replace deteriorating windows before selling your home. Here’s why.

New Windows Create an Updated Appearance

Home buyers want to see a house that has been well cared for and updated throughout the years. Even if the rest of the home is in great condition, aged windows will call a lot of attention to themselves and will make your home look less cared for. New windows also attract a lot of attention. After all, windows take up a lot of space on the walls and will demonstrate to buyers that you have cared for the home and made updates as needed.

When replacing the windows, you can take the opportunity to add a garden window, picture window, or bay window. All of these are unique updates that you can emphasize when advertising your home, helping to draw more interest.

New Windows Require Less Maintenance

Today’s home buyers value low-maintenance living. They want to move into properties that don’t require a lot of work and that support a stress-free lifestyle. Old wood windows may turn off buyers who do not want to go through the hassle of scraping and painting the windows every few years or eventually having them replaced.

On the other hand, new vinyl or composite windows that never need painting appeal to buyers in search of a low-maintenance home. Buyers will be comforted by the fact that they won’t need to arrange for window replacement themselves.

New Windows Improve Efficiency

Did you know that 71 percent of household think energy efficiency is important? Furthermore, a survey conducted in 2013 found that energy-efficiency appliances and windows were one of the top 10 most features buyers were looking for in a home. Efficiency has become even more important over the last five years.

If you replace the windows now, when the time comes to list the home, you will have a few months’ worth of low energy bills to show potential home buyers. You will also attract more buyers who are specifically looking for eco-friendly homes.

New Windows Make Your Home More Comfortable

When a potential buyer comes to look at your home, you do not want them to feel a cold draft blowing in from around old windows. You don’t want them sneezing due to mold growth on old windows, either. New windows make your home more comfortable, and that comfort will make a better first impression on buyers.

New Windows Increase Your Home Value

Perhaps the best reason of all to replace your windows now is that doing so will increase your home value. New windows have a higher return on investment than many other home updates.

With new windows, you can list the home at a higher asking price. You are also likely to see more interest, too – which means you may get several buyers bidding against each other and thus driving up the sale price. Not to mention, a home with new windows may sell faster, which could save you money on mortgage payments and taxes.

If your home needs new windows, don’t let the fact that you’re selling prevent you from making the update. With new windows, your home will appeal to buyers and fetch a higher price. Contact Fischer Window & Door Store to learn more about your replacement window options.