When selling your house, it’s essential to strike a balance between necessary repairs and over-improvement. While a well-maintained home generally commands a higher price, not every fix is worth the investment. Here are five things you might consider leaving as they are when preparing to sell:

1. Creaky Floors: Floors, stairs, and doors that creak can add character to a home. Unless they indicate structural issues, embrace their historic charm without rushing to replace them.
2. Stained Carpet: Buyers often plan to customize their flooring. Minor stains on your carpet won’t significantly impact the sale. Instead of investing in new carpeting, opt for professional steam cleaning.
3. Broken Screens: A couple of broken window screens won’t deter most buyers. They’re easy to replace. However, address larger issues like missing screen doors before listing your home.
4. Rusty Gutters: Some rust spots on gutters won’t make or break a deal. However, pervasive rust might warrant replacing them with non-rusting aluminum gutters.
5. Fading Exterior Paint: If your home’s exterior paint is merely fading, a full repaint isn’t necessary. However, peeling paint revealing wood or siding may require a fresh coat. 

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This material is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, no representation is made as to its accuracy.