8 DIY Projects That’ll Make Your Home Much Harder To Sell

So many DIY kits, tips, and tricks seem like a great idea when we see them in our social media feeds. But in the hands of a novice, such projects can go badly awry, look unfinished, or be abandoned altogether if the homeowner runs out of steam.

Ultimately, rather than save you money, these DIY projects can end up costing you when it comes time to sell—because buyers will steer clear or lowball you, due to what they see as cheap or substandard work that they will have to pay to fix.

“During my time as a real estate agent, I have seen many homeowners adding their unique touch to their property,” says Kurt Walker, a real estate agent and real estate investor with Cream City Home Buyers in Milwaukee. “It may be a nice statement to them, but my job is to attract buyers.”

Here are some of the most popular DIY ideas that experts say would make your home harder to sell—whenever you plan to make the move.

1. Tossing out your kitchen cabinet doors

Photo by S+H Construction

One of the most popular DIY projects right now is “improving” a kitchen by removing cabinet doors that look dated. But don’t try this at home unless you plan to live there forever.

While it might improve the look in the short term—for example, if the open cabinets are painted and always kept styled for display—it could prove an impediment to a future sale.

“It’s not a wise decision if they have a plan to sell the house in the future,” says Patrick O’Sullivan, a certified commercial investment member and founder of the getMULTIfamily real estate team in Arizona. “Regular homebuyers like a home that has all the required furnishings, including cabinet doors. Some buyers even walk in and count the number of cabinets in the kitchen.”

“It may be great for an Airbnb or property with short-term stays,” adds Josie Rees, a real estate agent with eXp Realty in San Antonio, TX. “However, it’s very impractical for a modern family home.”

Upshot:

When buyers see missing cabinet doors, they also see a future project that they do not want to put on their to-do list. If you do decide to remove cabinet doors, at least stow them (along with the hinges) in the attic or basement, so they can be reinstalled when you decide to put your place up for sale.

2. Replacing all your kitchen cabinets with open shelves

Open shelves are another popular DIY trend right now, but, on the resale market, this falls into a similar category as removing cabinet doors.

“Removing kitchen cabinets entirely and replacing them with open shelving may be aesthetically pleasing,” says Rees, “but the main feedback from potential buyers is lack of storage space.”

Upshot: There are pros and cons to open shelves. It’s fine to have some, but don’t eliminate every wall cabinet, especially if your kitchen is small and doesn’t have ample storage elsewhere. Be sure that there’s enough other storage in the kitchen to keep cookware and appliances that aren’t display-worthy behind closed doors.