Repairs can be a big question mark for sellers. On one hand, you've probably heard that you should make repairs before you sell your home. On the other hand, it may be unclear which repairs you need to make and which ones you shouldn't make. Which repairs will give a positive ROI and which ones won't? To learn what repairs you should make and what repairs you shouldn't, read on.

The most important repairs are water repairs, heating repairs and electrical repairs. Not making these repairs will prevent your home from selling, period. If the water doesn’t run, if the electrical system isn’t safe or if the heating system is about to break, most buyers will simply stay away.

That said, what other repairs should you make on your Knoxville home?

First off, cosmetic repairs are cheap and have a big impact on the perceived value of your home. For example, is there a small hole in the wall? It's easy to fill and repaint. Do the hinges in your cabinet squeak? It's easy to spray a little bit of WD-40. Is there a gash in the window screen? It's cheap to replace the screen and can have a big impact on your sale price.

Making cosmetic repairs arguably has the biggest impact on your bottom line.

One area you should pay special attention to is your front yard and your doorway. This is your buyer's first impression of your house and should definitely be in good shape.

Before selling your home, it's best to avoid large renovation projects. Renovating your kitchen completely may or may not be a profitable investment. More likely than not, you’ll end up spending thousands of dollars without much return on your investment. If you focus on repairing the essentials and the cosmetics, you'll be well on your way to a very profitable sale.