The decision tree
Lift a corner. Hardwood underneath: refinish and skip carpet entirely. No hardwood and carpet in decent shape: deep clean professionally and move on. No hardwood and carpet that's worn, stained, or smells: replace with builder-grade neutral in a current tone. The goal is removing a negative, not adding a feature — buyers barely reward carpet quality, but they punish carpet condition.
New wood flooring where none exists also over-recovers (~118% per NAR) but at much higher absolute cost — that's a market-and-price-point call, not a default.
Common questions
How much does it cost to recarpet before selling?
Builder-grade neutral carpet installed typically runs a few dollars per square foot — a bedroom is often in the high hundreds. Get quotes; the point is condition, not quality tier.
Should I offer a carpet allowance instead of replacing?
Allowances underperform: buyers see the worn carpet in photos and showings, apply the emotional discount anyway, and then negotiate the allowance on top. Fix it before listing.
Carpet or hardwood — which sells better?
Hardwood in main living areas, consistently. Carpet is fine in bedrooms. If you have hardwood under carpet anywhere, exposing it is usually the single best flooring move available.