As you prepare to sell your home, you may want to consider renovations or cost-effective improvements that will help you increase the value of your home. This in order to obtain a higher selling price. Renovating or updating your home can help you achieve this.
Let’s look at the most relevant home improvement projects that could help increase the value of your home.
It is important to note that some of these tips may not directly increase the appraised value of your home, but may nevertheless be beneficial because they can increase the value of your home in the mind of a potential buyer.
We will divide this list into three categories:
We will start with the fundamentals and move towards more expensive advanced options.
Maintenance
Maintenance consists of routine tasks that keep your home in good condition. The components of a house that keep it running, such as your electric hob and oven. These are some of the most critical elements to maintain.
1. Update the essential elements
Start with the basics – how old is your water heater? Your electric meter? Your oven? These items do not inspire Pinterest panels, but they are essential to selling real estate. Many of these larger items may be covered under your home warranty plan in the event that they need to be repaired.
If a buyer’s inspection report shows that the electric meter is older than the regulation or the oven is over 15 to 20 years old, there is a good chance that a buyer will negotiate for a large credit to replace it.
A potential buyer might also move away from the transaction if upgrades seem too daunting. Stay in a strong trading position by keeping the fundamentals of your home up to date.
2. Hire an inspector
If you are concerned about what buyer inspection might tell you, take a proactive approach and hire an accredited home inspector to take a tour of your property before you decide to sell. For a few hundred dollars, you will have a report of all the problems that will have to be solved. You can then decide on which things to follow and which to not.
The inspection report will cover the foundations of a house, such as the roof, gutters, windows, foundations and floors. It will note if these components are in good condition and if something needs to be replaced due to damage, age or heavy wear.
A buyer may use the inspection report as a bargaining tool and ask the owner to perform the listed repairs or negotiate a rebate to cover these costs.
If you can proactively solve a problem, you can protect yourself during negotiations. However, if you know that the inspection will highlight an expensive problem – such as foundation repairs – you may want to postpone these repairs and see how the sale unfolds.
3. Maintain your home on a regular basis
The maintenance will not increase the value of your property, but negligence could hurt the value of your property, or make it more difficult to sell for the price you want.
When was your air conditioner cleaned for the last time? How are the joints in good condition around your windows? Regular maintenance throughout the life of your home could extend the life of these items, which will be cheaper in the long run.
Aesthetics of housing
Buying a home is like a romantic encounter – first impressions are important. You are more likely to attract a buyer if you do some cosmetic upgrades. It’s like giving your home a mini-makeover.
4. Improve the attractiveness
Repaint or replace your front door. If necessary, paint your walls, woodwork and shutters. Cut the hedges, keep the lawn mowed, clean your gutters and plant flowers in the yard.
You do not need to hire a landscaping company to turn your yard into a masterpiece, you just need to keep it clean and tidy.
5. Vacuum storage
Cleaning and decluttering is probably the least expensive way to make your home bigger. Delete too personal items, such as family photos. This will help if potential buyers imagine themselves in space without facing the fact that it’s your space.
6. Let the light in
Lighting can make homes more spacious, and dark or dimly lit houses tend to stay on the market longer and receive lower offers.
Plan visits in the middle of the day, when the sun is shining brightest, and open blinds and shutters before potential buyers arrive. Consider lighting lights in rooms that are smaller or have small windows. Replace weak bulbs with bright bulbs.
7. Paint with neutral tones
A fresh coat of paint can instantly give your home a facelift. Choose warm, neutral colors such as white, beige, gray. Lighter colors can make small rooms bigger.
You can add a more accentuated color to the walls to create a special decoration, such as the walls of an alcove or a bay window.
8. Paint outside
Do not forget the exterior paint, especially if your existing paint is chipped, peeled or cracked. Do not choose too many colors for exteriors, maximum 3. You will want a color for the body of the house, one for the garage door, and one for the front door and shutters.
9. Pay attention to odors
Make sure moldy or unpleasant odors, such as the smell of a wet dog or spicy food, are removed from your home before visits.
Do not try to mask odors with other odors. You may like the smell of candles or incense, but a potential buyer might not like lavender and eucalyptus. In the same way that you want a neutral color palette on your walls, you will also need a palette of neutral scents for your air.
Opening windows and doors can ventilate the house, but the weather may not make this possible. Improve air quality with this air filter 16x25x4. Smoke, pollen, dust, dander, and mold don’t stand a chance against the powerful electrostatic charge of this pleated filter. An indoor air filter can remove particles and eliminate persistent odors is advisable.
Renovations
Finally, let’s talk about the most profitable jobs that could give your home a competitive advantage.
You want buyers to be excited about your home, and details like light fixtures and sinks can make the difference between “I don’t know” and “I love it! “.
10. Interview vs upgrades
What is the difference between maintenance and upgrades?
Maintenance are more of routine tasks. You can clean the gutters, replace filters and seals or clean the sinks.
The improvements are to improve the property. You could replace your white appliances with stainless steel, for example, or laminate countertops with granite.
Here’s the crucial difference: Upgrades can increase the value of your home. The maintenance prevents the fall of your current value.
But do not spend too much either. The most lavish upgrades in the world will not allow you to price your home out of reasonable price for the same property category.
11. Go green
You could benefit from some inexpensive and environmentally friendly improvements, but do not overdo it. Houses with green features such as programmable thermostats, solar panels, and high-efficiency appliances are not necessarily more expensive than their less environmentally friendly counterparts.
Even though green homes are offered at a higher price per square meter in some places, they are priced at or below the price per square meter in other places.
If you are doing green upgrades, focus on low-cost upgrades, such as replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs. Focus on investments that will save people money. Make these improvements several months before you put your home on sale, since a buyer can ask you for the bills.
12. Update your fixtures
Hang a beautiful fixture, such as a chandelier or hanging bulbs, in one or two places. These eye-catching elements can enhance the perceived value of your home, giving you an edge over neighborhood competition.
The lobby is ideal for creating a good first impression. You could also add a beautiful lighting over the dining room table. These inexpensive details can elevate the perceived value of your home.
13. Spice up your bathroom
A few inexpensive touches could present your existing bathroom in its best light.
Replace the bath faucet with a stylish faucet. Swap your standard showerhead with a more impressive option.
If your bathroom is already modern, these improvements are not necessary. But if your bathroom has a 10-year counter with degradations or traces of wear, the replacement could help you attract a buyer.
14. Update the kitchen
If your cabinets are in good condition but old-fashioned, you can make them look new by applying a few coats of fresh white paint and replacing the hinges and handles. You can also hire contractors to replace the cabinet doors while leaving the cabinets themselves intact.
Swap white or black appliances with stainless steel to enhance the look of your kitchen. Stainless steel appliances are generally considered upscale. To reduce costs, opt for entry-level stainless-steel appliances.
The final word
We hope this information will help you improve the value of your home for resale. Remember that a regular preventative housekeeping can save you thousands of dollars, so do not neglect the spring cleaning! In addition, a smart home ultra-connected to Wi-Fi will not get a higher price if the gutters are clogged and several pieces of roof are missing.