In any housing market, whether it’s a seller’s market or a buyer’s market, you may be tempted to assume finding the right buyer for your home, at the very best price, won’t require any effort. However, as you can imagine when you’re looking at homes, buyers can be very picky.
Put yourself in the buyer’s seat for a minute. A buyer may be paying more than anybody has ever paid for a home in the neighborhood. So make sure it’s worth that top dollar.
There are a number of straightforward things sellers can do to make sure their home puts its best foot forward during showings.
Of course you’ll be asked to eliminate the clutter in your home and keep things as clean as possible. But is it worth going beyond that? Can improvements increase the value of a home before it goes on the market?
Curb Appeal
The first change any seller should make should improve the home’s curb appeal. The appearance of the home when a buyer first pulls up is super important. So, make sure that the front door has a fresh coat of paint, that the landscaping is updated and maintained.
Paint
Another affordable update that many sellers resist is painting the interior. But new paint throughout the home does double duty. It shows the home has been well-cared for and it gives prospective buyers a neutral pallet. Update with modern, neutral colors. Your personal colors are perfect for you, but a bright purple bedroom or the local sports team on your son’s room won’t work for most buyers. Buyers tend to assume the most expensive solution to problems like this — a $30 gallon of paint to you could be $500 to hire someone to paint for them. Taking on the investment yourself can go a long way to making you more money in the end.
Decks
Creating a warm and inviting outdoor living space is also important. This is especially key this time of year when the flowers are blooming and people are imagining summer barbecues. At a minimum, make sure your decks are in good shape. But some simple improvements are also worthwhile. What about building a firepit or purchasing a chimenea to create a cozy, social atmosphere?
Staging
Invest in improving your decor and staging. If you’ve moved out of your home already, a stager can provide appropriate furniture, but even if you’re still living there, they can help you arrange your furniture to improve flow.
Repairs
Part of getting the most for your home is making sure it is available to the widest range of potential buyers. But certain loans will require particular improvements. To ensure your home is eligible for an FHA or VA loan, make sure windows are in good working condition and all wood on the exterior is painted.
Flooring
Go ahead and replace your floors. We bet you think buyers will want to do it themselves their way. No matter what, if your carpet is worn, put in new carpet. It will show better, it will smell better, it will attract more buyers. If it’s out of date, replace it.
Updates
For the biggest return on investment, update your kitchen and bathrooms. Replace your kitchen countertops with granite or another modern surface. And if you can’t replace cabinets, an affordable but eye-catching alternative is to paint the existing ones and replace the hardware. In the bathroom, look into getting new vanities and fixtures. Faucets and shower heads should be functioning well, clean and ideally new. And consider updating the bathroom floor. It’s a small area, so updating the floors isn’t that big of a price. But it can make a big difference.
Most of these changes can be done relatively affordably, so they’re almost guaranteed to earn you a worthwhile return on investment. For larger updates or improvements, first consulting a knowledgeable Realtor and get quotes from contractors before deciding to do anything. A larger investment entails a larger risk on your return.