Whether you’re wanting to sell your home, or simply make it more desirable for the prospect of selling down the line, increasing your home’s value isn’t an impossible feat. We came up with seven simple things you can do now to make your home more appealing, and make more money when you decide to sell.
Make A Plan
You’re guaranteed to make more money on your home if you are intentional about how you’ll go about it, instead of just doing projects willy-nilly. Create a budget for home improvement projects, and know what you’re working with financially. That will dictate what jobs you can do based off of what you can afford to do. Home improvement projects generally cost about 20 to 25 cents to the dollar. The other 75 to 80 cents spent go directly back into the home through higher value. Walk through your house and make a list of all the rooms that need improvement, and the projects that can improve them. From there, you can prioritize and decide what can be done based on your budget.
Contact your realtor or property manager. Many of them will do in-home consultations, where they look around and tell you what they think will increase the value of your home. Most consultations are at no cost to you. But if they do charge, they are typically less than $100.
Get Your Home Inspected
Another service to invest in is getting your home inspected. If you’re looking to sell, it’s a seller’s nightmare to be preparing a contract and find mold, dry rot, or something of the sort in your home. Make sure you catch these things early on. This way, an inspector can make sure your home is ready to be sold. And if it’s not, you have time to fix the problem before signing your home off to another person.
Make Sure Simple Maintenance Is Done
Make sure everything works, and is in one piece. You wouldn’t want to try selling your home when it has broken appliances, messed up plumbing, or electrical problems, would you? Nothing will turn potential buyers away faster than maintenance that needs to be done. Take a walk through your house and make note of anything that needs repair or updating. It can be as simple as making sure light bulbs are replaced in all light fixtures, to as complex as electrical work that needs to be done. The most appealing homes are move-in ready when potential buyers see them, so make sure everything works properly.
Replace All Worn-Out, Cracked Everything
Along with making sure that everything works and there are no functional problems in your home, walk through and make sure that there’s not anything that looks dingy, worn out, cracked, or unappealing. This includes: old carpeting, cracked concrete outside the home, lackluster paint or old wallpaper, outdated ceilings (popcorn ceilings), outdated cabinets and countertops, etc. If you see needed updates, write them down and work them into your home improvement budget and plan.
Landscape
Most realtors will tell you, the curb appeal of your home is incredibly important. Potential buyers will be drawn in if your home is accentuated by eye-catching landscape. Take a look at your existing landscape, and see what needs improvement. Simple changes like: more plants or flowers, making sure your grass is green and healthy, adding in some edging or a pathway surrounded by plants, creating a plant focal-point, etc. make a huge difference. These are incredibly simple things you can do to boost your landscape, but at the same time majorly boost your curb appeal.
Make Space
Home buyers are attracted to homes that have rooms that feel large. Lots of natural light, and open space make a room seem larger. Replace heavy curtains with blinds, or light drapes that let in more sunlight. Also, consider the layout of your room. Are you maximizing your space, or is there another arrangement that will open up the room more? The easier it is for people to navigate smoothly through your home, the more appealing and more open your home will seem.
Check out Kitchen, Bathrooms, and Entryway
Any realtor will tell you, the most crucial parts of a home to a home-buyer are the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the entryway of the home. The entryway is the first statement the home makes to the potential home buyer. Make sure you make a good impression by ensuring that it’s clean, updated, and welcoming. The kitchen is the number one remodel with the greatest return. People love kitchens that have updated appliances, modern decor, and are an appealing gathering place. The bathroom is important because it’s the room that experiences the most wear and tear. Stay on top of the state of your bathroom, and make sure it doesn’t fall by the wayside. An updated, attractive, clean bathroom will greatly appeal to home buyers.
Have more questions about how to generate the most value from your home, or simply questions about selling in general? Contact your Crossroads Realty and Property Management realty expert today! We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.
