Your home can be your biggest investment. Whether you are selling your home in today’s market or planning to sell in the near or far future, there are quick and easy ways that can definitely help you increase your home value.
1.CURB APPEAL
The first thing homebuyers see, when they come to a showing or an open house, is your lawn! This is why every real estate agent worth his or her salt will tell you that one of the most important factors in selling your home is making sure it has curb appeal.
2.CREATE SPACE AND REMOVE CLUTTER
Pack all unnecessary items, use moving boxes or storage bins. Depersonalize all rooms in your home. Clear the way in hallways. Keep closets clean and organized. The best option for storing your stuff when staging and selling is to rent a storage unit.
Knock out a non-structural wall, or even remove that kitchen island. Anything that opens the space and creates a sense of flow in the house is generating a response from buyers who can afford to be choosy. For the price of a few hundred dollars, you can transform the feel of the house. Homebuyers prefer open floor concept, where the living room is right off the kitchen. They are into big spaces.
3.UPDATE THE KITCHEN: STAINLESS STEEL AND GRANITE COUNTERTOPS?!
Buyers of all kinds have long focused on the kitchen. But it holds particular sway over the newest wave of first-time homeowners.
If you ask any selling agent, they will tell you a modern or updated kitchen would top the list of ideal home features in most homebuyers questionnaires. If you plan to sell, maintaining your home will pay off. You do not need to rip your kitchen down to the studs. A smaller investment can have a serious impact and increase your home value. For example, by adding a new countertop and flooring, you get a fresh and coordinated look. Applying a fresh coat of paint to the walls or cabinets, and updating the hardware, can also breath new life into the space.
4.LET THERE BE LIGHT
Lighting, everything from a dimmer switch to the increasingly popular sun tubes, noticeably enhances a home’s appeal. A few ways to light things up: Fix broken panes, make sure windows open, and consider lights that use motion detectors to turn themselves off. Remember high wattage bulbs make small spaces feel larger, and soft lighting brings warmth to empty spaces. Proper lighting can enhance the value of every room in the home.
5.CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Before thinking about a fancy upgrade to the kitchen, address the basics. Insulate the attic, repair plumbing leaks, replace rusty rain gutters, inspect the furnace and the septic system, replace or repair leaky windows, install storm doors, weed the flower beds.
These kinds of fixes go a long way toward value. People think they have to put in a lot of money to see a big difference and they really do not. Spending small amounts on basic maintenance can pay off big time when you sell your home.
Spiffing up the kitchen and bath is a sure bet for adding value to your home. Although, it may not be economical to do a major renovation if you are trying to spend as little as possible before putting a house up for sale. On the other hand some upgrades are cheap, easy, and fast.
Replace frosted glass for clear glass, clean the grout, remove rust stains, apply fresh caulk, update doorknobs and cabinet pulls and replace old faucets.
6.NEUTRAL COLORS
Any professional staging specialist will tell you right away, that a fresh coat of paint is the easiest way to increase the value of your home.
Go for neutral tones to get the maximum value for your house. Choose colors like beige or muted green with simple white baseboards to appeal to a wide range of buyers. Because a bright purple room may be off putting to potential buyers.
If you are on a budget then paint the most commonly used rooms first, like the kitchen, living room, and main bathroom.
Avoid both bright colors like pink or yellow and dark shades like navy or chocolate brown, as these are polarizing choices for certain buyers.
Wallpaper can be a big turn-off for potential buyers because it is a hassle to remove if they don’t like it. Therefore, remove any wallpaper and replace it with paint.
7.STAGE TO SELL
You do not need a staging professional to achieve this. If you hire a professional listing agent, they can help you stage your home and make it more attractive to potential buyers. Simple staging hacks like clearing out all countertops and leaving fresh towels in the bathroom, can do the trick.
If you are thinking about selling, I would love to speak with you and make sure you are 100% ready.
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