Are you getting ready to put your home on the market? Before you take the leap and list it, step back and look at your home with a critical eye. You’ve spent a lot of time in this house, and now you’re ready to move on. What can you do to make it more appealing and welcoming to potential homeowners?
Renovating can make your home competitive, giving it an advantage as prospective buyers discover listings and view homes for sale. Most potential homeowners don’t want to think about the added costs of renovating a tired kitchen or livening up a dreary exterior. They want to move in with minimal work required.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend excessive amounts to get good results and a return on your investment (ROI). Here are six home improvements to make before selling — some chosen for project ease and others for proven market value.
Listing your home isn’t the first step in selling. It’s giving your house a little glow-up for its potential new owners. You might think it’s strange to spend money before selling, but you’d be surprised how some carefully planned upgrades can make the difference between a quick sale and a home that loses value sitting on the market.
These minor yet necessary changes can give prospective buyers a whole new perspective on your property.
The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the home, so it makes sense to give it some love. After all, you might find those honey-hued cabinets quaint, while a prospective buyer could think they’re a deal breaker.
Rather than dish out tens of thousands for a designer kitchen remodel, keep things simple with a minor upgrade. Focus on refinishing worn cabinet doors, modernizing countertops, and replacing one or two appliances. Updated cabinets and counters can brighten the room, helping smaller or awkwardly shaped kitchens feel fresh and modern.
Like the kitchen, the bathroom sees a lot of traffic. You can impress buyers and help get their seal of approval without breaking the bank when you upgrade bathrooms with new fixtures, such as matte black or chrome faucets, a rainfall or detachable showerhead, and a water-efficient toilet. Universal but modern fixtures and freshly painted cabinets can instantly create a feeling of luxury and relaxation.
Recaulking or reglazing the shower tub can also bring new life into your bathroom, but be sure there are no mold or water leak issues. You don’t want to cover up a current problem because it could lead to pests and poor indoor air quality — not to mention higher costs or a canceled deal if the home inspection finds a serious issue.
Curb appeal is a significant part of attraction for prospective buyers, and you want to create an emotional connection from the start. Imagine how you’d feel driving up to a home outfitted with a fresh exterior. Potential buyers share those feelings, making them more eager to check out the interior.
To give the outside a facelift, consider replacing siding, adding stone veneer, or repainting the exterior walls. As you update the walls, check out the landscaping, too. Tidy trees and shrubs can create a sense of privacy and relaxation, changing how a prospective buyer sees your home.
Door replacement is a relatively easy upgrade that brings good value when putting your home on the market. Whether you plan to replace the front door or the garage doors, you can often recoup the total cost, and then some — anywhere from 101% to 103% ROI.
These doors can enhance curb appeal, especially when painted in a complementary color. They work with a tidy exterior and help capture attention as potential buyers scour nearby home listings. If your neighbors’ front doors blend in, make yours a statement door — perhaps a cherry red, cornflower blue, or leafy green.
If your home heating runs on gas, consider upgrading the ductwork and furnace to electric. Potential homeowners won’t see visual perks; however, they can benefit down the line through reduced use of fossil fuels, reduced risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, and easier modifications for solar and alternative green systems. Lower energy costs and green systems are often major selling points on a listing, so it’s a win-win for you, the buyers, and the planet.
This worthwhile upgrade even gives back with a recouped cost of about 104%.
Once you’ve shown the house some love and gone through our checklist of home improvements to make before selling, you’re ready to list. You can give prospective buyers further protection with a warranty plan from America’s First Choice Home Warranty. These plans provide added value and are transferable to the new owners, giving everyone peace of mind that repairs on covered appliances and systems won’t eat into savings.
AFC Home Warranty is your partner in home care, so reach out today to learn more about and pricing.
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