When selling your house, you want to make sure that you are getting the best price you can. For the sake of achieving a higher sales price or selling the home faster, you may want to consider doing some small remodeling jobs to your home. When you remodel a house, you should keep in mind that costs can add up, especially when you hire a contractor or tradesperson. If you do projects by yourself, you cut out the cost of materials and labor but might sacrifice on quality and professional appearance. One key factor when remodeling a home is that appearance sells better than function. Spend money on décor or paint rather than an appliance that still functions. Appearance can sometimes become the final deciding factor between whether or not a deal goes through. Appearance also will help make the pictures stand out and draw in buyers when browsing online.
Another beneficial factor to keep in mind when remodeling your house is to consider break-even costs. Why spend money on a remodel if you are only going to recuperate the same amount or less from the sale? However, if your home has a fundamental area that is unattractive and could cause potential buyers to turn on their heels and walk out the door, it might be worthwhile to do some sprucing up, even if you will only recoup around the same amount from the sale. One important point to remember about break-even remodels is that they still do come at a cost: the price of your time and effort. Here are the renovations that will give your home a higher perceived value and not break the bank:
- New Paint Works Wonders.
New paint has the ability to completely transform a house and make it look brand new. If you carefully select contemporary hues, they can make your house feel more welcoming. Bright and radiant colors can reflect more ambient light and this is crucial for smaller, darker rooms. It is one of the easiest things to do that can bring a room to life.
- Garage Door Replacement.
A good-looking garage door is high on the list when it comes to getting cashback on your investment. This curb-appeal enhancer will get you back around what you spent on it when you sell your home. A new garage door can be aesthetically pleasing and eye catching. Not only is the appearance pleasing, but if your replaced door is insulated, you’re saving energy on heating and cooling costs. When looking at houses, buyers also prefer a garage door that is automatic so it can be hassle free when driving in and out. If your replacement garage door has security features, that’s a big plus that buyers will appreciate.
- Sprucing Up Your Exterior
You only get one chance to make a first impression when a buyer pulls up to your home. That’s why it’s crucial to enhance the curb appeal of your house. Revamping your home’s exterior doesn’t have to cost a fortune, it can be as easy as just adding simple landscaping. Easy improvements include refreshing mulch, trimming shrubs and trees, clearing weeds, edging your sidewalks and driveway, fertilizing your yard, planting seasonal colorful plants, you can even paint your front door a bright color to make the exterior of the house really stand out. Removing any high maintenance plants or trees is recommended, since buyers may not be attracted to the upkeep. Another beneficial factor you should consider when remodeling your exterior is to add new gutters if the ones on your home are damaged. If they do still function, make sure they are cleaned and all have attached extensions. If you have gutter issues, it can be detrimental to your house’s foundation.
- Power Washing Can Revitalize Your House
Your homes’ exterior is exposed to harsh conditions all the time with dirt, harsh sunlight, strong winds, pests, and acid rain. Even smoke, pollutants and car exhaust can damage your home. By power washing decks, siding, patios, lawn furniture, swing sets, fences, etc., your house gets a makeover without you having to spend a lot of money on renovations. This removes years of destruction caused by natural elements and refreshes the house’s look. This is the best way to get rid of mold, mildew and stains on your home’s siding, driveway, deck, and fencing.
- Hire A Handyman For A Day
By hiring a handyman, you can ensure that anything minor can be fixed at a reasonable cost. If a potential buyer comes to view the house and notices minor features that could have easily been fixed, the homeowner could come across as careless. Putting in this extra effort will pay off and be appreciated by buyers. They will feel as though the home was cared for and maintained properly. Fixing minor details can include; fixing chips on a vanity by filling them in with a paint marker, replacing any cracked tiles, fixing any scuffs, replacing burnt out lightbulbs, etc.
- Lighting Is Everything
Good lighting makes a huge difference when selling a house. You may want to even consider installing new LED lighting. LED not only saves on energy, it also has the ability to make rooms appear bigger, brighter, and even look newer. Make sure that all the lighting in your house works before showing it to potential buyers, if a bulb is burnt out; replace it. If a switch or outlet doesn’t work;, call an electrician. If buyers look at the home in the evening and the lighting is insufficient it will raise a red flag and cause buyers to think they will need to spend money to increase the lighting in the home. These are hassle-free repairs that are worthwhile when selling your home. You can offset a lack of natural light in darker, smaller spaces by strategically using certain lighting hues and placements. Ambiance lighting can present your home to the best advantage.
- Service Your Major Mechanicals
You want to make sure you go through the steps to ensure that every major mechanical or appliance has been serviced. Mechanicals such as the boiler and AC are good examples. Taking out a service contract for heating and cooling will only cost about $500 a year and buyers will feel safe knowing that you’ve had a professional maintaining the most expensive features of the home. It could also be beneficial to have receipts for major fixes. This will communicate that you have put in the extra time and effort to have everything checked before putting it up for sale. This makes it certain that there will be no worry about specific appliances not working. If a buyer feels as though you properly maintained the home, they will not have doubts about paying top dollar for your property.
- Keep Records Of All Your Maintenance Contracts
Keeping a folder with any maintenance contracts in it can prove to be very beneficial when putting your house on the market. This lets potential buyers know what preventive measures have been taken to make sure the home is free of issues. This conveys that you are organized and dependable, which results in a better buying experience. It presents to the potential buyer that you are not hiding anything. By staying on top of the maintenance that has been done to the house, it makes potential buyers aware that you took good care of the home and kept up to date with any maintenance needed, which causes less stress or worry.
- Declutter
When showing your house, you want to make sure it is clean and organized. Getting rid of any extra furniture that is not needed is recommended. Discard or donate any items that you will not be packing and moving with you. Store anything that is not used often in the basement or another storage place. For example, if it is summer, clean your closet of winter coats and store them in a bin in the garage or basement. By clearing any clutter, it becomes easier to present the layout of the house to the potential buyer. Having a larger, more open space, will make the room look and feel bigger than it is.
- Pre-Inspection
Have a certified home inspector check out the property before it goes on the market. An advantage of getting a pre-inspection is that it allows you to learn about any issues that will come up down the road. By being ahead of these issues and taking care of them before listing the property, you’re decreasing the likelihood that a potential buyer will have any issues when they perform their own inspection. If you decide not to fix the item, you can let buyers know in advance and they can factor that into their offering price. This helps ensure the process from accepted offer to contract signing is quick and seamless.
