Before selling a home, updates always are a smart move. Offering a cheap deal just to sell your house quickly isn’t a good idea. For what it’s actually worth, your property is your greatest investment and has been part of your life. According to NAR (National Association of Realtors), “Forty percent of buyers’ agents cited that home staging affected most buyers’ view of a home. And eighty-three percent of buyer’s agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.” If you’re planning to sell your house and want to know how to increase your home value, there are plenty of ways to do it.
Here’s how you can boost your property’s value by following these low-cost and easy tips.
One room at a time
Don’t rush on staging your home. You have to do some careful planning to pinpoint what you need and where you have to focus first. You can always get creative to add the impact of your home. But as you make decisions for upgrades or repairs, you have to check the market value of your home and the properties around you first. In that way, you can compare and plan what you need to do for your renovations. Start small. It works.
Groom your home.
Clean all the places, every nook, and cranny of your property. You should thoroughly clean those corners—ones that you can’t reach or see. Use some proper cleaning tools to achieve the maximum result. Move your furniture and wipe dirty and dusty corners. A tidy house that is in good order makes your property more attractive.
- Don’t display your belongings, such as your family photos, your comb, shoes, etc. Make sure your buyers feel they’re at home when they step into the room.
- You should also pack away these items to give more space i.e. sports equipment, toys, too many books and magazines, laundry baskets, and even bins. Buyers don’t want to be welcomed with excessive stuff that’s also making the property appear smaller.
- Always organize and avoid making clutter. Put unnecessary items in a storage box.
- Wipe clean your windows and doors to keep them shiny and looking brand new.
- Clear spider webs from every corner, downpipes, and all of your rooms.
- Tidy up your garden, too. Especially the outdoor spaces. Prune overgrown hedges and shrubs. Eradicate dead plants or dry leaves hanging on the view.
- Perform a pressure wash to remove dirt or mold in the driveway and your home deck.
Enhance the curb appeal.
Your home exterior’s appearance is your first chance to make a lasting impression on your prospects. If your outdoor landscape looks horrible compare to any of your neighbors, then it’s time to make improvements. Adding a bit of extra curb appeal can definitely boost your home’s value.
- Choose a front door that stands out—you can choose a bold color that can help revitalize the other colors of your exterior.
- Add and arrange some fresh flowers and planters to your home’s exterior appearance. Hook up a hanging plant and place them to accentuate the visual look.
- Light up the entryway to welcome your guest. Make sure there are no dust and cobwebs around your outdoor lamps or light fixtures. For extra lights, use solar-powered lanterns or light strings to add light in the walkway.
- Symmetrically organize your lanterns or plants. Symmetry makes your home visually harmonious and easy to the eyes.
- Use an extension kit to clean your gutters. Clear out the downspouts, any debris, or stuck leaves until it’s good all the way out.
- Create a clear path to your front door for a more welcoming vibe.
Upgrade your bathroom.
Renovate your bathroom space with necessary upgrades or repairs such as the exhaust fan, dated wallpaper, and light fixtures. Keep your bathroom appealing and at the same time functional as always. Small repairs can do.
- Change your rusty faucet with a new modern tap bathroom faucet.
- Add a sliding bathroom door to make some extra space for more.
- Check the water pressure of your shower if it works properly.
The kitchen is the key.
The kitchen area is the most valuable portion of your home. It is considered one of the biggest selling points of a house. Other than the bathroom, focusing on your kitchen to look good will boost the home’s value dramatically. Since most professional appraisers look for any upgrades in the kitchen and bathrooms first.
- Repaint and replace the cupboards. Also, you can start replacing your cabinet doors with new knobs and handles for a fresh look.
- Add a modern light feature to showcase the different surfaces. Effective lighting that sets a soft glow on your countertop can highlight the value of your kitchen.
- Replace any appliances that are older than ten years—an ancient oven, a stained sink, or your old microwave. Make sure the appliances match as much as possible. Spending a thousand dollars seems reasonable if you can get a triple return on investment.
- Adjust the space and the angles of your kitchen so it doesn’t look crumpled. Make room for enough counter space.
Estimate the cost.
Your property is your largest investment. Protect your single investment by evaluating all available financing options—whether you have to refinance or make value-adding home upgrades. You should begin with improvements that are easy to accomplish and affordable, yet can also increase home value. Always weigh the options and root your decisions in reality. Don’t decide harshly and with emotional impulse. Choose the best method of financing that works for you. It’s either a credit card, personal loan, cash-out refinance, or home equity loan.
If you want to know how much you can expect to get from having upgrades or renovations in your home, you can check out Remodeling magazine’s “cost versus value” report. It analyzes what’s the estimated cost of your home upgrades and how much you can get in return.
Get a licensed home inspector.
Of course, you can’t fix anything without knowing it’s broken in the first place. There are tons of reasons you should hire a professional home inspector. Your house could be infested with termites, issues in the structural foundation, leaky roofs, or outdated systems. Once examined they may discover hidden defects that could heavily impact your home’s value. So, it’s safe to know these issues quickly than ignore it and do nothing. Small issues can be costly when you delaying its repairs, and in the long run, can become too difficult to fix.
Change the floor plan. Add more space.
Adding more square feet can convert more value. You can knock down a few walls to create enough space to make it appear bigger. Buyers tend to pick bigger homes and often prefer open-look. Besides, you can re-organize the placement of your furniture, and see to it that the size and amount of furniture don’t take the whole space. But always take note to add some space that could boost your home value and won’t hurt your pocket.
Start creating a doable and functional floor plan. Rearrange appliances to make usable space that could create better flow or path to another room. You can also work finishing the attic, a patio, or an unfinished basement to add more living space. Or transforming your house garage to an additional living space for buyers to enjoy.
Update appliances or systems.
Did you know that more buyers are interested in smart homes? According to a recent survey from alarms.org, most home buyers are looking for smart homes for effortless and efficient living. “57% of Americans say that having smart products in their houses saves them about 30 minutes per day.” Although it’s not cheap to install smart home technologies, you should consider adding one. Nonetheless, new and energy-efficient appliances or systems are what today’s homebuyers are picking.
- Consider installing a water filtration system if you can. Although it’s an expensive addition, it could save you huge bills. Now, your water is already purified—and you don’t have to buy bottled water.
- Try smart and safe devices such as fire detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, security cameras, thermostats, automated door locks, and smart lighting systems.
Research and get creative.
Find ideas and inspirations to apply to your home. Rather than hiring a designer, you can find the greatest projects and ways to decorate or remodel your rooms. If you are really on a tight budget, a DIY project can do the trick. Just make sure you keep it simple and doable. You can also sell your home as an FSBO or Flat Fee MLS to get custom services for your property. For a discounted price, you can get professional help to market your home to different platforms.
» What’s My House Worth? Read to know how to determine the worth of your home.
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