Getting your home ready to sell can be an overwhelming experience and I want to do everything I can to make the process easier for you. Updating your home can do SO much to increase resale value and taking the time to make some changes can bring you a great return on investment. You want potential buyers to love the look of the home and the last thing on their mind should be thinking about all of the things they’ll need to update after they buy. Here are 11 updates to increase your resale value.
- Paint (interior & exterior)
This is an easy and relatively affordable way to make a big difference in the look of your home. Painting can really add a bright and new feeling and can drastically change the way a space feels. Aim for neutral colors when possible, like gray or taupe, to keep from turning buyers off. If they want to change the colors of the walls, that’s an easy and low-maintenance thing they can do after they buy.
2. Replace old light fixtures with new and updated ones
To unify the look of the space, I suggest using the same finish for light fixtures and kitchen and bath fixtures. This is not an absolute must as colors can be mixed, but aiming for uniformity is wise so that the style will appeal to more potential buyers.
3. Replace front door and garage door
We’ll talk about curb appeal more in the next bullet point, but thought it was important that doors have their own section! Replacing doors can go a long way for updating the look of your home from the outside. Aim for a style that is timeless and that you won’t need to replace. Even better if you can select a color for the door that contrasts against the paint color of the home. There are so many options out there as far as materials, like wood, fiberglass, steel and glass, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from when finding the best option for you. Steel is the best option for security and is less likely to be damaged with weather changes.
4. Clean up the outside.
Beautiful curb appeal goes a long way. It’s always a good idea to update your landscaping. The lower the maintenance for upkeep, the better! You don’t want to overwhelm your potential buyers with all they’ll need to do to keep it looking beautiful. I also suggest updating the style of the house number, adding a few pieces of updated lighting, and painting and replacing doors, like we mentioned above.
5. Update bathrooms + kitchen
This is probably one of the most important points of this post. Nothing will turn buyers off more than an outdated bathroom or kitchen. The great news is, there are a lot of changes you can make without using up a lot of your budget. You can paint cabinets, replace hardware (drawer and cabinet pulls) and any outdated fixtures and lighting. I suggest focusing on shower heads, handles, and faucets.
6. Update flooring
Carpet is not the most attractive feature to a home these days and wood is preferred. Wood or wood-like flooring is a very attractive feature and you’ll definitely receive a return on the investment, however, if you want to save that money for something else, choose a new and updated carpet to change up the look.
7. Unify style (door handles, drawer and cabinet pulls, bath and kitchen hardware
The last thing you want is for your potential buyers to be visually overwhelmed by all of the different styles in your home. Do your best to unify color and style, and keep things as neutral as you can to appeal to more buyers at once, and increase your chances of getting an offer!
8. Add more closet storage
Whenever I’m looking for a home, one of the most important things for me is closet space, and I think a lot of other ladies would agree! No matter what size closets you have in your home, you can really update it by adding creative storage solutions to them. The more functional you can make the closets, the better! If you don’t have room for much, just try to add more shelving and hanging space.
9. Take care of any necessary home repairs
All those little things you’ve been putting off can really add up! Make the life of your potential buyer easier by taking care of any necessary maintenance. I suggest bringing in an inspector to evaluate if there’s anything big that you’re missing that needs to be taken care of. You’ll be one step ahead of the home-buying process which can relieve a lot of stress!
10. Replace wall plates
Super simple and easy way to add an updated look! Keep these matte black or white for the most updated look. I prefer white, because this is the most popular color to paint crown molding.
11. Home Staging
This isn’t necessarily something that changes the value of your home, but staging it can definitely bring in higher offers and make your home seem more appealing to potential buyers. Staging can help buyers to visualize actually living in the space and can even have them thinking about where they will place their own furniture! Make sure to remove any personal items, like pictures in frames or anything with names on it. This will hinder the buyer’s ability to picture themselves living in the space.
Need help staging your home? I am a Certified Real Estate Staging Professional (CSP) and am ready to help you get your home sold! Click below to start the client questionnaire.