When you are getting ready to sell your home the last thing you want to do is spend extra time and money on home improvements. But some improvements need to be done to draw in buyers and up your home’s selling potential. While there are many improvements that can be done, only a few improvements will truly increase your final sale price.
Table of Contents
Up Your Curb Appeal with New Landscaping
General lawnwork won’t cost much more than a can of gas for the lawn mower while intricate landscaping can become more expensive. Stick to landscaping projects that don’t require professional assistance if you are interested in keeping costs down. While they seem small, many landscaping projects will really increase your home’s selling potential. A freshly cut yard free of debris is the most important place to start. 75% of agents say that well-landscaped homes are worth anywhere from 1% to 10% more than homes without landscaping. Second to a manicured lawn is well-maintained landscaping. Think garden beds with fresh mulch, bright blooming perennials, and perfectly trimmed bushes and shrubs. A layer of fresh mulch might cost a couple hundred dollars but it will give you a 126% return on investment. Planting colorful flowers and fill garden beds with low maintenance perennials is recommended by nearly 68% of agents. Overall, a well-maintained yard will attract buyers and increase your final sales price with very little time and money invested.
Paint or Upgrade Your Front Door
You may walk through your front door everyday and think nothing of the chipped paint but home buyers will definitely take note and not in a good way. Adding a fresh coat of paint to the front door increases curb appeal making your home more marketable and can increase your final sales price. Over 70% of agents agree that a fresh coat of paint on the door is a beneficial project for homeowners to tackle before selling. On average, it will cost you less than $200 to paint your door and the project should only take a few hours to complete. Before you rush out and purchase your favorite color of pink paint, remember that this door color is to attract buyers. Stick with common door colors such as teal, dark blue, and red.
Refresh Your Bathroom
Bathrooms can be overlooked when you are preparing your house for the market. But a bathroom update can greatly improve your chances of selling your home and without much time and/or money required. According to agents, buyers are interested in extra bathroom perks such as rainshower heads or dual shower heads. These fixtures can be easily installed to replace your basic shower head. Another bathroom update that costs very little is replacing caulk. A generally overlooked aspect of your bathroom, caulk seals the gaps between the tub and tiles but tends to crack and becomes prone to mold and mildew over the years. Simply remove the existing caulk and clean the area. Next, put down a straight line of painters tape and then apply the caulk. This home improvement project will cost no more than a few dollars for the tube of caulk but will give your bathroom a bright new look.
Update Kitchen Hardware
Just like the shower heads in the bathroom, buyers are interested in updated hardware in the kitchen. According to 37% of agents, worn, mismatched, or dated hardware are most likely to dissuade buyers. This however, is an easy fix. Drawer knobs and pulls are available at most hardware stores for a relatively low price. Replacing hardware requires only a screwdriver and can be done in a very short period of time. When choosing your kitchen hardware be sure to match them to the style of your kitchen while keeping in mind that they should be appealing to potential buyers.
There are hundreds of home improvement projects that you can choose from when you are gearing up to sell your house. However, you should stick to the ones that will boost your home’s selling potential and increase your selling price. Remember that if you are selling your home all home improvements should be done with potential buyers in mind.
