In a tough real estate market, the difference between selling a home and watching it stay listed month after month can come down to making a few changes to capture the uniqueness of your home.
While budget busting renovation projects are one way to update your space, they are often far too expensive for people looking to sell their homes. But tearing out your kitchen and adding a new bathroom aren’t the only ways to get your house sold.
If you want to make some changes, but don’t want to empty your wallet, here are five affordable tips to help you improve your home’s marketability.
Know Your Market
Talk to your Realtor. This may seem obvious, but few people know better what buyers want. Develop a customized plan for your property. Find out what buyers are looking for and what they are avoiding like crazy. Consider working with a home stager, someone who can create a game plan for making your home look its very best. But before you do anything, set a budget and commit to sticking with it.
A Grand Entrance
The first thing that prospective buyers will see is your front door. Make sure it is well lit, so that when they drive by to take a second look at night they’ll see the beauty of their future home. Make sure any masonry work, railings, and door numbers are looking crisp, not tired. Clean up flower boxes and wash those windows. Few things turn off buyers like being welcomed by a film of pollen. Remember first impressions are important.
Great Kitchens and Baths
Updating all of your major appliances and cabinetry is one way to set your house apart. It can also cost tens of thousands of dollars. Rather than replacing cabinets, consider refurbishing fronts and changing hardware. New faucets can often change the accent of a room for far less money than replacing a whole sink. Think about installing dimmers on bright lights to help create an ambiance of warmth. Making small changes can let you update your expensive rooms on a dime.
The Power of Paint
Paint will truly allow a homeowner to personalize a space. Unfortunately, your wonderland may not be a buyer’s paradise. The idea of having to immediately re-paint an entire home can be a major issue for buyers seeking something that’s move-in ready. Find muted colors that work not only with your space, but also with your furniture. Look at repainting as an opportunity to create a design show space, a celebration of your wonderful home.
Know Sweat Equity
Small projects ranging from landscape work to painting and even to replacing the hardware of your cabinets can go a long way toward making your home stand out in the market. They are also projects that most homeowners can take on, even if it does require the help of friends, family and neighbors. The new talent you discover will be one of the many things you’ll be able to bring with you after you sell!
