Small Updates For A Big Return
Want to increase your home’s value without breaking the bank? Increasing the value of your home when selling can be a difficult task, but a few home-improvement ideas can help you make your house more appealing to home-buyers, while keeping within your budget.
These projects are categorized by budgets – anywhere from $100 to $700. Plan your budget accordingly and take a look at these helpful ideas, so can sell your home quicker and easier!
Home Improvements: Under $100
If you don’t know where to start, invite a realtor or interior designer over to check out your home. Many realtors will do this as a courtesy, but you will probably have to pay a consultation fee to a designer. A standard hourly fee is normally less than $100, and in an hour they can give you lots of ideas for needed improvements. Even small suggested improvements, such as paint colors or furniture placement, can go a long way toward improving the look and feel of your home. They have the experience to spot what can help you sell your home in a snap.
Even more important than the improving the cosmetics of your interior is repairing certain fixtures that might be outdated, broken or a hazard. This can make or break a home-buyer from putting a bid on your house. Deteriorating roofs, termite infestation or outdated electrical systems are all things you should look over. Hire an inspector to check out the areas of your home that you don’t normally see. They may discover hidden problems that could negatively impact your home’s value. Small problems (such as a hidden water leak) can become big, expensive problems quickly; the longer you put off repairs, the more expensive those repairs will be.
One of the simplest, most cost-effective improvements of all is paint! Freshly painted rooms look clean and updated — and that spells value. When selecting paint colors, keep in mind that neutrals appeal to the greatest number of people, therefore making your home more desirable. On average, a gallon of paint costs around $25, leaving you plenty of money to buy rollers, painter’s tape, drop cloths and brushes. So buy a few gallons and get busy!
Home Improvements: $100-$200
An easy way to add curb appeal to your home is to plant shrubs, colorful plants and trees. When shopping at your local garden center, make sure that you “think green.” Purchase plants that are native to your region or plants that are drought-tolerant; these require less water and maintenance, which means more savings to you and more green in your wallet.
One of the best investments you can make is installing a water filtration system in your kitchen. Not only do these systems purify your water, they will also lower your grocery bills and it’s environmentally friendly— no more bottled water! A water filtration system is an inexpensive addition, but it’s the sort of small luxury that homebuyers love.
If you have older carpets in your home, they might be hiding contaminants and allergens. The first step to determine if these need replacing is to hire a professional company to test your indoor air quality. If the results prove that your carpets should be replaced, choose environmentally friendly natural products like tile or laminate floors. Hard-surface floors are much easier to keep clean, don’t hold odors, give your home an updated look and, in general, are more appealing to buyers.
Home Improvements: $200-$400
Tip 1: A messy lawn creates a bad first impression.
Tall grass, brown spots and outsized bushes will cause your home to stand out and not in a good way. The good news is that taming your jungle is an easy fix. For a few hundred dollars, hire a lawn service company to trim your lawn and shape your hedges. Your curb appeal will go from messy to maintained without blowing your budget.
A first impression can make all the difference, especially when it comes to the cleanliness. So, make the interior of you home shine from the moment someone walks through the door. For less than $400, hire a cleaning service for a thorough top-to-bottom scrubbing. Even if you clean regularly, there are nooks and crannies that you may miss or overlook. Let a cleaning service do the dirty work to really make your home sparkle.
Tip 3: Energy-efficient fixtures.
Outdated, broken or fans that are full of dust and/or mold are a major turn-off. A functional, decorative ceiling fan is a beautiful thing. It provides necessary light and, in warm months, creates a soft breeze reducing the need for expensive air conditioning. Replace old fixtures with new ones to make your home more enjoyable for you now and to increase the bottom line should you decide to sell.
Home Improvements: $400-$750
Tip 1: Small changes in the bathroom can equal a big return.
The two rooms that are the most important to renovate are the kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom is a great room to update for less than $750. One cost-effective change — like replacing an outdated vanity, old plumbing and lighting fixtures or adding a new tile floor — will guarantee a lot of bang for your buck and give your bath an updated, modern look.
Just as bathrooms need to be updated, so do kitchens! You don’t have to start from scratch to create a winning recipe. For maximizing your home’s value, kitchen updates are key. Start by swapping out just one item, such as a stained sink or ancient microwave for shiny new stainless models. Even small kitchen updates will add big value to your home.
Your dining room and living room and even some of your bedrooms may have carpets, but are they still in good condition? Nothing turns buyers off more than the thought that they will immediately need to replace all of the flooring in a home. Ideally, you may want to replace them all, but if a limited budget puts a snag in that plan, start by replacing the carpet in the room that shows the most wear and tear and replace the others as your finances allow.