5 Low-Cost Home Improvement Projects to Consider Before Listing a Home for Sale
When a homeowner decides to sell their home, they consider many factors that determine the price and how fast the property will sell. If the house is damaged or needs upgrades, the seller must choose the repairs and upgrades to undertake to ensure the home fetches a reasonable amount. Nobody wants to deal with too many issues raised by a property inspector when a potential buyer is present. Therefore, homeowners should consider home improvement projects with high return on investment.
An expensive remodeling project might be appealing because it will likely raise the property’s value. However, the seller should determine whether the upgrade will actually attract the target buyers willing to pay more to cover the remodeling costs. What if the repairs and upgrades differ from the target customers’ tastes and preferences? With these risks in mind, homeowners should consider low-cost projects that improve property appearance and value. This article highlights a few inexpensive home-improvement projects that can improve property value.
1. Clean, Repair, and Repaint the Walls
Neat and freshly painted walls can attract potential property buyers and make them willingly pay more for a property. Therefore, homeowners should hire Steinhoff’s Handyman Service to identify scratches and dents before repainting the walls. They should also consider scrubbing dirty walls with appropriate tools and cleaning products to ensure the house has a smooth and consistent finish. However, homeowners should choose the paint quality and colors wisely. Some experts recommend neutral colors for interiors, but light shades of blue, grey, pale blue, and powder blue could also attract customers. Bold colors may not attract as many customers, but the few they attract might be willing to pay more.
Bathrooms and kitchens have a significant influence on property buyers. Therefore, property sellers should consider full painting projects to make these spaces stand out. However, they should choose the right shade that matches other accessories to create the desired impression. If the house was recently painted but has a few marks, tiny scratches, and fingerprints, professional cleaners can wash the walls and avoid repainting.
2. Upgrade the Kitchen
A kitchen is like the heart of a home, which explains why people looking to sell their property should upgrade it. If the kitchen is spacious and has quality countertops and cabinets, experts recommend undertaking low-cost cosmetic upgrades to raise the property value and win more potential customers. Unfortunately, homeowners are always tempted to do a complete kitchen renovation, which is usually expensive and time-consuming. Such a project might attract many buyers, but the seller is not guaranteed tangible returns.
Homeowners should also depersonalize the kitchen by removing personal, religious, or political art or decorations. This allows potential buyers to envision themselves living in the property. If the budget allows, replacing a few kitchen appliances, such as dishwashers, dehumidifiers, microwaves, and cookers, could give the kitchen a new look. However, avoid installing expensive appliances, such as the AC and the refrigerator, since they could stretch the budget. Remember to repair the countertops to seal the cracks, dents, and nicks and clean them thoroughly. Homeowners should consider granite or marble if they need to upgrade the countertop because these materials appeal to many potential buyers.
3. Upgrade the Lighting
Some homes have old and dull lighting that consumes a lot of power. When upgrading a house for sale, changing the lighting is a simple, low-cost upgrade that creates a lasting impression. If any room has outdated bulbs, replace them with new energy-saving lighting to make the house energy efficient, which is a good negotiating point. Decorating lighting could also help increase the property value. Therefore, consider under-cabinet lighting, accent lighting, desk lamps, tread lighting, and bedside lamps. Since potential home buyers come for viewing at different times, ask the realtor to remember the lighting and how it makes the house stand out, depending on the viewing time.
Natural lighting is important when staging a home for sale. Therefore, property owners should invest in quality blinds or curtains that match the room’s décor and overall house design. Although curtains are attractive, they should not block the natural light. Exterior lighting also plays a critical role in enhancing the curb appeal, especially at night. Therefore, create a welcoming impression by installing path lighting and security lights. Always hire professionals to install lighting and ensure they are optimized to create the desired impression on target customers.
4. Seek Landscaping Services
Home buyers typically pay attention to the curb appeal when viewing homes for sale. A beautiful lawn with trees, green grass, and attractive flowers creates a great first impression. Since home sellers owe the buyers an inviting property, seeking landscaping services is always a good idea. However, homeowners do not necessarily have to spend a fortune upgrading the landscaping. Simple practices such as mowing the lawn, removing weeds, watering the grass, applying mulch, planting flowering flowers, and applying fertilizer could create the desired look.
Professional landscapers can plant the best trees and flowers and maintain the lawn for a hundred dollars every now and then. However, homeowners need a realistic plan when undertaking a landscaping plan. The results should always complement the structural and architectural design of the house and appeal to most buyers. Although many trees, flowers, and grass might be attractive, buyers with a tight schedule or looking for low-maintenance houses. Lawns require regular maintenance, and some buyers, particularly millennials, might treat this as a negative factor.
5. Replace Carpets
If the house is empty, the floor needs upgrade to capture the attention of buyers when they step inside the house. Old rugs look dull and might turn off home buyers. A relatively new carpet might require thorough cleaning, but old carpets with spills and stains should be replaced. Therefore, visit the leading carpet stores and buy quality carpets for different rooms.
Upgrading a home is always a good idea before listing it for sale. However, the homeowner should consider low-cost improvements that can transform a home and increase its value. These simple projects will increase property value and attract potential buyers without stretching the homeowner’s budget.
