Selling a home is not an easy task; at times the journey can be a long one. The best thing is to ensure that everything is in order before listing the property for sale. While most homeowners may fail to note the main difference between ‘true upgrades’ and regular home maintenance, making real renovations will increase the value of the home and therefore increase the probability of being sold quicker. On the other hand, maintenance does not improve the value of your home but does maintain the overall integrity of the structure.
Here are seven pro tips on how to increase the value of your home:
1. Refresh interior paint
Upgrading the interior paint on your walls can prove to be a significant way to increase the value of a home. With the new one-coat paints, you can begin to cover your walls and give the home a brand-new look, without losing an arm or leg on materials. Neutral paints are recommended most since they usually appeal to many serious buyers, keep that in mind if you’re looking to sell your house fast.
2. Remodel the kitchen & bathrooms
When it comes to increasing the value of a home, two of the best areas to start with are remodeling the bathrooms and the kitchen. These two rooms are very important, and you won’t have to carry out a full floor-to-ceiling remodel to attract the best buyer. A kitchen or bathroom that is properly renovated, could bring in a serious buyer – this could include upgrading the faucets and countertops in both spaces.
3. Fluff up your attic
Homes built before 1990 are now pushing being 30 years old, and when a home reaches almost three full decades, it’s worth the time to peek into the attic. Chances are once you lift that attic hatch, the original insulation has compacted and is no longer up to code, nor keeping the cool air inside your home during the summer months. Feeling a cold draft during the winter? It could be your insulation leaking heated air through the attic and outside your home. Remodeling Magazine reported a 107.7% increase in ROI in 2017 from updating attic insulation.
4. Scrape off that popcorn ceiling
Popcorn ceilings are officially a thing of the past. This is a space where you can choose to do it all yourself, a partial job to bring in a professional to finish, or just let the pros come in and take care of it. If you elect to bring in a contractor to remove the popcorn, they should be able to remove it all from a 2,500 sq. ft home in less than a day’s work. Once the popcorn is removed, this becomes the fun part where you can choose different designs or even panels to put up on the ceiling.
5. Brighten up the home
Interior lighting is another one of the brightest ways of increasing its value – see what we did there? Apart from the cheerful look that a well-lit room brings, it also makes spaces look a bit larger and cleaner. A room that is properly lit also gives the potential buyer an impression that you have nothing to hide and therefore will feel free to tour and inspect various corners of the home.
6. Upgrade the landscaping
Curb appeal speaks to potential home buyers. A good tip is to walk out in your front yard and look at your home as a buyer would. Then, make a list of the landscaping items you would like to see upgraded and make a trip to Home Depot. Colorful plants and shrubs should improve the overall appeal of a home; however, it is important to go for something green when shopping at any garden center. The best thing to do is to purchase plants that are all-season plants as they will not only save you money but also require less maintenance.
7. Plumbing upgrades
It is very important to note that some of the things that help appraisers to determine your home’s value are its plumbing system. Most homebuyers also check the overall quality and flow when evaluating a potential purchase of a property. Things have been simplified as re-piping can now be done using PEX, which is not only reliable but can still move through the walls just like an extension cord.
Follow these seven pro tips to increase the overall value of your home and stay tuned for more helpful information on how to make other upgrades to your home.