Post by Suzie Wilson
Selling your home for the first time can be just as exciting as it was buying one. You have to stay on top of the market and coordinate with a real estate agent in order to sell at the highest price. As you begin the process of listing your home, you should consider its current condition and the various ways you can increase its value. Here are some home improvement tips for upping the resale value of your home.
Start from the Bottom Up
When putting your home up for sale, you’ll want to check a few necessities. How much work you put into your home before selling is up to you, but most buyers will expect a minimum level of structural integrity in the home. That’s why the first place you should always look is your home’s foundation. You’ll want to have your foundation thoroughly checked for signs of shifting or weakening. If you spot something troubling, you’ll want to fix it ASAP. The average cost to repair a foundation is $3,097, which could be well worth it when you consider the impact on how your home will fare on the market.
Revitalize Your Bathroom and Kitchen
Once you’ve handled all of the bare necessities, you can begin to work on the cosmetic aspects of your home. If you’re looking to get the most out of your DIY projects, you should focus on the rooms that buyers are most drawn to: bathrooms and kitchens. These rooms are important, functional, and shared spaces in your home. If these rooms fall short of impressing buyers, you might find it difficult to sell your home at your desired price.
As you work to maximize the value of your home, take on a handful of projects to spruce up your kitchen and bathroom. Painting the walls, adding new cabinets, or even re-tiling floors can give these rooms a fresh clean look that will entice buyers. Something as simple as painting the walls a lighter color can make a small bathroom feel ten times larger, and adding extra shelves in your kitchen will maximize both functionality and space.
Up Your Curb Appeal
The first impression buyers will have of your home is how it looks from the outside. For some buyers, seeing a house with a poorly-manicured lawn and shoddy exterior is enough for them to skip an inside tour altogether. You need to make a good first impression to bring buyers in, so you will want to spend some time making sure the exterior of your home is impeccable.
To wow buyers, make sure your yard and garden are well groomed. Trim your grass and bushes, and fill your beds with fresh mulch to give your yard a clean, even look. Next, give the face of your house a good washing, touch up paint on the trim, and make sure your roof isn’t patchy. If you really want to take your home’s exterior to the next level, you should look into adding your own patio or walkway or an additional communal space to your home.
Essentially, the more you put into your home, the more you will get out of it. Talk with your real estate agent and get a pulse on the current housing market in your area. Know what people are looking for, and never forget how much any space in your home can change for the better with a clear vision and a little elbow grease.
Suzie Wilson is an interior designer with more than 20 years experience. What started as a hobby (and often, a favor to friends) turned into a passion for creating soothing spaces in homes of every size and style. While her goal always includes making homes look beautiful, her true focus is on fashioning them into serene, stress-free environments that inspire tranquility in all who enter. The Ultimate Guide to Prepping Your Home for an Open House (her new book Coming Soon) is filled with tips, tricks and other advice based on Suzie’s years of experience in interior home design that will set you up for success.