Last Updated on January 28, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
When a homeowner puts their house on the market, they may not be aware of the countless unsaid rules of closing a successful deal or attracting the best buyer for your property.
While every type of sale does not require an extensive remodel (such as exclusive cash sales), most of the time it is necessary to do some sort of remodeling or renovation in order to increase the curb appeal and general value of the home.
1. Consult A Realtor
Realtors and real estate agents are a gold mine of information when it comes to market trends, demands, buyer preferences, and so forth. When selling a property, the aim is to keep costs and expenses minimal but still deliver value in order to fetch the best price.
If you can hire a market researcher then they may be able to provide even more insight than a realtor. Each neighborhood and area is different with regard to the demands of the real estate market so before carrying out any remodel, you should bear that in mind.
Try to get a preliminary evaluation done by an interior designer and have them draw up some prototypes of what the space could look like if it was remodeled in a style you prefer.
If you do not already have an interior design you love in mind, consider sites like Pinterest and Instagram to make inspiration and mood boards to decide on an aesthetic.
2. The BackdropÂ
The state of the walls is something everyone notices right after they have entered a space. Give the walls a nice new coat of paint, preferably in a lighter more neutral color tone so that the space available in the house is more apparent.
Oftentimes when houses have brighter wall paint or wallpaper, it can hide certain structural elements and make a space appear smaller.
If you are opting for wallpapering certain rooms, go for lighter colored more classic patterns so they exude a timeless appeal. You can buy vintage wallpapers as well or have your home remodeler suggest wallpaper that will go with the rest of your renovation style-wise.
3. Plenty Of Natural Foliage
Many homeowners underestimate the value of small touches added to a space in order to increase its value. While expensive home updating solutions are always appreciated, small touches like creating a homely vibe with candles and plenty of flowerpots and foliage should not be underestimated.
You can use natural foliage at the home’s entryway or porch and even in the bathroom and the main living area. Natural foliage works well in place of conventional decorative elements since it enhances the beauty of a space without creating needless clutter.
In general, you should keep décor items and furniture to a minimum especially if you are having your home professionally staged or if you are hosting an open house where potential buyers will be seeing your property for the first time.
If you have a garden or an outdoor sitting area, have it landscaped before any such event and keep lawn furniture to a minimum so buyers can see how much space they are working with and imagine possibilities.
4. Work On That Curbside Appeal
A high-value home is very much about its curbside appeal as well depending on how sought-after and well-kept the neighborhood is.
Paint the outside of your house such as windows (depending on its style) and carry out repairs such as fixing impaired drainage systems or a leaking roof.
An expert tip is to never spend a fortune simply to repair and sell an older property especially if you are not confident the sale will repay the effort twice over.
Work on smaller curbside elements like the fence or the lawn or the porch but avoid doing a complete renovation or change from the original home style concept. Many buyers actually prefer homes built in a certain older style or to depict a certain design era!
5. Sustainable Sells
Sustainable living and home concepts such as composting, supplementing grid energy with solar power panels or other ways to manage one’s carbon footprint are very popular and can help a home sell faster.
An environmentally conscious potential buyer will appreciate that the home has solar panels or other ways to manage waste etc responsibly. Lower cost interventions can have the same effect but a sustainable approach to managing the house is likely to give the illusion of a high-value home that is worth investing in and paying more for.
6. The Bathroom And The Kitchen
If as a homeowner you are on a budget for remodeling, there are two rooms you should direct and focus your attention on, which are the bathroom and the kitchen.
Most other rooms will suffice with only a fresh coat of paint but the bathroom and the kitchen age differently and are rooms that are extremely important for anyone looking to live in the space. Consider updating your kitchen with new backsplashes and tiling and newer appliances.
A good thorough deep cleaning can drastically change the look and feel of a space. If you are keeping your old appliances, clean them with specialty cleaners such as a steel cleaner.
Bear in mind that it is standard practice that a homeowner is compensated for the value of the appliances present in the home especially if they are new ones.
The bathroom can be retiled into a more modern style with newer fixtures and sanitary ware. Potential buyers evaluate the bathroom/s for reasons for hygiene and also because bathrooms are often excellent indicators of how the home has been maintained and how old it is.
Smaller touches like a deep clean, candles, foliage and natural light can all play in your favor in enhancing the inherent value of your home to a potential buyer.
If you have hardwood floors in the kitchen or in the vanity area, consider polishing them and unless they have rotted or have a termite problem, do not uproot them as aged wood is an aesthetic statement in itself.
