Selling your home is stressful. Don't compound that stress by taking on a major home improvement project that may or may not pay off. Instead, tackle these six easy fixes, and sell your home faster and for more money. They're listed from most expensive (but still cheap) to free!
1. Give your kitchen a face-lift
There may be no need to tear up the floors and rip out the cabinets. For a fraction of the cost, new hardware on your cabinets and a new sink set may be just enough. Selectively upgrade your appliances. Touching up the paint can finish the transformation. Sometimes, a face-lift can make a more effective difference than a whole new face.
2. Upgrade your bathrooms on the cheap
After the kitchen, most buyers look to the bathrooms. Instead of replacing the tub, toilet, and sink, it may make more sense to simply regrout what's already there. Vinyl tiles can be easily installed, oftentimes on top of existing surfaces. This can give the bathroom a new, fresh look without the demolition, headaches, and expense of a full-fledged renovation. A few dollars at your local hardware store on cleaning supplies can make the room shine -- and perhaps make the house sell.
3. Revamp your storage spaces and declutter your closets
When buyers visit your home, they ask themselves how they'll organize their stuff in the new space. You can show them how. If your closets and other storage areas are cluttered, disorganized, or cramped, the buyers will see their stuff cluttered and cramped in that same space. Invest in an overhaul of your storage space with a closet organization system. These systems are pretty cheap, and they can dramatically change the feeling a buyer gets when moving through your house.
4. More light!
On a sunny afternoon, walk through your house and take note of how your curtains and other window dressings impact the level of light in the home. Consider adjusting the setup to allow the maximum amount of natural light into your home. At the same time, give each window a thorough cleaning inside and out. Our objective is for your home to feel as warm, happy, and welcoming as possible. Adding natural light is a simple and free way to do that.
5. Even more light!
Take note of all of your light fixtures throughout the house. Consider replacing any fixtures that appear dated or fail to bring plenty of warm light into the space. Same theory as above, except this time we are supplementing the natural light from the sun.
6. Spend an afternoon cleaning the yard
Curb appeal! Spending just a few hours on a weekend afternoon to edge the drive, cut the grass, and trim the bushes is a simple and free way to dramatically improve the appeal of your home. First impressions matter! Don't lose thousands of dollars on an offer just because you didn't rake the leaves.
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