If you are selling your home and want to make it stand out without breaking the bank, you need to plan wisely to ensure that every renovation dollar you spend realises a good return on investment. You should never spend over ten-percent of current market value on property upgrades, so go through your home with a critical eye, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and use the following tips to work out where your money is best spent.
- The mighty first impression
This is stating the obvious, but many homes on the market fail to attract would-be buyers before they have even stopped the car. A home must look inviting from the street. Ensure driveways are cleaned or repainted, rejuvenate gardens and keep the lawn neat and green. Make sure all windows are clean, and the front door looks elegant and appealing.
- Get onto the little jobs
You know the jobs we’re talking about! They are the ones everybody puts off – cleaning dirty exhaust fans, washing down roofs and cleaning out gutters, cleaning around light switches, dusting off ceiling fans, stopping the squeak on that pesky screen door. The list usually goes on and on in any family home, but while you may have grown used to your home’s ‘quirks’ buyers will be quick to notice any detail that looks like neglect and possibly future maintenance.
- Start painting
Nothing says modern and clean like freshly painted walls in neutral tones. Don’t skimp on paint quality and do make sure surfaces are properly prepared. A home that is decorated to a professional standard will always stand out in buyer’s minds.
- Kitchen and Bathroom remodels
Yes, we know that kitchens and bathrooms can be notoriously expensive and difficult to renovate, but a little bit of imagination and lashings of hard work can makeover most kitchens or bathrooms. These are big ticket rooms that, when updated with care, will really sell homes.
- Kitchens can break the bank, or they can undergo modest facelifts to make them fresh and appealing. Start by getting that paint brush out. Tired cupboards can be given a new lease of life with modern tones, or you may prefer to replace the doors on the cabinets. Update light fittings and add some downlighting or in-cupboard lights on glassed cabinets. Focus on the details to impress the buyers. You will be amazed at the difference updated tapware, light switches, and door handles can make.
- Bathrooms can also blow the budget if you let dreams get in the way of planning and profit. Remember to aim for clean, uncluttered spaces that exude class without the price ticket. Repaint bathroom walls and clean and regrout tiles. Update tapware and consider buying quality second-hand tubs and hand basins if your current ones are tired or outdated. Look for signature pieces that fit the style of your bathroom, such as old drying ladders or antique urns and jugs.
Last but not least, make sure your home has a cohesive style and feel, and is neat, tidy and inviting when prospective buyers come to view. Nobody likes strong odours, so make sure carpets, bedding and curtains are clean. Remember less is more – rooms should be neatly presented with uncluttered benches and accent colours and decorative touches matched throughout the property. Rest assured that the extra effort you put into planning, painting and presentation will be more than worth it when buyers start rolling through the door.
