It ALWAYS depends. It depends on what your goals are. Are you motivated by time or money? The answer to that drives my response to your personal situation. Likely there is always something you can do to increase your home value to a prospective Buyer.
We recently had a client whose house was painted an unusual color which made it feel dark and heavy. While painting isn’t always necessary, even in today’s market, we did suggest repainting the house a beautiful fresh neutral shade because today’s buyer is all about light and bright. It was an absolute game-changer on how it depersonalized and opened up the space. Paint provides a powerful return on investment…It returned at least double their investment.
You hire us for our expertise. We want your house to sell at its maximum value – and that’s why we always make recommendations on any home improvements you could make.
Before we list your house, we will have honest conversations with you about the kind of offers you’re likely to get for your home if we listed it as-is. We then help you identify areas that could elevate the size of these offers, such as:
- Repainting rooms
- Updating light fixtures
- Replacing carpet/flooring
- Updating garage doors
- Power-washing the exterior
- Cleaning windows
- Upgrading cabinets
- Replacing door/cabinet hardware
- Weeding your yard
- Replacing the roof
- Upgrading appliances
- Replacing outdoor greenery
- Adding a new welcome mat
- Removing window treatments/drapes
- Replacing light bulbs
Of course, some of these improvements could cost more, such as replacing a roof, but could be necessary to earn the kind of sales value you’re looking to receive. Each of these investments is completely up to you! We only make suggestions that are likely to bring you a high return on investment.
Just like having your house staged will help you release your emotional connection to the house, making these home improvements also helps you detach. When the house no longer feels like yours, it’s easier to let it go.
How Else Can I Maximize My Home’s Value?
The devil is in the details. Always & always. What is the first impression when someone walks up to your front door for the first time? Is the doorbell cracked? Are there spiderwebs on the porch? Is the welcome mat dated and worn out?
Right or wrong, buyers will judge these details – as well as the overall cleanliness of your house – as an indication of how well you took care of it, in your years of ownership. So take those extra few minutes to wipe down counters, scrub away fingerprints from the patio door, and put fresh flowers in your flowerpots.
In fact, one of the details you should never overlook is cleaning your light switch covers! When people walk through the house, they’re going to be turning on/off the lights. Wipe them down (or replace any that are dingy) prior to listing your house.
While cleaning isn’t included in our staging services, we always emphasize to sellers what an impact a clean house will make on potential buyers. Cleanliness is critical.
What other questions do you have about getting your house ready to sell? We are always here to help! Reach out to Sandra Ranck Real Estate, today.