In today’s competitive housing market, it can be difficult to determine what home improvements to tackle in order to sell your home. You don’t want to invest too much out-of-pocket cash into a home you are trying to sell, but you need to make some improvements to the property to ensure that it shines in the crowd. Where do you even begin? What projects should you tackle first? Which projects give you the most bang for your buck? Homes.com is here to help you answer all of your housing questions and today we will share the top 5 projects that will get your listing sold quickly!
Project 1: Declutter and Organize
Decluttering your home is the most important and potentially the most difficult task to accomplish out of all of the projects recommended. But let’s face it. Folded and stored laundry, tidy closets, and clean kitchens simply show better when compared to overflowing laundry piles, messy closets, and cluttered countertops. You may need to rent a storage unit to store your clutter while your house is on the market.
Before tackling the clutter, try to view your home through the eyes of a buyer! Be ruthlessly critical and ruthlessly nosy in each area of your home and tackle accordingly. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to look in every room, every drawer, and every closet making sure they are all clean and tidy. Your kitchen may be gorgeous, but if there are old mouse droppings in a kitchen drawer it will count as a strike against you. Another helpful tip is to go through your closets and pack away any clothing you can part with for the time being. Closets with plenty of open storage give the impression of being more spacious and therefore more appealing.
Project 2: Brighten Everything
Homes that feel light and bright will sell faster than homes that feel heavy and dark. To brighten your space, consider doing the following:
- Clean the windows (interior and exterior)
- Replace and upgrade lightbulbs
- Update worn-out light fixtures
- Freshen up paint on walls, trim, and ceilings
Tip: When updating light fixtures, before purchasing a new one consider how you might be able to revamp the existing fixture with a can of spray paint and a new shade.
Project 3: Spruce up the Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of every home and can make or break a home sale. Upgrading your appliances and painting dated kitchen cabinetry will improve the desirability of your listing. If these upgrades aren’t within your budget, then consider making smaller updates such as removing outdated wallpaper borders, taking off a few cabinet doors to create “open shelving”, and freshening up the wall color. Homes.com has some fantastic posts in our Idea Gallery that go into further detail on how to freshen up your kitchen on a budget. You might want to check out the following:
- How to DIY to a Kitchen You Adore
- How to Install a New Kitchen Light Fixture
- How to Update Kitchen Cabinets
- How to Update Your Kitchen on a Budget
Project 4: Welcome Them at the Door
The exterior of your home and your entryway are the first two things that greet home buyers. Welcome them at the door with curb appeal and a clean entryway. To get the exterior of your home ready, pull all weeds, prune bushes, mulch, cut the grass, and invest in a few container planters. The advantage of container gardens is that they can move with you to your new home! You may also consider painting your front door a fresh and inviting color. To get your entryway ready, be sure it is clean and void of clutter, mail, shoes, or excessive coats. However, a few well-placed items for staging purposes are encouraged!
Project 5: Stage it!
You want to showcase your home in the best possible light and this means taking a bit of the “reality” out of everyday living. If you are still living in the home you are trying to sell, staging can be difficult and inconvenient for your family. However, it is an imperative step that will help your home sell quickly. Consider doing the following when staging your home:
- Pack away personal photos and other personal items.
- Purchase fresh and fluffy towels for the bathrooms.
- Place fresh flowers on tables and nightstands.
- Freshen up bedding with a new throw or toss pillows.
- Store any unnecessary furniture items.
- Keep only two small kitchen appliances on your countertops.
If you follow any Decorating/DIY bloggers like myself, you will notice that all of our home photos are staged. We live the same messy chaotic lives as the rest of the world, complete with paper clutter and laundry piles, but we stage our photos because it simply sells better. Your home will sell faster if it is staged. For more tips on how to stage your home, check out Home Staging Tips from a Real Estate Expert.
Deciding to place your home on the market can be a daunting task, but Homes.com is here to help you every step of the way! Have you had success selling your home quickly in today’s market? We’d love to hear what tips worked for you! Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
