Wood and tile floors are hugely popular right now with most buyers preferring either to carpet, especially in high traffic rooms.
When trying to sell a house, it’s important to start preparing ahead of time to maximize your profit. The best way to sell your home is to price it right, market it right with the right Realtor®, have professional photography, and stage the home. Doing all this will help you sell your home, get the most money for your home, and sell your home faster.
Staging is a huge aspect of selling your home as the average staged home sells for 6.7 percent more than a non-staged home. Just think of it like selling your car. If you were going to sell your car, most of us would wash and detail both the inside and the outside to make it look the best it can, and a car is an asset probably 5 to 15 times less in value than your home that never appreciates. You could lose a lot of money if you choose not to take the time and invest a little money now to make a few minor adjustments.
By upgrading any of these five main areas of your home, you will appeal to more buyers looking for a move-in ready home that’s in style while also putting more value into your house. These upgrades can add thousands of dollars to the sales price of a home without costing too much money up front. Some of the areas with the best return on investment are:
- Fixtures
- Counter Tops
- Flooring
- Cabinets
- Paint
Fixtures
Updating fixtures in most homes is well worth it and can provide a significant return on investment. This is especially true if you have older fixtures or the base models from when a home was built. While you don’t have to get top-of-the-line fixtures to get the most for your money, replacing faucets, knobs and even some light fixtures to more modern, in-style versions can help immensely in providing more value and make your home more appealing to potential buyers. Make sure to discuss whether replacing fixtures in your home is worth it with your local real estate expert.
Counter Tops
Depending on the price range you intend to sell your home for, the type of counters in your kitchen can be a big deal to potential buyers. Granite and silestone counters are hot right now with many buyers refusing to buy a home that has more traditional laminate counter tops. This can be an expensive investment, but having granite counters will bring in a wider buyer pool and could easily return your investment at closing.
If you’re unable to put in high-end counters, make sure to remove all small appliances and other items to maximize the appearance of space. Thoroughly clean every counter top to try to make it look as new as possible. Some times just cleaning and de-cluttering can make a huge difference.
Flooring
Of the five areas we suggest updating, flooring can often be the most expensive, but the return on investment can be significant. Worn out and stained carpet can be an instant turn off for buyers that don’t want to do any work as soon as they purchase their next home. Pet smells embedded in carpet can infiltrate the entire house, and while you as the owner might be used to the smell, strong odors of any kind are a huge turnoff to most buyers.
Wood floors and tile are increasingly popular with today’s buyers. These flooring types are easy to clean and maintain, while also allowing more decorating options to the home décor savvy shopper. If you don’t want to put the money in for hard flooring, new carpet in more well-traveled areas of the home can cause a tired room to instantly look newer and provide a more positive impression to potential buyers.
Cabinets
It doesn’t require a full remodeling job to freshen up your kitchen. If your cabinets show any sign of wear and tear, make sure to freshen them up. That might mean putting a coat of paint on them or replacing them with something more modern. Just make sure they fit well within the rest of the kitchen and are a neutral color.
Paint
Neutral paint makes it easier for buyers to imagine their own interior decorating styles.
Adding a new coat of paint is like giving a face lift to your entire house. Scuff marks and scratches from daily life disappear. Choose a neutral color paint like taupe so that buyers aren’t distracted by more personalized bright colors. Most buyers have a hard time seeing past a brightly colored wall to see the potential of a room, especially if their own personal decorating style doesn’t fit with the custom color choice. A neutral tone will also make rooms look larger and brighter than a more decorative color.
The same things can be said for exterior paint, so make sure to put your home’s best face forward by freshening any exterior paint that might have dulled in the sun over the years. The state of the exterior will determine whether a buyer ever makes it through the front door, so make sure it’s in the best state possible!
Even though we’re in a seller’s market, buyers are pickier than ever and expect more. Many people do not have the imagination to see through the seller’s possessions and personal décor to see what the home might be like for them. There is a reason why builders spend tens of thousands of dollars decorating and staging their model homes to perfection. So the best advice is to put your personal taste and ego aside, and stage your home to sell to get the best overall value out of your home.
If you’d like to learn more about staging and what to-do items would gain you the most when selling your home, call the RJF Team at 512.537.4977. We would love to help you get the most for your home!
