Selling a house comes with many challenges. On the other hand, there are a few things you can do that will make the process easier and less time-consuming. One of those things is a little home improvement. Find out how you can get your home market-ready without going overboard on things that might be overlooked by buyers.
1. Roofing
The roof is one of the most important things covered in any home inspection or appraisal. A home inspector will strongly advise any buyer that the roof needs to be in good condition before buying. The experts at TSimpsonRoofing.ca can shed a light on exactly what your roof needs for the house to be market-ready. Roofs can be expensive to replace and require a professional’s expertise. This might scare away potential buyers or force you to go far below your asking price.
2. Flooring
Dingy carpet, scratched hardwood, or stained tiles can take away a lot of life from a room. Tearing up old hardwood and replacing it can be very expensive, and will probably cost more than you’re willing to spend on a house you won’t be living in. Look into some inexpensive alternatives such as concrete or corkscrew floors. These can give a room a completely different vibe and compliment many different color schemes and decorum. For playrooms, carpet squares are a good option as they’re easy to install, remove, and replace, and don’t require a carpet pad.
3. Window Screens
A snagged screen is an eyesore, and you’ll want to keep those to a minimum. Window screens are very cheap to replace and anyone can do it. It’s worth the tiny amount of time it’ll cost you to fix. Also, by having fresh screens on all your windows, this will allow you to open all the windows in your house. That way, you can air your house out while deep cleaning it to get it market-ready. It’s also a nice touch to have some windows open while showing it to possible buyers, who will then picture themselves having a coffee and enjoying a book next to the window.
4. Lawn and Garden
The front lawn could be the difference between potential buyers stopping in their tracks to give your home a lookover, or driving right by. There’s not many people who want to tackle the beast of landscape renovation on top of changing addresses, applying for home insurance, and other various steps of settling into a new home. If you want to attract buyers, the lawn and garden must be vibrant and well-kempt. Any overgrowth or lifeless plants or patches of grass will surely turn people off.
5. Paint
Much like the flooring in your homes, the paint job can immensely affect the emotions evoked within all the attendees of your open house nights you’ll be hosting. It’s probably the cheapest renovation you can make that has the highest return. You don’t need to hire a professional to do it, and it can be done within hours or days depending on how many rooms you want to paint. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the colors or patterns you choose. A burgundy dining room in a house full of beige has been known to inspire a celebratory feeling in those who dine in it.
6. Lighting
If you don’t have any electrical repairs to make, adding some modern light fixtures can give a room a different look while also setting the mood. Be mindful of the type of lighting you can use to appeal to buyers. If you show your house during the day time, then make sure you show off all the nice windows in your home. However, if you’re showing a room that doesn’t have much natural light, make sure that the room has some nice accent lighting that will give it another kind of allure. A mantlepiece light or dimmer for the overhead lights can add a lot of value to your home.
7. Pet Damage
There’s nothing that can make a house feel less like your own than the smell of someone else’s animals. If there’s carpet in your home that has been marked by your animal several times, then there’s a chance that the urine has soaked into the bottom layers and even the wood beneath the carpet. This can cause health problems and a smell that will be there for the long haul. Don’t even think about putting your house up for sale until damages from pets have been repaired. Otherwise, the asking price will take a massive hit.
Most of these repairs will result in a much higher return than their cost. Don’t be intimidated by the numbers when the quotes start coming in. Most of them have cheap alternatives, and the ones that don’t will add tremendous value to your home and make buyers fall in love with your property.
