Selling a home can be expensive and time consuming. Fortunately, there are some inexpensive things you can do to help boost its value. Although not every home will require the same amount of pre-work to sell it, these are some ways to help boost your homes desirability. Let’s get to a few low-cost ways you can prepare your house to really shine and boost its home value.
Curbside Appeal
The first thing a prospective buyer will notice is the condition of the exterior of the home. Is paint chipping? Does the front door look clean and sturdy? Does the front door open without sticking or creaking loudly? You want the first impression of your home to be equal to the price you’re asking.
In Oklahoma, we have red dirt, and it tends to stick to the sides of houses. This is very unsightly. For homes with light colored exterior paint, power wash the sides of your home. Clean up flower beds, shrubs and trees so they look neat and tidy. If possible, plant some freshly colored flowers near the door can bring a smile to your buyers face.
Declutter, Deep clean and Minor Interior Fixes
If you’re showing a home while still living there, there are some basic steps you can take in order to make sure your house looks neat and tidy.
• Remove and put into storage (or donate!) all of the non-essentials.
• Keeping the interior to a minimum helps the prospective buyer to really see the house.
Professional Organizer Becky Marple of BeeNeat.com says this about tidying up a space for home showings,
“Even in the most beautiful homes, when closets are stuffed and even worse the counters and open spaces are cluttered, they become a serious distraction for buyers. Studies show that most potential buyers simply cannot see beyond the clutter.
Some Tips Becky uses When Packing for Clients
“We use all the old towels to pack up breakables and encourage homeowners to buy all new all matching white fluffy towels to help stage their home. Keep it simple, most families just need 4-6 towels per bathroom, don’t overstuff those cabinets or closets. I have found TJ Maxx or Marshalls has the fluffiest and least expensive towels. The same goes for sheets, pillowcases and blankets. Only keep one or two per bed, and folded nicely in the linen closet. The rest can be used to pack and move. Once you arrive at your new home, donate on to a local animal shelter.
Kitchens and closets are the most problematic areas.
“If your kitchen and closets are crowded, cluttered, or mismatched, it will feel small and uninviting. Potential buyers will not see how the home could work for them. Declutter as much as possible! Go through and categorize “like with like”. If you have multiples of certain items get rid of the ones that are older, less loved, less used, broken, etc.
Becky’s Pro Tip: See your space in the eye of the buyer.
Before anyone steps foot into your home they will first see photos, so make sure they’re good. You don’t want your home to be scrolled on by and dismissed. Before your home hits the market, be sure to see it how your buyers will see it. This is how you do it:
Take a photo of the room with your cell phone and then analyze that photo.
What looks nice and perfectly placed in real life may actually look like clutter in photos.
I encourage almost nearly every single counter clear of anything on it whatsoever. I know that sounds harsh and overdoing it, but when the professional photos are taken, I can’t emphasize this enough. Your buyers will be more forgiving when they view your home in person and they see someone still lives there. For photos, however, be sure to show the beautiful bones of your home.”
After decluttering, hiring a cleaning crew to come in and perform a ‘deep clean’ can really make your home shine and feel welcoming to would-be buyers.
Depending on the size of the house and condition it’s in, a deep clean should at least include:
• baseboards
• walls
• doors
• carpets
• windows
• counters
When showing a home, it’s a good idea to take down personal photographs of yourself, as well as properly store all valuables and jewelry in a separate and secure location. The goal is to keep the focus on your home, and increase its attractiveness to buyers.
An easy and cheap way to boost your home value is to fix broken door handles and cabinet handles. Make sure all cabinets, shower hinges, etc. open properly. Unless the damage is significant, you can likely fix these yourself or with the help of a local handyman. Ask your Realtor or neighbors for recommendations.
Interior Updates
After decluttering and deep cleaning, fresh paint may be needed especially if wall colors are ‘unique’ or have visible marks and damage. Updating the walls can help the buyer feel like they have less to ‘fix’ later. Just because you love the pink or dark blue walls doesn’t mean everyone does.
Along with a fresh coat of paint, updating the lighting fixtures and bulbs can help a home feel up-to-date. Outdated lighting fixtures may prompt a potential buyer to pass on the home in order to find something with less hassle. Or, they will request a concession in order to make the updates themselves.
Interior Designer Sarah Bass from Innovative Spaces Design has this to say about helping your space feel fresh and new:
“Paint can transform a space in many ways. A light paint color can make a small space appear larger. A large room can be grounded by adding an accent wall or painting built-in shelves an accent color. Cabinet grade paint can do wonders for dated cabinetry.
“What might work well in one home may not work in another home. And if you are going to all the trouble to repaint the interior or exterior of your home, you’ll want it to look the best you can. I recommend hiring a local interior design professional who offers in-home consultations to make your home market ready.
Hiring an Interior Design Professional can Help Boost your Home Value
“An interior design professional can come into your home and offer a fresh perspective and coordinate paint colors. They can also make customized recommendations that may be just the ticket to appeal to a large audience of home buyers.
“A professional can also offer tips for arranging your furniture, what furniture might need to be eliminated to make the space appear larger, and other tips for making your home appealing to homebuyers.
“Many interior designers will either charge a flat fee for this type of service or an hourly rate. Your Realtor may know of a professional who offers these services, or ask a family or friend for a recommendation. Social media community groups is another great way to get a recommendation, in addition to your own internet research.
Sarah’s Pro Tip: Match your Lightbulbs
“One tip to aid in the overall appeal of your home is to change all your light bulbs to the same color output. Color output in light bulbs is signified by the kelvin number of the bulb.
“For residential homes, a kelvin scale between 2700 and 3000 would typically work well.
“I recommend utilizing a local specialty lighting store vs. a box store to find light bulbs. I have found the price of their bulbs to be very reasonable and they can assist in making sure you have the correct bulbs for each room of your home.”
Kitchen
Ah, the kitchen, the center of the house for most families today. Make sure your appliances match if possible. It is typical for a seller to leave appliances, but this can be negotiated. Ordering new doors for appliances that are scratched or dented can be an inexpensive way to make them feel new again.
Make sure cabinet doors all function properly, and look neat and clean. If they are outdated, a fresh coat of paint or stain can help them feel current again. Check your backsplash as well, as that’s an area of high focus to make sure it’s clean and consider replacing if not current. If you are living in your home while showing it, make sure your trash is emptied, and there are no lingering smells in the kitchen from that salmon dinner the night before.
Flooring
Many home builders today are opting for wood or tile floors for their ease of cleaning. A fresh waxing or cleaning from the deep clean should suffice unless damaged. Carpeted rooms should be steam cleaned and replaced if visibly worn. For homes with tile that has light colored grout, have the grout steam cleaned.
Bathrooms
If the bathroom is outdated, but a renovation isn’t within your budget, there are still a few inexpensive things you can do:
• New toilet seat
• Updated lighting fixtures
• Match your lightbulbs
This should be covered in your deep clean, but make sure your toilet, sink and tubs are sparkle clean.
Whew, we’ve covered a lot here! These inexpensive tips can help you boost the value of your home for prospective buyers. Most buyers today don’t want to move in feeling like they have a ‘project’ on their hands. There are many professionals able to assist with these tips, so ask your Realtor for recommendations.
Jimmy Hughes is the owner + broker of JMR Realty. He works directly with home buyers and sellers in the Oklahoma City Metro and Edmond areas. He loves saving sellers their equity by listing at 1% or $999 flat fee.
Call Jimmy at 405-888-3148 or email him at jhughes@jmrrealtyok.com