When selling your home, you often need to make improvements to make it more appealing to potential buyers, which helps you get a higher price.
If you spend too much on improvements, you may not be able to recoup that cost on your sale price. But if you focus on low-cost improvements, you’ll get a lot more value for your money.
Here are five recommended low-cost improvements for selling your home:
Cleaning and Decluttering
With a projected cost of $290 and a potential 586% ROI, cleaning and decluttering is one of the best low cost improvements for sellers prior to listing their home.
Try purchasing heavy duty storage bins or outfitting your garage with ceiling storage. Save a weekend for deep cleaning or consider hiring a service to perform a “move-out” home cleaning.
Lightening and Brightening
A few simple steps can go a long way to lighten up your home. Try rearranging furniture or painting rooms in a lighter color, such as pale yellow to mimic natural light.
You can also lighten your space by switching out old lighting with energy efficient bulbs, which are easier on the eyes. Adding a floor lamp to a dark corner can also help to lighten it up.
On average, this improvement costs about $375 and can yield a 313% return.
Home Staging
Not everyone is an interior decorator which is why hiring an experienced home stager helps with an almost 300% return on the investment. Staging can make homes more appealing to potential buyers, especially if you’ve already moved out and your house is otherwise empty.
The typical cost of a home staging is $550 and is a great investment for homeowners wanting to minimize their stress while preparing to list their home.
Landscaping
Curb appeal is one of the most used phrases in the Real Estate world and for good reason. It’s the first thing buyers see when they drive up to your home.
Enlisting the help of a professional landscaping company is often a worthwhile investment. They possess the design knowledge and manpower to turn your yard into an oasis for potential buyers.
First impressions are everything in the housing market so be sure your curb appeal is up to par before you list your home. This small investment will offer large return, usually to the tune of 250% at closing.
Plumbing and Electrical
Potential buyers are usually wary of any issues that could arise with their new home. Having a plumbing and electrical inspection performed will allow you to spot issues before the buyer or their agent does.
Update bathroom and kitchen fixtures such as faucets or towel rings can give your home a more modern look. Having the wiring replace for potentially underpowered circuits or outlets is another low cost improvement.
Your investment could be well worth it, as plumbing and electrical updates often net at least a 181% return.
Just be sure you work with a licensed and certified professional to ensure the work that’s done is safe and up to code.
