Selling a Home? Improve Your Odds of Success with These Affordable Updates

Homeowners who are planning to sell their home soon are likely hoping for lots of buyer interest, good offers, and a fast trip to the closing table. But sellers who take the time to make some updates in their home may be able to increase their chances for this type of success. Want to know more? Here are some of the most affordable updates proven to have real impact on getting a home sold. 

Make Bathrooms and Kitchens Shine

The two rooms most likely to grab buyer attention are the bathroom and the kitchen, and even modest updates in these rooms can really pay off. Some affordable improvements to consider for these rooms are: 

• replacing worn, discolored caulking around tubs, sinks, showers, and vanity areas
• making these rooms feel new with a coat of fresh paint on both ceilings and walls, using colors that will help these rooms look larger and more attractive
• removing dated wall coverings and replacing it with updated wall paper or paint
• painting dark kitchen cabinets white or another lighter color to make the kitchen seem new and welcoming
• replacing worn or ugly cabinet door knobs and drawer pulls with vintage or whimsical ones to draw buyer attention and add more appeal 
• adding inexpensive under-cabinet lighting to brighten kitchen work spaces
• removing harsh light bulbs in bathrooms and replacing them with bulbs that cast warmer, more flattering light

Make the Entrance Memorable

Prospective buyers often form an opinion of the home they are viewing within minutes of arriving, so it makes sense for sellers to make sure the first few minutes are memorable ones. To do this affordably, sellers can consider: 

• replacing battered mailboxes or missing house numbers with new, attractive ones.
• giving the front door a fresh coat of paint in a vibrant, attractive color.
• making the front porch more welcoming by adding an attractive welcome mat, pots or hanging baskets of fresh greenery or flowers, and a bench or other attractive seating options.
• making sure that sidewalks, steps, and porches are all clean, neat, and free of debris or seasonal issues, such as grass clippings in spring and summer, fallen leaves in autumn, and snow or ice in winter.

Provide buyers with attractive outdoor living spaces

Outdoor spaces are extremely popular with buyers. But sellers who have seen any of the home improvement shows that offer expensive versions of these spaces probably thinks they cannot afford to offer this type of improvement. But buyers can be almost as happy to find simple, inexpensive outdoor spaces that sellers can put together without breaking the bank. 

A couple of inexpensive outdoor living space options sellers might consider are: 

• removing the sod in a small circular or square area in the backyard, then adding a layer of pea gravel or sand to provide a "floor", adding comfortable seating, and building or installing a portable fire pit.
• placing inexpensive cement pavers down in a quiet area of the yard and topping them with a bench or chairs and a table to hold drinks or snacks.

Changing window treatments to give the interior a new look

Few things change the look of a room or an entire home faster than finding a way to bathe the area in natural light. For sellers, the best news is that adding more natural light to a room may be as easy as removing blinds, shades, drapes, and curtains.

If doing this will create privacy issues, such as in bathrooms or bedrooms, sellers may want to consider using gauzy fabric shades capable of allowing natural light to filter in while still maintaining privacy in these rooms. Sellers also need to make sure that these newly uncovered windows are clean and free of spots and streaks. 

Rooms that do not have enough windows to get a significant amount of natural light or those that offer unattractive views can still have the appearance of more natural light. To do this, change out harsh bulbs in lamps and ceiling fixtures, replacing them with ones that will offer a more natural type of light. 

For even more affordable ways to improve the appearance and marketability of a home without breaking the bank, sellers can ask their real estate professional for advice. Agents work on the cutting edge of real estate trends and have real, time-centric information about what buyers are hoping to find in the homes they view.