We’ve all heard that location, kitchens, and bathrooms sell homes, but did you know you can increase the value of your home and attract buyers without spending big bucks? A total renovation of a kitchen or bathroom can run into the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars, but you can accomplish a lot with these four low-cost DIY projects.
Give Your Curb Appeal More Appeal
If you want to sell your house, you have to convince people to come inside. That means making the outside gleam. Clean up all debris and remove any dead plant material. Power wash your siding, mulch your flower beds, and repaint the foundation.
The money you spend on landscaping your home often boasts as much as and often more than a 100% return when you sell it. If you have narrow nondescript foundation beds, enlarge them with gently curved beds that extend four feet out. Add decorative shrubs and ever-blooming flowers like Stella D’Oro day lilies or hosta. However, if you don’t have a ton of time or money to invest in landscaping, do the minimum: Make the outside look neat by mowing the grass, cleaning up trash and dead plant material, mulching flower beds and planting a few annuals for an easy but effective exterior face lift.
Install a New Front Door
A new entry door painted a bright complementary color can be installed with basic tools in a day. A bright front door gives your home an upscale, welcoming appearance. If your front porch looks drab freshen it up with a bit of paint, hang a wreath and/or add a pot of bright annuals for even more eye-catching detail. Minimum: Paint your front door, trim and any wood on the porch.
Clean, Repaint, Declutter
Rent a storage unit and remove at least a third of the “stuff” inside your home and depersonalize. A real estate agent can help you decide what to remove and what to leave. This will help potential buyers see themselves as well as their own belongings in that space.
Now, clean every room and repaint the walls a soothing neutral color. Bright white can actually be a bit overwhelming. Choose a soothing shade of cream or gray and use bright white on the trim for a polished look. Remember this is not for you, it’s for the sale. Minimum: Declutter and touch-up the trim paint.
Update Just One Part of Your Kitchen
A kitchen overhaul can cost serious money, but most people can add a backsplash, fix a leaky faucet, paint outdated cabinets and replace the old knobs over a weekend. Anything you do to make your kitchen more appealing can add value to your home and help it to sell faster. Just as with the rest of the house, remove as much clutter as you can and show off the best parts of the room. Minimum: Fix leaky faucets, clean and degrease, declutter countertops.
If you feel overwhelmed, a real estate professional can help you identify which areas need work, what to focus on, and how to make great progress without spending more money that you have. No matter what your situation may be, any “sweat equity” you put in can still get you a better price on your home—all you need is the right to-do list.
You might also like:
- Six Tax Break Tricks for New Homeowners
- The Costs of Moving: 4 Thrifty Tips to Keep Your Next Move Cheap
- Home Repairs You Should Think about Saving up For
- Finding the Right Material for Your Roof
- 5 Ways Buying the Wrong Home Can Haunt You
