Selling your home is no small task. There is a lot involved. That’s why you should have an eye toward the future. If you plan on selling your home down the road, you can make some decisions early on that can help. We’re talking about home renovations. Your focus should be to add value to your home so that your investment can yield a greater return. Let’s look at the dos and don’ts of renovating a house in light of eventually selling it.
DO upgrade to an energy-efficient steel front door. They are more secure, look great, and go a long way in making a good first impression. Remember that curb appeal is a huge selling factor when making a first impression.
DON’T waste your money on a fiberglass door. The higher cost simply doesn’t impact the selling price.
DO paint. It may not be the most enjoyable job in the world, but it goes a long way. A fresh coat of paint can easily breathe new life into a home, and it’s relatively inexpensive if you can do the work yourself.
DON’T wallpaper. If there ever were seven deadly sins of home renovation, this would be one of them. Wallpaper is a huge turn-off to buyers as they will be thinking about how much work it will take to remove it.
DO landscape around your property. Again this one goes back to curb appeal. A mix of gorgeous perennials and low-cost annuals will give your home some breathtaking curb appeal.
DON’T invest in a pool if you plan on selling. Pools severely limit the “pool” of potential buyers interested in your property.
DO undertake minor repair work. Do a complete walk-through of your home. Some common things to look for are chipped paint, broken blinds, and missing or broken outlet covers. Now’s the time to fix them – before putting your home on the market and potential buyers do walk-throughs; they will notice these things.
DON’T tackle a major renovation project that YOU like. One such example would be a sunroom. A new sunroom can cost a lot of money, and some buyers will be leery of replacing all those windows down the road.
DO add a spare room. If you can convert some unused basement or attic space into an extra bedroom, this can go a long way. People are always looking for more bedrooms, and a bedroom can easily convert into office space.
DON’T make the extra room you choose to add on a full bathroom. Though convenient, they are also costly. Plumbing, wiring, and tile add up. A cheaper option would be a half-bath or powder room.
There are many inexpensive things you can do to increase the value of your home before selling. If you are wondering what the right steps to take are, call me at 717-253-3259 (cellphone) or visit my website at www.karentavenner.com.