Big and Small Improvements to Get Your Home Ready to Sell
Even though it’s only July, now is the time to start thinking about what you need to do to get your home ready to sell before winter hits. Once winter rolls around, the market tends to slow, not to mention the weather makes it much more difficult to take on some of the improvements that might need to be made to get your home in tip-top shape.
Rather than diving into a random assortment of home improvement projects, there are several specific things you can do to increase your home’s value, and that provide a great return on the investment you put into them. So to get your home market ready, give these big and small improvements a try!
Replace the Front Door
To the surprise of many, replacing the front door is the single best improvement you can make in terms of your return on investment (ROI). The typical front door installation runs $1,230, and you can expect to see over a 101 percent ROI. Not only that, having a new front door immediately freshens up the “face” of your home and makes a great first impression to new buyers.
Get New Garage Doors
The second best ROI for home improvement projects is to replace your garage doors. The average garage door costs just under $1,600, but you can expect to recoup 88.4 percent of that cost. And it is an investment worth making! The garage on many homes is a central feature of the front of the home. Just like a new front door has an immediate impact on how your home looks, a new garage door only multiplies that impact.
Go With Vinyl Siding
Another good project that preps your home for sale and gives you a good ROI is to replace your old siding with new vinyl siding. The cost of new siding will obviously vary depending on the size of the home, but, on average, something like this costs around $12,000. But, with an ROI of 80.7 percent, you will see the vast majority of that money back. And since vinyl siding is maintenance-free and looks great, prospective buyers will be more likely to put in an offer!
Try Closet Organizers
Buyers love a home with storage, so if your home is lacking in that department, a closet organization system can go a long way in maximizing what space you have. Closet organizers are especially useful in older homes with smaller closets because they take advantage of the height of the closet, giving you shelving and hanging space from floor to ceiling. The cost of these systems varies widely, from $200-$300 to well over $1,000, but the expense is worth it if your home is short on storage.
Change Out Kitchen Hardware
Kitchen remodels are really expensive, but giving your kitchen a fresh look doesn’t have to entail a total remodel. Simply changing out the drawer pulls and cabinet handles can give your kitchen a modern, updated feel. For an even greater impact, buy a new faucet and replace light fixtures, especially if they are the big, boxy fluorescent type. For a few hundred dollars, you can freshen up your kitchen and buyers will take note.
Final Thoughts
There are a thousand other improvements homeowners can make to their homes that make a positive impression on buyers. But these five projects can boost the appeal of your home (and its price!) without a major expenditure of your money or time. These five projects also give you a good return for your money, so it’s a win-win!
If you’re in the market to sell your home and need guidance through the process, or if you just have general questions about real estate, feel free to call us at 856-3999 or stop by our office at 309 North Broadway. We are always happy to help!
Photo Credits:
Garage Doors Flushline Stone Grey Finish by Cary Peterson via Flickr Creative Commons
Closet Factory Closet 01 by Closet Factory via Flickr Creative Commons