Improving Your Home Before Selling: 5 Do’s and Don’ts

Improving Your Home Before Selling: 5 Do’s and Don’tsPreparing your home to go on the market can take a lot out of a family, let alone one or two people working alone together while making the most of the real estate market. In consideration of your home’s current condition, the market, and the amount you’ve invested it’s ideal to “break even” or at a minimum does not lose uncanny amounts of money on unnecessary house modifications that do not contribute to the overall sale price or value of your home. Let’s check out 5 Do’s and Don’ts to selling your home.

1. Do – Follow a ‘simple’ principal before investing thousands or tens of thousands of dollars into making new rooms, breaking down walls, and adding bathrooms to increase the value that your basic utility work and your home is in the best condition possible before a sale. While a brand-new roof absolutely will add to sale appeal, it’s important to keep in mind that “maintenance” like this will not allow you to raise your asking price.
Don’t – Add luxurious amenities such as a whirlpool, or outdoor pool without careful consideration of the types of buyers’ market audience you wish to attract or a land a sale with. These “luxuries” are not only expensive for you but will also be expensive to a prospective buyer and may very well cause him or her to look elsewhere.

2. Do – Replace broken, worn out, or molded walls, shafts, floors, doors, and any exterior elements of your home. Home buyers are required to have professional inspectors come out and look over your property with a fine-tooth comb before giving approval.
Don’t – Expect buyers to enjoy seeing your personal items, pets, or children’s toys all over the floors or running around when you have an open-house. While this may seem cute and fun for you or your loved ones, prospective buyers want to imagine themselves living in and having their own family in your home – and worse could have animal allergies which could be a huge deal breaker.

3. Do – Take pride in your home improvements and let it show. By this, we mean being mindful of your spending while still giving the best first impressions possible. Cleaning and having a well-manicured and clean front lawn or driveway could make the difference between how many people show up to your open house before you even start.
Don’t – Spend thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars on restoring your kitchen with upgraded, modern, or luxuriously costly and unnecessary amenities. Not only could you be greatly disappointed by not getting a return on such an investment, but if it overbearing or doesn’t match your home and the neighborhood you may have trouble selling your home.

4. Do – Consider the added benefit of utilizing empty rooms, or other unexplored spaces such as the attic or basement. Investing money to ‘refurnish’ either of these can raise both appeal and the unique impression you give prospective buyers.
Don’t – Assume that home improvement can only come in the forms of spending countless dollars. There are much more affordable, profitable, and practical alternatives to raising your home’s value and appeal, like adding a patio for example – which can be done by you or a few willing and experienced loved ones or a neighbors help.

5. Do – Conduct the research and explore your budgeting to see if you can afford to invest in weatherproofing windows to keep the heat in and the cold out. Doing so will save you and future home buyers countless dollars each year in gas, heating, and electric bills.
Don’t – Underestimate the value of insulating your home. One environmentally friendly home improvement before the sale could be investing in overall energy efficient insulation in commonly overlooked places such as doorways, hallways, basement doors, and even the entry to your attic or crawlspace if you have one.

Image Credit : ArtsyBee