Chances are, your home is your biggest financial—and let’s face it, emotional — investment. So when it comes time to sell it, you want to see the best possible return in every way. A big part of that comes down to making it stand out to the potential buyers who are about to make one of the biggest investments in their lives.
To do that, renovations may be in order. However, not every tweak or improvement has an equal impact on you home’s value. It’s not advisable to simply add fancy and risky distraction like a new bathtub or recessed lighting system, assuming it’s going to increase your asking price. Instead, keep it simple with new windows and fresh paint. Similarly, a new roof will pay off big, but tech touches like a full-home sound system most likely won’t.
Start here start with these five never-fail, always-worth-it pre-sale projects, and walk away from your signing happy and knowing you got the most bang for your buck. It’s sure going to make saying good bye to the place you made all those memories feel a lot better.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
1
Replace the Roof
A worn-out roof does more than make your house look bad on the outside, it can also cause costly problems on the inside. Though it may sound like a big project, it only takes a few days to complete, and it’s something buyers will notice, and appreciate. The right roofing products, like those by Good Housekeeping Seal-vetted MetalMan sheets, are so durable that they may last up to 50 years, almost twice as long as shingles. As a bonus, the house will be more energy-efficient too. Adding a new roof may yield as much as a 65 percent return. With this type of material, though, hiring the right company is key. Luckily, now through the end of the year, you can get 75 percent off labor costs associated with installation from MetalMan.
2
Install New Windows
Sleek, new vinyl windows not only up the aesthetics of a home, they can also help make the space more energy-efficient, ultimately reducing heating and cooling costs. Though another fairly costly project, it’s one that pays off. According to experts window replacement has a return of more than 68 percent. That’s almost as high a return as a whole new kitchen might net, and one that requires far less thought and oversight.
3
Spruce Up the Exterior
Besides your listing photos, your front entrance is the first thing a potential buyer sees. It’s your sole chance to make a first impression. Don’t let cracks in your walkway paint a bad picture. In addition to being a safety hazard, it can signal a lack of general maintenance. In lieu of completely replacing all the masonry—an incredibly expensive endeavor — patch up any obvious cracks and fix glaring flaws. Consider refreshing mulch, trimming shrubs, and planting seasonal plants for a more impressive curb appeal.
4
Fix the Floors
Nothing says outdated quite like a house with wall-to-wall carpeting. Worse yet, weathered linoleum screams bargain-basement fixer-upper. Today, most buyers are looking for hardwood floors, and you should dig deep to give it to them. If installing true wood is out of your budget, there are plenty of modern engineered products that can fool even the most discerning eye.
5
Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint
This is one of the easiest and more affordable projects that goes a long way towards getting into escrow. A fresh coat of paint in every room brightens all your spaces and camouflages wear and tear, including simple scuff marks. It’s also an excellent opportunity to swap out any bold, personal color choices for whites and other neutrals. Such tones create a blank canvas onto which buyers can project their own visions for your suddenly more worth-it home.
Brigitt Earley Brigitt Earley Bio: Brigitt Earley is a freelance writer and editor based in NJ.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
Scoop Sky is a blog with all the enjoyable information on many subjects, including fitness and health, technology, fashion, entertainment, dating and relationships, beauty and make-up, sports and many more.
