Update Your House on a Budget Before Selling
When you are selling your house, you want every advantage that you can get. You want your house to shine so every buyer that walks through the door wants to make an offer. But you also don’t want to sink a lot of money into a house that you don’t want to live in any longer, so you need to tread carefully.
Sellers need to find the areas that a little bit of money will make the biggest difference. These 4 areas are safe bets to help you update your house on a budget:
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Fresh paint
Do not underestimate what a little fresh paint can do to a room. Take the time to repaint every room in your house. Choose neutral colors that will appeal to the largest number of buyers, but stay away from white. Look for a softer color than bright white that blends nicely with the other finishes in your house. Pale greens, muted beige, and soft grays are all safe options. Put a fresh coat of white paint on baseboards and crown molding to make them pop against the color of the walls.
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Boost the curb appeal
Buyers can’t fall in love with your house if they don’t even make it to the front door. Use your curb appeal to draw buyers up to your house. You want your house to be the one that looks so nice on the outside that it piques a buyer’s interest to see what it looks like on the inside.
Putting in a little sweat equity can help you make improvements without breaking the bank. Trim your trees and shrubs. Add flowers in flowerbeds and pots next to the front door. Get a new mailbox and house numbers to make it easy for buyers to identify your house. Add a pop of color by painting the front door. Little things go a long way with curb appeal.
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Check your flooring
If you have hardwood floors hidden away under your carpet, it is time to uncover them. Rip up the carpet and invest money and time into having the floors refinished. Buyers love hardwood floors, so if you already have them, make sure you are showing them off. If you don’t have hardwoods or the budget to install them, then install new carpeting. Make sure you get the best padding that is available and this will help your mid-price carpeting to stand out.
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Change your light fixtures
Light fixtures are one of the areas that will quickly date a house. If your fixtures look like they are from another decade, it’s time to switch them out. There will be relatively inexpensive options that mimic the more expensive ones, so sort through the options at the stores or online. If you have an older home and have been using lamps to supply your light, talk to an electrician about adding recessed lighting. Overhead lighting makes a big difference in the look and feel of a room, and buyers love bright spaces.
Updating your house to sell doesn’t have to leave you with a hole in your pocket. Try these four options to update your house while sticking to your budget. You will help buyers to want to make an offer on your house, while leaving room in the budget to make a profit.