Increase The Value Of Your Home Before You List It With These Easy And Cheap Tips

Houses are selling fast here in Lane County, but you can still increase the value of your home before you sell it. When it comes to home improvements, you can spend as little or as much as you’d like. However, if you focus on what buyers want, you’ll put your house at the top of their gotta-have-it-now list.

If you’re thinking about selling, we’ve got a few useful tips that will increase the value of your home fast before you take it to market.

Consult a Realtor

That might not be what you were expecting to hear, but real estate is an exquisitely local market. What sells in Florida probably won’t sell in Oregon. Contact a local realtor for some valuable advice on what buyers are looking at in your neighborhood. Take notes, and then get started.

Get Back To The Basics

It is surprising how quickly we collect objects in our home. Depending on how long you’ve lived at your current address, your house could be brimming with collectibles. If you’re planning on moving anyway, start removing as much as you can. It’s not clutter to you, but you want buyers to envision themselves making a home here, so start making space. Start with closets. Get rid of most of the clothes and other items that you’re storing in your closets. Then look at each individual room, and focus on minimizing what’s taking up space. Pictures, old furniture, anything that you can move out of the room to make it look bigger will increase the value of your home by making it appear ready for a new buyer’s possessions.

Focus On Details

Clean your house thoroughly before listing it! The fastest way to increase the value of your home is to make it so clean that it doesn’t look like anyone lives there. Buyers immediately notice dirty carpet, dingy walls, and yellowed and  graying tile grout. Go the extra distance on this one, it will pay off big. Cleaning supplies don’t cost much, and even if you replace some carpet, the return will more than pay for the investment. Pay attention to little things like cabinet fronts and furnace vents. Potential buyers will notice closet doors, built-in shelving, door jambs, window sills, and ceiling fans, even if you haven’t noticed them in months.

Your Kitchen Will Sell Your Home For You

Update your faucets and cabinet hardware. Scrub the sinks. Remove everything that you possibly can from your countertops, and then scrub them, too. Wash backsplashes until they shine. Replace or clean every light bulb and light cover or shade. Dust the tops of every shelf and appliance. Apply fresh paint or varnish to cabinets and apply oil for a nice finish to wooden finishes. Clean your appliances until they look new, even if they’re not staying in the home. You will increase the value of your home just by making your kitchen look like the new owner can cook a meal in it the first night they own it.

Paint It All!

A fresh coat of pain on every wall will make your home look new again. Paint your porch and shutters, too. Behind cleaning, buying paint is the least expensive way to increase the value of your home. Pick neutral colors and buy quality paint. Don’t forget to touch up door jambs and window sills, too. Paint your front door a solid bold color and welcome your home’s new owner!

Go For The Gold!

Perform these relatively small tasks now for a big payoff later. Make your home your new buyer’s castle, and it will sell as fast as you list it!