With the Denver real estate market setting historic numbers, you may be considering listing your home on the market or preparing to sell. There are easy ways to get your home ready for sale this spring and minor renovations that will pay for themselves upon closing.
Let natural light flood your home.
Natural light opens up spaces and brightens the overall mood of your home. We recommend raising shades and opening curtains to let the sun in rather than trying to keep it out during spring showings and open houses.
Fix what’s broken.
An inspection of your home can help you identify anything broken you may have overlooked when checking yourself, allowing you to repair accordingly. Little things like a loose doorknob or creaky windows can stick out to potential buyers and make them think, “what else is broken here?” Repair what buyers may notice, which is everything, and other things on your renovation to-do list. After all, homebuyers who make an offer will get your home inspected, and it is beneficial to get a jump on repairs rather than giving buyers any wiggle room to negotiate.
Renovate what is outdated.
If your kitchen or bathroom screams 1980s and may give buyers flashbacks, they should be updated before you start showing your home. Updating fixtures like bath faucets, towel racks and cabinets will speak volumes for your home. Just remember that on most renovations, you won’t recoup all of your costs dollar for dollar.
That’s why it’s important to think small with renovations. Rather than replacing your kitchen cabinets, just replace the doors or knobs and give the cabinets a fresh coat of paint. Rather than replacing the bathtub, reglaze it to make it look as good as new. If you’re going to spend serious money on renovations, we recommend focusing on the exterior of the home. This is the very first impression buyers get of your home, so you should make it count.
One renovation that pays for itself and boosts a visual appeal to homebuyers is a garage door replacement. On average it costs $3,600 but nets a 97% return on the investment. Another eye-catcher is stone veneer on the exterior of the home which is a costly upgrade but can boost the overall listing price and has a 95% return on investment.
Other minor adjustments such as applying a new coat of paint to the interior are a relatively cheap and easy way to give your home an instant facelift. If the current colors of your walls aren’t all that flattering, consider repainting with neutral, white and gray colors. These are generally the best paint colors to pick from. Anything more vivid may appeal to a few buyers but not a wide range.
One final way to prepare your home for sale is to pay attention to odors. The smell of pets, cooked food and dirty laundry can make buyers reconsider their thoughts on your home. Carpets, throw rugs and other fabrics like curtains hold odors. We recommend having your carpet professionally cleaned before putting your home up for sale. The addition of fresh-cut flowers to your home during a showing or open house can also add a natural scent to your home.
Completing these easy steps will not only prepare your home for sale this spring, and it will also help your property stand out against other homes on the market. At the end of the day, it’s the
little things that can make or break a buyer’s decision. Contact one of our experienced Kentwood brokers for help with your spring home sale at kentwood.com.
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