You can sell your house for more without spending a ton of money. A few simple fixes can get your house ready for viewing, with some of them more than doubling the money you put in.
Landscaped Lawns
Don’t belittle curb appeal as it can increase your property’s value by as much as 30%. Proper landscaping and lawn care can bring in more than double your investment. The more intricate the work done, the higher the valuation — with some homeowners reporting a 200% to 1000% return on their landscaping investment. Of course, unless you have the necessary background, don’t expect the same results if you go at it on your own instead of relying on experienced professionals. Proper landscaping can cost you $10,000 for a 1,000 square foot (92.9 m²) yard, but expect returns of $20,000 or more in your house’s valuation.
An Outdoor Kitchen
A proper kitchen is always a given when selling your house, but an outdoor kitchen is still a novelty. An outdoor kitchen will free up space in your house and also make your house appear bigger. The setup is especially popular among more affluent buyers or people with strong social connections. A typical outdoor kitchen will usually include a range or grill (oftentimes both) and is usually connected to the house through a wooden decking and protected by a simple wooden patio. An outdoor kitchen can set you back by $2,000 to $10,000, but expect returns between 100% to 200% of your investment.
New Floors
New wooden flooring can make a house look brand new. Replacing your wood floor can cost up to $3,000, or you can merely refinish your existing floors. New timber flooring looks great in photos and can easily raise the profile of your property. Replacing your wooden floors only have an ROI of 90% to 100%, but keeping your old floors can make your house lose money or leave it unsold for months. Though they may be a cheaper option, avoid using vinyl at all costs. They can make your property look cheap and will chase away the richer buyers.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
Painting the inside of your house can increase its value by 1% to 3%, while painting the outside can get an additional 2% to 5% increase. Although painting the interior of the house is a must, pressure washing should be enough to make your outside walls look newly painted. Of course, you’ll need to repaint if your outside walls are chipping or your house’s colors are too radical compared to the other houses in the community. A typical paint job will cost you $200 to $300 per room, but you can also do it on your own with a bit of care and effort.
Decluttered Rooms
Buyers want to envision themselves living in your house, and your personal stuff can get in the way of this. Most agents advise homeowners to remove two-thirds of their belongings to prepare their house for viewing. Fewer belongings also make your house seem cleaner and neater while also making your house seem more open to new residents.
You need to spend a bit to sell your house for more. Fortunately, you don’t need to invest big money to make your house more appealing to buyers.