DIY Projects to Help Sell Your Home Fast
If you want to make the most out of your house sale, be sure to spend some extra time getting your home ready for showings. While many pre-showing renovation projects are expensive and time-consuming, there are a number of relatively low-cost DIY projects you can undergo to maximize returns without compromising your bank account.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the most high-impact, low-cost DIY projects that will help you make the most out of your home sale.
Before embarking on pre-sale preparation, make sure you calculate how much you can potentially make from selling your home. To do this, consider obtaining a market value estimate from a local real estate agent or estimating this value using similar real estate listings in your area. After you have your estimate, calculate your overall home equity by subtracting your current outstanding mortgage from your home’s estimated market value. Knowing your home equity can help determine how much of your home you actually own (an important factor when determining a down payment). If you are unsatisfied with the current value of your home, consider starting a few DIY projects to maximize the sale price.
Landscaping
The first thing a potential buyer will notice about your home is its exterior. A clean, well-attended, and visually appealing landscape helps ensure that the viewer has a positive first impression of your home. Consider trimming grass, hedges, and other greenery, as well as adding a bit of color through flowers or fixtures. Don’t know where to start? Contact a local landscaping company or visit a garden centre. Landscaping experts will be able to recommend what will work best for your unique home.
Fresh Paint
Speaking of increasing curb appeal, consider adding a fresh coat of paint to your front door, mailbox, and house numbers. The vibrant colors will make your home look more modern and show the potential buyer that you have taken the time to keep your home tidy and up to date. Adding new paint both outside and in is also one of the cheapest ways to make your home look clean. Fresh paint will also result in better real estate pictures and can eliminate odor embedded in older houses. As for what color to use, neutral tones like light blues and greys have been associated with higher selling prices.
Get Cleaning
According to the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International, only 10 percent of homesellers clean their homes well enough before showings. That being said, a clean home is immensely important for a successful showing. Basically, a clean house presents better than a dirty one by showing potential buyers what the home looks like at its best. Before your showings begin, be sure to do a deep clean — wipe walls, scrub baseboards, wash windows/mirrors, and have carpets cleaned. It may help to make a cleaning checklist to keep track of what needs to be done. Tight on time? Hire a professional cleaning service.
Staging
If you have ever opened a home decoration magazine and been amazed by immaculate color matching, perfect furniture placement, and carefully selected wall art, then you are already familiar with the importance of staging. During showings, your home should appeal to everyone, not just the select few who share your unique taste. A good place to start is by tackling the clutter — remove personal photographs, unnecessary decorations, and other miscellaneous objects. Consider adding a few generic pieces of art, some throw blankets, and a few strategically placed plants. Remember, a well-staged home appears larger, more luxurious, and better maintained.
If you want your home to stand out on the real estate market, get going on a few easy DIY projects. Landscaping, painting, cleaning, and house staging have an incredibly high return on investment and can help you make the most out of your house sale. By reading the tips above, you are well on your way to a successful house sale.
Author
Suzie Wilson is an interior designer with more than 20 years experience. What started as a hobby (and often, a favor to friends) turned into a passion for creating soothing spaces in homes of every size and style. While her goal always includes making homes look beautiful, her true focus is on fashioning them into serene, stress-free environments that inspire tranquility in all who enter. The Ultimate Guide to Prepping Your Home for an Open House is filled with tips, tricks and other advice based on Suzie’s years of experience in interior home design that will set you up for success.