What are some of the most common renovation projects you should consider before listing your house for sale?
Renovations You Should Do | Don’t neglect minor repairs. Oh you thought we were going to start with the kitchen! If you have any outstanding repairs, complete them. You don’t want buyers wondering if this home is well maintained. Take the doubt out of the equation by completing them. This covers everything from replacing a broken door bell, to fixing broken hinges on cabinets, to painting over old water damage marks from pipes that have been repaired. Also make sure that all light bulbs in the home and all outlets are currently working. Don’t have GFCIs in your kitchens and baths, just replace them.
The floors are a key component. People want to see gleaming hardwood floors. If you already have hardwoods but they look very worn, consider refinishing them. According to the National Association of Realtor’s 2017 Remodeling Impact Report, owners recovered 91% of the cost of new wood floors and 100% of the cost of refinishing hardwood floors.
Freshly painting your house makes a huge difference, especially if your paint is worn, dinged, or taste-specific in color. Gray is the top color right now! But people also love blue kitchens and baths (and front doors). Avoid tan and beige.
Renovated kitchens are very important, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should remove the entire kitchen and replace it. There are cheaper ways to renovate your kitchen – new hardware, painting the cabinets, changing light fixtures and faucets, new counter tops. Depending on your neighborhood and the “comps” you are competing against, you may be able to do some of these more moderate changes and have a huge impact. Another option is replacing your old appliances with new stainless steel ones. This makes an immediate impact to the buyers who know that maintenance on new appliances should be less than on old appliances. Granite and quartz are the top counter materials. A lot of people like marble counters as well. But, practically speaking, they are harder to live with as they stain easily. Keep that in mind red wine drinkers! Owner’s recover 57% of the cost of a kitchen upgrade and 62% of the cost of a new kitchen.
(Source: NAR 2017 Remodeling Impact Report)
What are some renovations to avoid?
Building a deck, major bathroom renovations, home offices, and bedroom renovations.
Each house and each neighborhood can be different, so talk to your local Realtor before you spend money you may or may not get back.
