Real estate matters can be time-consuming and expensive. You want your house to reflect your own style and personality. You also want to make sure that, when it comes time to look for a new house, you can sell your current one and make a profit.
How do you do that, though? More importantly, how do you make sure that you make the highest possible profit?
Here are our suggestions for the 10 best inexpensive home upgrades you can make to maximize your resale value. This includes those beautiful looking wood walls that you will want to think about upgrading to.
1. Tear Down Those Walls
Open floorplans are the current trend with houses, and it’s easy to see why. They enable homeowners to see their whole space from a single location. They make it easier to travel from room to room. They also make the space seem larger.
Before you can start tearing down walls, it’s important to determine which ones are load-bearing. As the name implies, load-bearing walls are ones that support the structural integrity of the building. It’s possible to remove load-bearing walls, but it’s difficult, expensive, and incredibly dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Non-load-bearing walls are free game, though. Get rid of that nonessential wall between the kitchen and living room. Knock out a wall for an unused closet to expand a bedroom. Go crazy making your home bigger and brighter.
Price Range: $450 to $1000
2. Upgrade Your Paint Job
Chipped paint and clashing colors are instant turnoffs to potential buyers. The best way to avoid these problems is to give your walls a fresh coat of paint before you list your house for sale.
You can keep the current color scheme if you think it will attract viewers, but the best bet is to select brand new neutral colors. Neutral colors can be made homey, but their true value is their ability to showcase a customizable home. Every buyer likes the idea of a blank slate they can make their own.
Price Range: $75 to $1000
3. Add Stone or Brick Siding
Whether or not they should, people begin judging a house as soon as they see the exterior. Vinyl and wood walls aren’t a turnoff as long as they’re well-maintained, but they aren’t the biggest sellers, either. If you really want to maximize your home’s potential, you should look into adding stone or brick siding.
The cost to cover your entire house with bricks or stones can get expensive quickly. Adding them sparingly and strategically, however, is much more cost-effective. It’s also a great way to cover problem areas of your house’s exterior.
Price Range: $1000 to $3000
4. Finish the Basement
If you have a basement, the quickest way to increase your home’s resale value is to finish it. The term “finished basement” might seem scary because it implies a separate living space, but that isn’t necessarily true. All a basement must have to be considered “finished” is sheetrock or painted cinderblock walls, a floor covering over the cement, total heating/air, and a fully accessible route to the rest of the house.
Price Range: $5000 to $10,000
5. Change Your Doors
This improvement appeals to both appearance and security. A nice front door can really bring a home’s design together. More importantly, though, it ensures that the new buyers feel safe. Even in high-end neighborhoods, home security is a serious concern.
Solid steel doors are typically sought after for the highest security, but they aren’t necessarily that attractive. Thankfully, door companies have developed hardwood alternatives that are just as safe. Check out this company’s visit page for ideas.
Price Range: $300 to $700
6. Let Some Light In
Open floorplans aren’t the only way to maximize your home’s lighting potential. You can also update your lighting fixtures. Eye-straining fluorescent lights can make even the best space seem hideous. Change them out with softer, energy-efficient alternatives to appeal to both the style sense and wallets of potential buyers.
Price Range: $50 to $300
7. Update Your Appliances
If you intend to leave your appliances behind, a great idea is to update them before you sell. This may seem like a waste of time and money considering that you won’t get to reap their benefits, but you’d be amazed by how easily buyers can be swayed by the addition of fancy appliances.
Change to a wall-in oven. Get a fridge with dual doors and an icemaker. Choose a stainless steel finish to promise durability and style.
Price Range: $300 to $4000
8. Hire a Landscaper
Like we mentioned earlier, potential buyers begin judging a house as soon as they see the outside. This includes the yard and surrounding landscape as much as the exterior walls.
A mowed yard isn’t enough to guarantee a good first impression. To really optimize the space, you should hire a landscaper. Professional landscapers naturally understand where to put flowers, trees, and other decorative plants to emphasize your home’s features.
Price Range: $1000 to $5000
9. Recaulk Your Bathrooms
This is, by far, one of the cheapest home upgrades you can make. The caulk itself costs an average of $15 depending on quality, and you won’t have to hire anyone to apply it. You can easily recaulk your home yourself. Even if you think you’re out of your depth, you can check out this handy guide for recaulking a shower, sink, or tub.
Best of all, you don’t have to go to a specialty hardware store. Caulk is available at most major retailers, including Wal-Mart and Kroger.
Price Range: $5 to $30
10. Replace Your Carpet
Shabby, stained carpet is an instant turnoff to anyone entering a home. This is especially true for prospective buyers. You can steam clean carpets that are <5 years old, but older carpets can be more difficult.
To avoid future disdain, your best bet is to have your carpet replaced. The three key factors to look for in new carpet are color, texture, and durability. You want to select a neutral color that will work well with most wall colors and decor options. You also want a soft carpet that holds up well to pets, children, and dirt.
Another option is to remove your carpets altogether and replace them with hardwood. Real hardwood floors have always been a popular option, but they’re experiencing a serious surge. Tearing out your carpets and placing movable rugs over your hardwood could be the best option for maximizing your home value.
Price Range: $750 to $3000
More Info on Inexpensive Home Upgrades and Selling Tips
Skyfive Properties is the leading real estate company for the Miami area. They specialize in high-end luxuries, affordable properties, and everything in-between.
Check out the rest of our site for everything you need to know about inexpensive home upgrades to optimize your home’s resale value.
