If you need to sell your home quickly, you might be considering tackling some home renovation projects to increase your home’s value and attract more qualified buyers. To save time and money, consider a DIY home renovation project that’ll highlight your home’s strengths, minimize its weaknesses, and help potential buyers see themselves at home within its walls.
1. Clean Out the Clutter
One of the most effective ways you can help your home sell faster and for a higher price is to clean out everything that distracts from a buyer’s crisp, vivid view of your home’s “bones.” You want everyone who sees your home to be able to envision themselves and their families living there. Pack up family photos, magazines, old mail, and knickknacks to refocus their attention on the home’s essential features.
2. A Fresh Coat of Paint
Bold, bright color schemes express your personality, but when you’re putting your home on the market, you want to tone it down—way down. Repaint your walls in serene neutral tones to create something like a blank canvas onto which potential buyers can project their own tastes. Using the same or similar neutral tone throughout your home will also help smaller floorplans seem more spacious.
3. Add Accessibility Features
As the population ages, home accessibility features will become increasingly attractive to home buyers. Consider adding bathtub railings, walk-in showers, and first-floor primary suites or additions to help aging buyers get around and stay safe in their new home.
4. Jazz up Your Home’s Curb Appeal
For both buyers and visitors, the first impression your home gives flows from the outside. Your landscaping, the entryway, your front porch or stoop, and the front door itself all help establish a certain image for your home. Spruce up any plantings around the front of your home, add fresh mulch, keep the lawn trimmed, and repair any broken or chipped paving stones or walkway bricks. Consider painting your shutters and front door to add a little style without overpowering the rest of the home.
5. Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Homebuyers are increasingly aware of and concerned about a home’s ecological footprint and energy efficiency ratings. Swap out old appliances for newer, more efficient models and add insulation to lower your energy bills. You can even use recent bills as a selling point for interested buyers.
6. Upgrade Your Kitchen
The kitchen is considered the heart of the home, and it’s definitely where most families find themselves gathering throughout the day. Pay some attention to yours before you list it by freshening up the paint job, replacing outdated appliances, changing your backsplash or tiling, and updating your flooring can give your kitchen a whole new look that’s more attractive to potential buyers.
Choose the Right DIY Improvement Project
Consider your timeline and resources when you choose which DIY home renovation and improvement projects you want to tackle before you list your home for sale. Also take into consideration your skill level and experience, how much help you’ll have, and what resources you’ll need to do the job properly. DIY improvements are a great way to up your resale value without a huge financial expenditure, especially when you need to sell your home fast.
