The only thing more nerve-wracking than preparing to buy a house might just be preparing to sell one. The housing market is difficult to predict, with values rising and falling all the time. You obviously put a lot of work and money into acquiring your property. How can you make sure you get the biggest possible return on that investment now that it’s time to sell?
Two words: home improvements. The best way to get a good price when selling your home is to leave it better than you found it. That means house additions, renovations, and remodels. It’s also important to do maintenance, repairs, and possibly even full replacements for parts of the property that have suffered damage over the years.
All this might sound like a lot of work put into something you’re planning to get rid of, but the truth is that almost no one wants a house in disrepair, and even fewer people want to pay a lot for it. What’s more, adding value to a home with additions and improvements may cost money now, but it often pays off by allowing you to sell your property for more than you ever put into it. Even better, with stress-free grants and other financing options from Homeowner Funding, you may not have to put any money into it at all.
1. Upgrade Your Curb Appeal
When selling a home you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Get it right, and you’re more likely to attract potential buyers. Get it wrong, and that could color their perception of everything else, even if a home interior is perfect.
How exactly do you get it right? First, make sure that any and all obvious, easily noticeable issues are taken care of. Clean the gutters. Fix the fence. Put up a new mailbox. You may want to consider replacing the outer doors and windows. Spruce up the front porch or even build a new one entirely. Last but not least, don’t forget to invest in landscaping. A healthy lawn, eye-catching garden, or the addition of trees or shrubs, will instantly make your house more appealing.
2. Repair or Replace the Roof
Over the years, homes accumulate a lot of wear and tear. Arguably no part of a property is at risk quite as much as the roof. From heavy piles of snow to violent blowing winds to ricocheting chunks of hail, the roof can really take a pounding while it protects you and your loved ones from inclement weather. Shingles can come loose. Holes and leaks can form. Falling debris poses a serious danger. There’s even the possibility of total collapse.
That’s why it’s important to give your roof a thorough checkup before putting a property on the market. In more drastic situations, you may need to replace your roof entirely, an expensive proposition that new roof financing from Homeowner Funding can make a lot simpler.
3. Remodel the Bathroom
Part of what determines a home’s value is its ability to provide both basic necessities and creature comforts. That same combination of factors also goes into one of the most important parts of any house, an area of us that most of us use every single day: the bathroom.
A bathroom that can’t properly serve its basic functions—for example, a bathroom with little space, dripping faucets, faulty plumbing, or damaged tiles—is no bathroom at all. A bathroom that goes the extra mile meanwhile—such as by offering a spacious interior, a luxurious walk-in bathtub or shower, and stylish fixtures—has a wow factor that can add significant resale value to your home.
4. Install New Exterior Siding
When giving a person a makeover, what do we usually start with? That’s right, a new outfit. Such a simple exterior change can do wonders, and that’s just as true for houses. When it comes to home improvement, there are few better ways to give your property a bold new look than with replacing the siding. It’s like stepping into a whole new skin.
There are many home siding options to consider, from inexpensive stucco to high-maintenance clapboard. In most cases, however, the experienced contractors at Homeowner Funding recommend vinyl siding for its affordability, resilience, affordable, and eye-pleasing aesthetics.
5. Update the Light Fixtures
If installing vinyl siding, a walk-in bathtub, or a brand new roof all sound like too much work, here’s a much smaller home improvement project that can nevertheless make a very big impact. Swapping out your home’s old light fixtures for newer, better ones is inexpensive and comparatively easy, but it’s something that won’t go unnoticed by potential buyers.
Replacing recessed lights with chandeliers, for example, can give a property a touch of class and luxury. Updating weak or energy-inefficient bulbs for brighter and more economical options not only makes your home look better, it also makes it more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Adding outdoor lighting to a porch or walkway can also give your house greater utility and make it feel more inviting to visitors.
