What To Spruce Up Before Listing Your Home

First let's look at this question from a buyers viewpoint. After all, if you're listing your home, you want to make it appealing to a large pool of buyers, right? Then, we'll look at it from an appraisal point of view. 

As a Realtor, I've noticed that most people do NOT want to buy a fixer upper. To get the most return on investment, focus on the trends that sell a home. Kitchens, baths and well organized closets sell homes to women. On the other hand, men, look for outdoor living and garage space. Another trend that came from Covid was an additional room or space that can be used as a home office. 

According to handyman.com, (with additional comments and suggestions by me in italics) some minor Kitchen improvements include: Handyman.com

1. Repaint the Walls (or Just One of Them)

Paint is a simple way to boost your kitchen’s look and feel. Most kitchens can usually be totally painted using just two gallons of paint, which can cover up to 800 square feet, and cost around $150 for supplies. Paint can be an easy DIY, but if you're not comfortable with painting, it can be hired out at a reasonable price. 

Semi-gloss paint is usually the best choice for kitchens cabinets, as it is easier to clean off grease and sauce splatters from regular cooking. An eggshell finish is best for walls, if your backsplash is a wipeable material such as tile or glass. 

2. Repaint, Refinish or Reface the Cabinets

When it comes to updating cabinets, repainting, refinishing or refacing them are much cheaper options than replacing them entirely. 

• Refinishing or Repainting Cabinets: This is the process of sanding and repainting or restaining your cabinets. It is the most budget-friendly option, and ideal if your cabinets are in great shape but need a cosmetic facelift. Refinishing cabinets costs about two-thirds the price of refacing. 
• Refacing Cabinets: This is the process of removing and replacing just the doors (or faces) of your cabinets. Though slightly more expensive, this is still about 25% less expensive than replacing cabinets. 

3. Update Your Cabinet Hardware

While you’re working on your kitchen cabinets, consider removing and replacing the hardware with more modern handles or drawer pulls. It’s one of the easiest minor kitchen remodeling projects, and must less expensive than replacing or refacing your cabinets. Be sure to measure the current hardware spacing to simply replace the hardware. You don't want to make additional holes for the new hardware. 

Kitchen hardware is trending toward handles instead of knobs. Try going with clean, straight lines and shiny metal finishes for a sleek, updated look. For a farmhouse style kitchen with white cabinets, dark wood handles add a lovely natural accent and contrast. Consider your appliances/fixtures and lighting fixtures when choosing cabinet pulls.

4. Replace the Countertops

A countertop upgrade is a quick way to change the entire feel of your kitchen’s working areas. Butcher’s block countertops are becoming incredibly popular in many kitchens; oftentimes, you can just replace one section of your counters with butcher’s block instead of all of them, saving you more on countertop materials. Another inexpensive overhaul is epoxy. Below is an example of epoxy. 

5. Install New Flooring

Kitchen floors can take a beating – if yours have seen better days, consider replacing them with a new covering.

Luxury vinyl is an inexpensive option. Some advertisements state their product is water proof, and that may be true, however once a floor is laid, it would be very hard to pull up flooring and put it back in the exact same place. If water get's beneath a floor, mold can grow.  If you want the feel of real wood, engineered hardwood flooring is a good budget-friendly alternative to solid hardwood flooring. However, in a flood prone area you may want to consider tile. 

6. Upgrade Your Light Fixtures

Want to see your kitchen in a new light? Upgrading your light fixtures is a simple, but impactful, kitchen remodeling project that can change the whole look of the space. Think of lighting, cabinet pulls and the backsplash as the jewelry of your kitchen. Add under-counter lights for additional task lighting. 

7. Add a Backsplash

Adding a tile backsplash is a simple way to make any kitchen pop. Porcelain, ceramic and glass tiles are reasonably-priced options for kitchen backsplashes, but if you’re looking to tackle this minor kitchen remodel on a budget, you can also try peel-and-stick options that give the appearance of tile or glass. 

Bathrooms:

The same concepts are true for the bathroom. The above improvements could increase the value, but almost as important, these improvements will attract more potential buyers.

Bathroom additions, walk-in showers, bathtub refinishing, luxury vanities and countertops, flooring, and cabinets are the best bathroom updates for your ROI. Making strategic choices about repairs, budgeting, and neutral designs can further increase your return. One thing to keep in mind is to have a least one tub in the home. Couples with children want a tub for their children. 

Closets:

The average closet remodel reports a healthy ROI (return on investment). Homeowners can expect to recoup around 56% of their investment, adding roughly $2,000 to their home value. The fantastic thing about closet remodels is that they can be as extensive or minimal as you want them to be. By simply organizing the space with different levels of hanging space, drawers, shoe storage and hamper space gives the potential buyer an idea of how the space can be used. 

Outdoor 

According to Bob Vila, these are some great outdoor improvements BobVila.com

1. Build or install a prebuilt fire-pit

During the summer months, nothing beats roasting marshmallows and sharing stories around a roaring fire. Homeowners who install an outdoor fire pit will not only create delightful memories, but will also realize a 67 percent return on investment. Fire features that have a gas burner and patio area cost an average of $6,000 to construct, and you'll recoup about $4,000 when you sell your home, according to the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) and National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP). 

2. Replace your garage door

You might think your current garage doors are good enough, but upgrading them will give your give your curb appeal and home value a major boost. According to Remodeling Magazine’s a garage door replacement will cost you upwards to $3,600, but you’ll recoup almost 98 percent of that. When prospective buyers pull up, your home will already be making a great impression. 

3. Replace your front door

While making cosmetic changes to the front of your house, upgrade your front door. Swapping your drab door for a steel unit with window panels, casing, and new hardware is around $1,800, the estimated ROI is almost 75 percent. An impressive entryway sets the tone for the rest of the house tour.

4. Curb appeal, curb appeal, curb appeal

Luscious landscaping increases the chance of a home sale. Plus, according to the NAR and NALP, an outdoor makeover could net you a healthy 83 percent return on investment. The association defines a “landscape upgrade” as installing a natural flagstone walkway, adding stone planters, mulching, and planting a handful of flowering shrubs and a sizable tree—all of which will set you back, on average, roughly $6,000 if done by a professional. 

5. Install a patio or deck

Do you enjoy spending time outdoors? Then consider installing an attached or detached wood deck, which will give you the perfect spot for grilling, sunbathing, and entertaining. Wooden decks are also a major selling point. According to Remodeling Magazine, a 16' x 20' wood deck with stairs and railings runs an average of $13,333, but you’ll recoup $10,083 of that when it's time to sell. That’s a return of almost 76 percent!

Installing a patio is another project that expands and enhances your outside living area while increasing the value of your home. According to the NAR and NALP, an 18' x 20' concrete paver patio costs about $7,200 and you'll earn around 69 percent.

6. Add an outdoor kitchen

An outdoor kitchen might not be on most homebuyer’s must-have lists, but it is a feature that could seal the deal for the sale. NAR and NALP claim an outdoor kitchen project will set you back about $14,000 but you’ll recover an estimated $10,000. To guarantee the best ROI keep the project simple: an inset grill, stainless steel drawers, ice chest, sink and additional counter space. 

7. Add outdoor lighting 

Outdoor lighting deters burglars and creates magical ambience in your yard. What’s more, stylish, effective exterior lighting (think motion lights or low-voltage landscape options) can really amp up your home’s curb appeal. According to the NAR and NALP, you could see, on average, a 50 percent return on your investment.

Garages:

1. Think storage, storage and more storage.

Investing in heavy duty storage bins and install wall or ceiling mounted racks to store them is more appealing to prospective homebuyers that simply stacked against a wall. It's fine to store your out of season items, but to get your home ready for showing, leave only enough storage bins for potential buyers to get the idea. The last thing you want to do is give potential buyers the idea that there isn't enough storage in the home.

2. Install adequate lighting

Dark garages aren't only a turnoff for potential buyers, dark garages can be dangerous. Installing motion-sensor lights with LED (at least 40,000 lumens approx. 40 watts) is sufficient for each garage space. 

3. Install outlets 

Install 2 GFCI outlets on each wall. 

4. Add workbenches/cabinets 

Adding a few storage cabinets with counter space may be just the item that makes your house the one for a potential buyer. On the wall above the cabinets, consider peg board or slat board for additional organization. 

Now, from the appraisers' point of view. 

Let me start by saying I am not an Appraiser. This is strictly from my experience and from the appraisal reports I've seen.  

What an appraiser looks at are at least 3 comparable homes that have sold, preferably, in the last 6 months, are close in proximity, close in sq footage, number of beds and baths, garage spaces, and acreage/lot size. Then, they add or subtract value to the sold properties to make them equal to the subject (under contract) home. As a general example, if a comparable home is 2,000 sq ft with 3 beds, 2 bath and a 2 car garage on .25 acre and the subject home is 1,867 sq ft, 4 beds, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage and is also on a .25 acre lot in the same subdivision. The appraiser will make adjustments for the sq footage difference and the 1/2 bath. Because they are already comparing comparable homes with similar amenities and ascetics the above listed improvements aren't taken into consideration; however, the appraiser looks for comparable homes where the improvements and the return on investment is reflected in the sold price. 

With that, if you're considering selling in the future and your home is dated, consider contacting a real estate agent and ask what the difference is for some recently sold properties compared to recently sold  fixer uppers and decide if it's worth the time/inconvenience and money. Other things to consider are: if you're taking out a loan to do a remodel, you may want to add in some interest for your initial investment. Borrowed money, cost money. If you decide to sell your home as a fixer upper, take into consideration that the right buyer will have to come along and the monthly cost to keep your home means less in your sellers net. 

Once you've finished with any home improvements, to get your home "show ready" you'll want to remove all personal items. The goal is for a potential buyer to be able to envision their belonging in your house. A well furnished home, that's been de-personalized will typically sell faster than the exact same home that's not tidy and full of clutter. Also, remember the curb appeal. Keep the lawn mowed and the flower beds tended. Fix any broken windows, chipped paint, missing gutters, and other minor items. First impressions matter! 

What are some home improvements you've done with a large return on investment?