10 Ways to Make Your Home More Valuable Before You Sell

I think whether its time to sell or whether your home just needs a refresh paint is always the smartest, least expensive place to start to give you the most bang for your buck. It can add a ton of value as well, just getting those dingy ceilings painted after a few years of living can make a massive difference in the way a home feels.

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

If you’re thinking about putting your home on the market, then now is a good time to start looking at what upgrades you could be making to give it some more value. It doesn’t matter why you’re putting your home on the market. The point is, the house that you’re currently living in needs to be refreshed and updated as much as possible before you sell. It’s not just that you want to hand over a nice looking house to the next buyer, but that you could improve the value of your house exponentially just by making a few tweaks.

Buyers will often look for a move-in ready home that feels up to date and well cared for. You don’t necessarily have to do a full renovation to increase the value of your home either. It’s the smaller, smarter changes that can really go a long way. If you’re ready to make your house stand out, we’ve put together some practical and often budget friendly ways to make your house more valuable before you sell it.

Start with the garage.

You can refresh the garage really quickly with a DIY coating for the garage floor. First impressions matter, and that includes your garage space because even though it’s somewhere your car is usually parked in and the storage boxes usually live, it’s still an extension of the interior of your home. Many sellers will focus on the kitchen and bathrooms, and you should too, but you should never underestimate how much buyers will appreciate a clean, functional garage space. A DIY coating for the garage floor is an affordable project that can make a very big impact. Not only will it protect the concrete from stains and cracks, but it also gives the space A cleaner and more polished look. Epoxy or polyurea DIY kits are widely available, and they’re relatively simple to apply over a weekend. They dry quickly too, which makes it much easier for you to upgrade quickly. This upgrade is going to make your garage more of an extension of the house rather than a separate zone.

Don’t underestimate a fresh coat of paint.

It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to increase the value of your home, but fresh paint instantly brightens the space and gives it that crisp, clean feel. Plus, who doesn’t love the smell of a freshly painted room? If you stick to neutral tones throughout, think soft Grays, warm beiges or even classic white. These are the colours that will help the potential buyers to imagine their own furniture and style in the space. These are the colours that will pop when you have your colourful throws or cushions in the rooms and they can make the rooms feel bigger and more inviting. A fresh coat of paint can also hide a multitude of sins, so if you do have any chips or scratches on the walls, get them sanded down, filled, re sanded and repainted.

Stand outside and take a look at your house.

Boosting the value of your home is much easier when you understand how to boost its curb appeal. First impressions begin before anyone steps through the front door, so go and stand outside your house and give it an appraising look. You need to look at the exterior. Is the lawn tidy and neat and are the hedges trimmed? Is the front door welcoming? Is the grass a lush green rather than a dead yellow? The simplest of upgrades, like planting new flowers or giving the front door a fresh coat of paint, can really make your home feel more inviting to buyers. You can also replace worn house numbers or add a few potted plants. This can all change the game to make your house somewhere people want to walk into when they first see it.

Give your fixtures an upgrade.

It’s such a simple thing to do, but you can avoid an entire kitchen remodel by just upgrading the sinks. Think about the faucet fixtures, the cabinet handles on the cupboard, doors and even the lighting. Kitchen fixtures and bathroom fixtures being changed out can really add more value to your house before you go to sell it. New hardware in a modern finish such as matte black or brushed gold can make older cabinets feel refreshed without you having to replace the whole space. Swapping outdated light fixtures for statement pendants can also do the same thing, so go room to room and look at everything with a different eye, so that you can determine what would add value.

Call the cleaners.

A declutter and deep clean will really make a difference if you’re looking to sell your house before any showing or any open house, this is an essential step and it takes a lot of pressure off your shoulders. Buyers want to see the house, not your personal belongings, so take the time to declutter every room, removing any excess furniture, old decor, and personal items like family photos. After that, give your house the deep clean that it needs, including the windows, the baseboards, and the carpets. You want to make the floors shine and stand out, and a spotless home feels newer and more careful when you do it.

Do a lighting assessment.

Good lighting can make even the smallest of rooms feel airy and spacious. By swapping out outdated fixtures and replacing old bulbs with energy efficient LED lights, you’ll be able to brighten up the entire house. You want to give the illusion that light reaches every corner, and even if that’s not in the form of natural light from the window.LED lighting is going to have the right effect.

Refresh your bathroom.

In the same ways that kitchens do, bathrooms can sell your house, but you don’t have to do a full remodel to add some value. You can start by replacing the cabinet knobs, sink faucets, or even the towel bars with much more modern finishes. Re-grouting your tile or replacing a dated vanity mirror can also make a big difference to helping you sell your house.

Get your staging game on.

When people tour your house, they’re not just looking at what it is, they’re looking at what it could be. Smart staging helps them to see the full potential of the rooms individually as well as the house as a whole. You can do this yourself, but it’s always a good idea to call in staging experts to do it for you. You can use rugs, art, and mirrors to define areas that make them feel purposeful.

Highlight the storage spaces.

People love storage when they’re looking to buy a house. Making sure that your closets and cabinets are neatly organised and not overflowing will give the impression of ample storage, even if you’ve just decluttered and rearranged.

Work on your energy efficiency.

Buyers today are much more energy conscious than they used to be, and while you don’t need to have solar panels to impress, smaller energy efficient upgrades like old thermostats replaced with smart models and low flow shower heads can make all the difference. If your appliances are due for an upgrade anyway and you’ve got the budget, choose Energy Star rated models. This could raise the value of your house by a few $1000. Don’t be afraid to have fun with this – it’s your home to upgrade before it won’t be any more.

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)