Make These 9 Upgrades to Sell Your Home

By Pro.com
Special to Yahoo Homes

Selling a home can be difficult, especially in a slow real estate market or when you have a saturation of available houses. According to TV’s Shark Tank veteran and real estate investor, Barbara Corcoran, buyers make their decisions in exactly eight seconds. Give them every reason to choose your home as their own.

(Credit: Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock)
(Credit: Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock)

You can do this by making some easy changes that up your curb appeal and create an enticing interior. Here’s how:

1. Make Necessary Repairs

Not every potential buyer is going to be household-repair savvy, so don’t make them hesitate. Fix leaky pipes, replace a roof or siding that’s worn, repair faulty wiring or anything else you may have been neglecting.

(Credit: Bacho/Shutterstock)
(Credit: Bacho/Shutterstock)

2. Modernize Your Kitchen

Most people see the kitchen as the pulse of the home and they want their family to feel comfortable there. Look at changing your lighting, upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and new glistening fixtures.

(Credit: MR. INTERIOR/Shutterstock)
(Credit: MR. INTERIOR/Shutterstock)

3. Invest in the Bathroom

A showpiece bathroom always trumps a tired, outdated one. Think about a new vanity, more resilient flooring, a modern toilet, some soothing wallpaper or even a more contemporary sink. Consider what you would like in your ideal bathroom and make that vision a reality.

(Credit: Iriana Shiyan/Shutterstock)
(Credit: Iriana Shiyan/Shutterstock)

4. Go for Curb Appeal

Highlight your entrance to make potential buyers want to come into the house. Mow the lawn, plant attractive shrubs and flowers, seal the driveway, light your walkways and maybe even spring for a new front door. All this says, “Welcome.” To determine what you need, study your landscaping and yard from the perspective of a stranger interested in buying a new home.

(Credit: Iriana Shiyan/Shutterstock)
(Credit: Iriana Shiyan/Shutterstock)

5. Install New Windows

If you don’t already have energy-efficient windows and skylights, now is the time to invest in them. Clear, double-pane windows lower your heating bill, eliminate drafts and stop overheating. They also reduce fading on your furniture and carpets.

(Credit: John Wollwerth/Shutterstock)
(Credit: John Wollwerth/Shutterstock)

6. Add Air Conditioning

In the Pacific Northwest, home air conditioning is very rare, so this would give you a definite edge over your competition. Central air runs more energy efficiently than a single-window model air conditioner, plus it cools the entire house, not just one room.

(Credit: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock)
(Credit: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock)

7. Increase Storage Space

Closets in older homes and sometimes newer ones doesn’t always make the grade. You can convert what you have into a more functional space by adding closet systems that divide and conquer. Hire a company that does this type of installation or buy a do-it-yourself system at one of the major hardware stores.

(Credit: Artbox/Shutterstock)
(Credit: Artbox/Shutterstock)

8. Paint Inside and Out

A good paint job impresses potential buyers and can get you a better offer for your home. Inside, use a neutral color such as ivory, beige, or off white, so that people looking at your home can visualize their own color schemes. These colors also make your rooms look more spacious. A fresh coat on the exterior increases your home’s curb appeal. Again, stick to the earth tones and stay away from bright, bold colors.

(Credit: Kunkie99/Shutterstock)
(Credit: Kunkie99/Shutterstock)

9. Hire a Home Stager

Someone trained in how to show off your house can do wonders for the décor. He or she often sees things you don’t because you’ve grown accustomed to them. Rearranging the furniture and décor, changing the art, clearing the clutter and ultimately making your house look like a model home make your home more appealing and saleable.

(Credit: MR. INTERIOR/Shutterstock)
(Credit: MR. INTERIOR/Shutterstock)
 
 

Pro.com is a website founded in 2013 by service industry entrepreneurs and former Amazon executives to simplify home services -- especially research on contractor fees and qualifications.

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