Selling your home is a process that\u2019s a bit more complicated than simply putting it on the market. If you\u2019re looking to add to its value – and most sellers do – then you\u2019re going to have to put in some time, effort, and cash to make some upgrades. That will position the property more attractively on the market, as well as enable you to boost the price.<\/p>\n
But what are the right upgrades to make? Especially if you\u2019re on a tight budget, you should consider sticking to the tried-and-true basics. Flooring, home offices, and curb appeal never steer you wrong, so make sure you prioritize the right elements for a seamless selling process.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0 Home office<\/strong><\/p>\n With the pandemic raging on, a significant segment of office workers have switched to working from home. That means that things have changed not only in the professional realm, but also in the domestic one. People\u2019s needs have understandably changed because of this shift in lifestyle, and that is reflected in home buyers\u2019 demands and overall trends for this year.<\/p>\n Long story short, when buying a home, Millennials are looking for a home office. In fact, it\u2019s a non-negotiable demand, as it has become essential. The good news is that it\u2019s very easy and low-cost to add a workspace to your property in order to attract buyers.<\/p>\n If you have extra space:<\/p>\n Ideally, you are able to turn a guest bedroom into a home office. That way, there\u2019s a door that separates this space from the rest of the house, thus providing a little work-life delimitation.<\/p>\n All you really need is to stage this room with a desk and a chair, all the necessary amenities<\/a> to work from home, and make note of attractive features like natural light from the window or that\u2019s in a remote part of the house.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re working with a small space:<\/strong><\/p>\n It takes some creative thinking to include it in a smaller space, but not impossible. You don\u2019t need to have a dedicated room, but if you can set up a corner for this in your home, that\u2019ll show potential buyers that the space is able to accommodate their work.<\/p>\n Closet offices are very popular currently, and all that requires is to make sure there\u2019s an outlet and light inside. Add a desk and a chair and you\u2019ve created a small home office space with a minimal investment.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0\u00a0 Sustainable features<\/strong><\/p>\n Sustainability is at the forefront of young buyers\u2019 minds, so if you want to get their attention, it\u2019s a good move to add some sustainable features to your home. The investment is always worth it, because it\u2019s the kind of thing that saves homeowners money in the long run, so it\u2019s something people are willing to pay for upfront.<\/p>\n For example, solar panels are an excellent thing to add because the expense is not massive, but it\u2019s going to attract interest from a lot of buyers who may have otherwise passed on your property. The fact that it\u2019s a sustainability feature is attractive, but even more attractive is the promise that they are going to save big on energy costs.<\/p>\n The other upgrade that\u2019s super easy to install and relatively inexpensive is a device like a smart thermostat. Not only will it elevate your home to smart home status, but it\u2019s also another feature that helps save money and make the home more energy efficient, both of which are major draws for buyers.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0 Front yard makeover<\/strong><\/p>\n When it comes to the outside of your home, there are two words you should have in mind: curb appeal<\/a>. A derelict front yard does not make a good first impression, and that\u2019s all that matters when you\u2019re selling a home. If the house looks good, people will come in. If it looks bad, they won\u2019t bother.<\/p>\n So, you want to invest a little time and money into getting the yard back into shape. You can choose to put in a few thousand here if you can afford it, as it will definitely pay off. But if you\u2019re trying to keep costs low, stick to the basics.<\/p>\n Make sure your grass is cut and looks good, remove branches and leaves, and trim your trees so they won\u2019t obscure the front of the house. You want the outdoor greenery to frame your property nicely and make it look even better than it already does.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0 Fresh paint<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to believe that a coat of paint is a major upgrade you need to consider, but it\u2019s true. Paint is the single biggest change you can make for a comparatively low cost that\u2019s going to add value and interest to your home.<\/p>\n Indoors<\/strong><\/p>\n When talking about the interior of your property, it\u2019s all about keeping things neutral and fresh. This is not the time to take risks or show your personality, so if you have any strong colors, feature walls, or colors that may be unpalatable to average tastes, it\u2019s recommended to get rid of them.<\/p>\n Instead, choose light, neutral colors throughout your home. This achieves two things – first, it gives everything a fresh look, feel, and smell that gives your home a little face lift. You don\u2019t want cracked or yellowing, stale paint anywhere.<\/p>\n Second, it allows the house itself to shine, and not your belongings or your tastes. You want buyers to be able to walk in and imagine themselves living here<\/a>, so the more neutral you keep things, the better.<\/p>\n Outdoors<\/strong><\/p>\n For the outside, it\u2019s all about looking polished and boosting curb appeal. A good scrub can do wonders, but it\u2019s even better to paint it. Make sure it\u2019s cohesive with the rest of the neighborhood, but that it stands out.<\/p>\n Painting the door a contrasting color is also a great way to add a little something special to the look of your property and keep eyes on you.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0\u00a0 Flooring<\/strong><\/p>\n Believe it or not, flooring is one of the main elements that adds value to your property, so you don\u2019t want to neglect it. If you have hardwood flooring, you can rejoice, because it\u2019s expensive, in demand, and can easily be given some luster and shine to make it look excellent for buyers.<\/p>\n If your floors are a little tired, you may want to do something about that. Adding hardwood flooring is a major investment that can be worth it if that\u2019s something all the houses in the neighborhood have, because it will allow you to boost the price to be comparable to them.<\/p>\n If not, nowadays there are numerous great quality alternatives that will give you the look you want, but without the high price tag.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0\u00a0 Smart tech<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2021, buyers are enticed by smart technology, so adding even just a few smart devices can successfully upgrade your home to \u201csmart home\u201d status. A majority of home buyers are willing to pay extra<\/a> for a smart home, so the investment will definitely pay off.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have a large budget to play with, opt for devices that are popular and in demand, but that come at a lower cost. Smart assistants are the perfect choice in this category, because they\u2019ve become ubiquitous, so buyers have come to expect them.<\/p>\n In addition to that, a smart doorbell is always a good thing to add because it\u2019s an extra layer of security that can\u2019t hurt. People appreciate the peace of mind, especially since it can come in handy to identify porch thieves.<\/p>\n