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Upgrades You Should Make to Your Home Before Selling

Thursday October 31, 2019

Buying a Home

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A couple choosing the paint colour for a room.Have you decided to put your house on the market?

No matter the motivation behind the move, there are a few things you might want to take care of before putting your house on the market. Specifically, upgrades and maintenance. Let’s look at some of the more prominent upgrades that can help boost the value of your home in the end.

Start with the Basics

Boosting the value of your home doesn’t mean a $50,000 renovation or remodel. Sometimes, just small tweaks and repairs can really make a difference. What is hundreds of dollars in repairs could result in thousands when it comes time to sell.

Some of the basic improvements and tweaks you can make around the house to help boost the value of your home while on the market include:

• A fresh coat of paint throughout
• Installing storm doors
• Replacing old rain gutters
• Insulating the attic
• Inspecting the furnace and/or septic system
• Repairing leaks in plumbing

These updates are only a starting point. It all depends on your home and what needs to be repaired or upgraded. If you need help with plumbing, hire a professional. If you have a broken pipe at night make sure to contact round the clock plumbers.

Kitchen and/or Bathroom Remodel

Don’t overlook the power of a beautiful and functional bathroom and kitchen!

Remodelling your bathroom and kitchen spaces can have a significant impact on the value of your home when it comes time to sell. An upgrade to either of these two spaces, often the most used in the house, can create more space, ideal for larger families who fighting over it during busy mornings, while also helping create a more fresh and clean aesthetic that we all seem to desire.

 

  Project   Minor Remodel   Major Remodel
  Bathroom
  • Replace bathtub, vanity, sink, and/or fixtures
  • Replace tile
  • New flooring
  • Re-caulk bathtub and sink
  • Paint and hang fresh artwork
  • Replace old shower doors or remove them altogether
  • Expand existing space
  • Relocate and replace bathtub and toilet
  • Add luxury sink and faucets
  • Add a linen closet
  • Revamp lighting
  • New countertops
  • Fresh paint and décor
  Kitchen
  • Refacing cabinets and drawers
  • Upgrade countertops to a high-quality stone product, such as granite, quartz or marble
  • Replace sink fixtures and sinks
  • Upgrade lighting and fixtures, and consider undermount lighting
  • Revamp existing cabinets by sanding, painting and/or staining them
  • Paint using neutral colours and add trendy décor
  • Remove walls to create a more open-concept layout or combine kitchen and dining rooms
  • Upgrade appliances to stainless steel and/or high efficiency
  • Open concept and fewer obstacles

 

Before starting any renovation, you should always consult an expert. A contractor, architect or real estate agent can provide you with guidance before you embark on this journey to ensure you maximize your profits.

Landscaping

The curb appeal of your home might be more important than you think. Potential buyers do judge a book by its cover, so you want to put your home’s best foot forward from the outset. If there are overgrown bushes and patchy grass, take the time to rectify these and make the best impression on buyers.

If your landscape is usually maintained but needs a little something special, consider updating existing floral arrangements and features. A professional landscaper can help you explore ways to spice up the exterior of your home with walkways, lighting, flower gardens, mulch areas, hedges, and water features.

Exterior Upgrades

Boosting the value of your home doesn’t solely rely on flashy and expensive renovations. Often, it’s just revamping and replacing the basics to ensure that the build and quality of the home are up to par. Some of the best exterior upgrades to think about include: replacing gutters, repainting windows and replacing doors. You should also consider having your roof examined, so there are no surprises come home inspection time.

Revamping these exterior features of your home can help boost curb appeal while creating a safer and more functional home for the person or family who buys your home.

Lighting

Advanced lighting systems can have a significant impact on the value of your home. Buyers are attracted to little things that can make a space more unique and efficient, especially when it comes to lighting. Dimmer switches, skylights, chandeliers and sun tubes might be worth looking into before putting your home on the market.

Create Space

One of the biggest trends of 2018 and the past couple years is open space. Homeowners love being able to walk around and have lots of free space. A minimalistic layout can definitely help create more space in your home.

Try arranging furniture in small groupings. This can give a room or space a purpose while opening up space that may have otherwise been used inefficiently. If you aren’t sure where to begin with arranging your furniture, a home stager may be able to help. There are many benefits of staging your home before putting it on the market.

If you have lots of cupboards and counter space, why not consider removing the island in the middle of your kitchen? Some may argue that it provides additional storage and room to cook, but if your kitchen already has optimal storage and counter space, ditch the island. It can really open up your kitchen and make it more appealing to buyers.

Did you find the information in this article helpful? Good news for you, there’s a lot more where that came from! Take a look at our blog to learn more about recent news and growing trends in Canadian real estate. On the other hand, if you’re looking to sell your home, contact our team of local real estate agents today! At Woolcott Real Estate, you’ll be working with some of the best real estate agents in Burlington, Waterdown, and Hamilton.