Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Home’s Value for Sale

If you're looking to sell your home this year, you'll want to get the best price possible and sell as quickly as you can. That’s what everyone wants, right? In order to do so, you’ll need to appeal to buyers who are looking for homes in tip-top shape that are move-in ready, and priced to move. With a spring market soon to be flooded with new listings, you'll need your house to stand out even if inventory is still generally low.

Creating value is one surefire way to attract a serious buyer. It often starts long before a home is listed, and means rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. Done right, it doesn't need to cost a lot of money, and in many cases, an investment of hundreds of dollars can pay off in thousands when it’s time to sign that purchase and sales agreement.

So, what can you do to boost your home's appeal, and, consequently, its selling price? Here are 10 ways to do so:

1.    Let There Be Light – having a well-lit home can make a real impact on a potential buyer. If some of the rooms seem a little too dark, consider updating or even adding a few well-placed recessed fixtures.  If that sounds too ambitious, invest in a couple new lamps to brighten up the dark spaces.  Dimmers can also set the mood in a living or dining room, when appropriate.

2.    Open it Up – wide open spaces are “in” when it comes to the layout of a home. Family rooms off the kitchen are desirable, as are sun rooms off the back. Anything you can do to expand the living space and “flow” of your home is advisable. Consider staging furniture so there’s more room to get around; clear out clutter wherever you can. It may seem bare to you but less is always more when buyers are imagining their own furnishings as they walk through your home.

5.    Figure out the Flooring – one area that’s often overlooked is what’s underfoot. Flooring can sometimes be too personal a choice if it’s a non-neutral color of wall-to-wall carpeting. Investing in new flooring – either sustainable materials like cork or bamboo or a tightly-knit berber rug – can pay much bigger dividends on the back end.  If your carpeting is worn or dirty, consider a steam cleaning or replace with a lighter, neutral color.  New carpet can be quite reasonable.

6.    Create More Space – cleaning out the clutter both inside and out will make the place look roomier,  Take a room by room approach and box up the excess bric-a-brac and minutia of your life -- we all have it – and don’t leave out the basement.  Neatly use a corner of your basement and pile those boxes up.  If you’ve reclaimed living space in your basement, make it look like an inviting extra space.  You’ll be amazed at how enjoyable a clutter-free home can be.

7.    Don’t Take it Personally – when you walk through your home, look at it as a buyer might. If the décor or the colors are too personal, you may want to make some minor modifications. The next potential owner might not see the appeal of a lavender bathroom or flowered wallpaper in a bedroom. Anything too “themed” can block a buyer’s sense of imagination. Painting the majority of the home a pale or muted color is advisable and can freshen up the place, too.

8.    Give Some Love to the Lavatory – a home’s bathroom can be updated for fairly short money, and even small changes can make a big difference. Changing out hardware and faucets, adding more lighting or changing fixtures, and painting or re-wallpapering what is generally a limited area won’t cost much, and will make the home show much better. If it’s an option, adding a bathroom will add much more value; according to RealEstate.Com, a half bath may add more than 10% to a home’s value, while a full bath can result in an additional 20%. Some experts believe that bathrooms are now more important to home buyers than kitchens.

9.      Rev Up Your Garage – the forgotten garage never gets any attention but a clean garage can make a difference, especially for the car enthusiasts. Power wash the floor and apply an epoxy paint to get rid of your old oil stains.  Consider white washing or re-staining the walls.  Also, if your garage door is in bad condition or very dated, there are many appealing styles available if you choose to replace it for a major facelift.

10.     Make Sure All Systems are in Place – don’t forsake the infrastructure of a home for too many bells and whistles on the outside. Homeowners want a house with good “bones” – an efficient heating system, windows and doors that don’t need immediate replacing, a newer roof and appliances that conserve water and energy. Most potential buyers want to move into a new home knowing that the big jobs are already complete, and they’re often willing to pay for the privilege.

There are countless ways to increase a home’s value – but these tips will give you the biggest bang for your buck, and result in a greater payoff at closing time. If you plan to jump on the spring market bandwagon, now is the time to check some of these jobs off your to-do list. A little bit of sweat equity and an investment in time and basic supplies will go a long way towards reaching your sales goals.

Debi Benoit, principal of Benoit Mizner Simon & Co., has been Wellesley’s #1 real estate agent since 2006.  The Wall Street Journal twice ranked her among the top 100 real estate professionals in the country.  With offices in Wellesley and Weston, Benoit Mizner Simon & Co provides buyers and sellers in both markets with in-depth knowledge and experience combined with unparalleled client service.

With offices in Wellesley and Weston, Debi can be reached at 617-962-9292 or debi@benoitmiznersimon.com.