The US Census Bureau estimates that nearly 40 million Americans relocate each year. This translates to approximately 12 moves for the average American during their lifetime, with six occurring before they hit 30. The moving process can be stressful and overwhelming, especially when you need to sell your house fast.
Most homeowners turn to listing agents to help get their property off the market. The realtor can provide tips to sell your home quickly in the highly unpredictable real estate market. They may suggest improvements you need to take to increase your chances of getting a solid offer from potential buyers. It may also put more money in your pockets.
With that in mind, here are some home maintenance and renovations worth making before you sell your home.
1. Repair or Install a New HVAC System
The heating and cooling system for your home can be a point of concern for most buyers. Potential buyers will ask about the age, condition, and maintenance schedules for the HVAC system. You, therefore, need to ensure that your system is in good working condition. What better way to convince buyers than with low utility bills from your highly efficient HVAC unit?
The first move would be to step back and listen keenly to your air conditioner. Are there sounds produced by the machine which you are not accustomed to? If there are, you may need to call in the HVAC company.
Check the age of your system. A well-maintained air conditioner has an average lifespan of about 15 years. If your HVAC is more than a decade old, it makes financial sense to replace the unit with a new one. A new installation means better energy efficiency for the home. Besides, most buyers would be out looking for a turn-key home, and a new system may give them the nudge to make an offer.
Most buyers will not mind about the brand name. However, it would be best to choose a brand that people have heard about. Energy efficiency is a big concern for most buyers. One of the best tips to sell your home quickly is to have a unit that can save them on heating and cooling costs. Choose a system with a 14 SEER and above.
However, it is essential to note that you may not necessarily recoup your money. Installing a new unit could cost an average of $7000, as quoted by Home Depot. Normally, you can only plan to recoup up to 35-50% of this amount in the market. Consult your real estate agent to determine if it makes any sense to replace the unit just before you sell.
A cheaper option would be to make a replacement for individual components. You can begin by organizing a deep air duct cleaning to get rid of dust and grime that may have accumulated. If the ductwork is old, an HVAC contractor can help you replace the tubes and vents. Check whether the heater and thermostat are working efficiently. If not, you can organize for repairs.
2. Upgrade Kitchen Countertops and Appliances
Your kitchen area will be one of the spaces buyers will be interested to see when they come into your home. It can be a place where they prepare tasty meals and create beautiful memories as they spend time together. A kitchen in mint conditions can help your buyer see the house as a potential home, pushing them to make an offer.
Chipped countertops, sagging cabinets, and worn out sinks may not be appealing to most home buyers. You may need to organize a minor kitchen remodel as one of the tips to sell your home quickly. However, sprucing up your kitchen can be prohibitively expensive. It may not be economical to organize for a renovation when you are about to sell. Before heading out splashing over $15000 on a natural stone countertop, consult your realtor.
Make sure you compare other homes in the market. The cost you wish to splash on your kitchen should be relative to the value of your home. Remodeling magazine’s Cost Vs. Value Report points out that you can recoup 60- 120% of the money you plow in.
If your agent advises that your kitchen needs a brush-up, a modern countertop should be one of the first items to consider. Every buyer would love a huge, spacious workspace to prepare their food. Remember to keep your costs on the low. You do not need to go to the extremes with a granite or marble countertop.
Replacing kitchen appliances may not be advisable. Buyers have different tastes and preferences for the right style and model for their refrigerators, dishwashers, and cookers. Preferably, sign a discounted agreement with a buyer before agreeing to replace the appliances. If your kitchen equipment is over a decade old, you may need to upgrade them. Online discount stores can sell you a set of kitchen appliances at affordable costs. Unless it extremely necessary, keep off replacing them.
Housing experts that advise on tips to sell your home quickly say that you may need to settle for less expensive kitchen renovations upgrades. Painting is one of the ways you can use to spruce up your space at a low cost. Ensure that you countercheck with a color palette to guide you in choosing the right hue for your home. Your paint job should match the overall theme in your home. Opt for lighter and neutral colors.
Lighting is another cost-effective yet exciting way to spice up your kitchen. It can make your space look bigger and inviting. You can learn more about affordable lighting options online from sites with tips to sell your home quickly. Your kitchen lighting should be cohesive to the rest of the interior. Upgrading your lighting fixtures can translate to a quicker sale.
3. Do a Deep Clean
Getting your home ready for sale can be stressful. You may need to clean and spruce up your home, leaving it fresh. For the next set of tips to sell your home quickly, you learn how to make your property inviting. Your goal is to keep the house on the market for the least amount of time. Grime, foul smells, dirty floors, and dusty surfaces will put off any interested buyers. You, therefore, need to organize a thorough cleaning of your home.
The first step would be to declutter your space. Reorganize the items in your home and dispose of any wastes. For staging days, it is advisable to get your car off the parking lot. Organize for junk removal from your basement and garage. Make sure that you empty your trashcans and store them away. Remove any outdated patio furniture. You may also need to put away all toys and dolls.
While there are numerous tips to sell your home quickly, one of the easiest involves cleaning your windows thoroughly. Windows are essential external features of any home. Potential buyers will take note of the condition of your windows before entering your house. Dirty windows can easily ruin your home’s curb appeal. Organize for a cleaning party with your family. Arm yourselves with window cleaning agents and soft clothes to wipe off your panes. You can also use a vinegar and baking soda mix to wash off the grime. Ensure that you do not do the cleaning under direct sunlight, as it may leave some stains behind. Remember also to clean your window drapes.
The next stop should be your shelves and cabinets. Potential buyers are more likely to note dusty surfaces as they take the tour around the house. You may need to clean the cabinets and drawers in your kitchen. The closets in the bedrooms should also get a thorough cleaning. The more your house looks neat, the faster it may fly off the market. A few rugs and domestic cleaning agents are all you need to make a difference. Do not forget to vacuum your floors and carpets. Foul odors from a dirty carpet can ruin your house staging. Remember, you can always hire a professional carpet cleaner to do the cleaning.
Children’s handprints and pet bite marks on your walls will also need some attention. If your paint surfaces are washable, clean them using a wet piece of cloth. Be sure not to use an abrasive cleaner that may scrape off your paint.
One of the best tips to sell your home quickly is to give your drywall a fresh coat of paint. Consult your real estate on repainting your walls. You need to ensure that you do not spend too much on renovations that you do not get a return on investment.
You can also hire a pressure washer from the local hardware store to clean your home’s exterior. Power washing can help you eliminate dirt, mold, and grime stuck on hard to clean paved surfaces. Wash off your driveway, patio, exterior walls, and sidings. Be careful not to use too much pressure that may peel off your paint. You can also recaulk your cracked sidewalks.
4. Clean Up Your Landscaping
Landscaping can be an excellent way to improve the curb appeal to your home. Landscaping experts estimate that sprucing up your yards can boost your property value by up to 14%. Buyers form their first impressions about a house from its exteriors and landscape. Cleaning up your yard is one of the best tips to sell your home quickly without breaking the bank.
Before you start, take a photo of your landscape. Analyze the picture as if you were a buyer. Find the areas on your lawn that need some brushing up. You can also recruit help from family or a friend. Allow them to point out the issues that they see with your landscape. They may also provide suggestions that may help you better your curb appeal.
For your outdoor clean-up, start with the container plants at your doorstep. The large tropicals on your patio can be an excellent way to add to the beauty of your home. Ensure the container pots are clean and well-watered.
Give your grass turf some color upgrade. Brown, patchy and weedy lawns are a huge turn off to most homebuyers. It shows the yard will need more work from them. You can bring in a lawn care company before you place your house for sale. The landscaper can fertilize your lawn and re-sod where there are patches of dried grass. Mowing your grass may also help spruce up your backyard.
You can also organize for trimming of the overgrowth live fence. Prune the shrubs and bushes around your home. If overgrown branches hang over your roof, it would be best to call in tree pruning contractors to get rid of them. Apply a fresh layer of mulch under the trees.
Your home garden can also help make a statement about your home. Tidy up your flower bed perennials and annuals to add beauty to your space. Pull out any wilting or dried out plants. You may also decide to plant fragrant flowers. However, you need to take into account their seasonality and ease of care. Buyers may not like blooms that demand too much work to maintain.
You may also tend to small repairs such as broken pieces of your picket fence. You can source the materials cheaply from a discount store and do the simple repairs yourself. Repairing your irrigation system may require professional help. It is important to remember that the cumulative costs of repair can rise quickly.
Bottom-Line
Relocating to a new city or county can be stressful. Having to sell your home in the process only adds to the headache. To reduce this burden, ensure that you follow these simple tips to sell your home quickly.
If you do not wish to undertake the expensive upgrades and repairs, you can opt to sell your house without a listing agent. You can look for a ‘we buy homes’ company that will purchase your property on an as-is basis. You get an instant cash offer after a tour around your home.
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