By Anica Oaks
A home purchase is often the biggest investment a person will make in their life. When the time comes to sell your house, you want to get the best price possible. If you explore one of the many real estate sites online, you'll notice that many homeowners make a point of updating their homes before selling.
Related: How Home Automation Is Taking Over the Remodeling Industry
Here are a few of the many reasons why people modernize their homes before listing them:
New Buyers Don't Want to Immediately Remodel
Major remodels can create a state of chaos in a home that most new homebuyers would rather avoid. Additionally, the costs involved in buying a new home, moving and settling a family into a new space can be significant. They may not be able to do the remodeling projects that are needed for a significant period of time. Buyers will look more favorably upon and be willing to shell out more cash for a home that already has many improvements taken care of.
Strategic Updates Attract More Buyers
Individuals who are considering putting their homes on the market should understand that real estate agents do a great deal of marketing online and through social media. A good visual impression of your home will spark interest in more buyers. An updated kitchen or bathroom, fresh paint throughout the house and new flooring all provide good visual impact that will draw buyers to your listing. Choices for your upgrade should use the most neutral color palettes and most desirable materials, as these will appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers.
Make Your Home More Competitive in the Market
If a homebuyer's choice comes down to one home with desirable features that has not been updated or a home that has been updated but may not be as desirable, buyers are more likely to make an offer on the one that shows signs of TLC and has recently been remodeled. When your home already looks amazing, potential buyers will be able to focus their attention on other aspects of making the home their own.
Most real estate experts will recommend updating your home before putting it on the market, but not to such an extent that you cannot recoup your costs. Some projects, such as kitchen or bathroom remodels, new flooring and exterior maintenance, have a great record of making homes more appealing to buyers, allowing sellers to see a return on their investment.
Anica Oaks is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Oaks on Twitter @AnicaOaks. In the market for engineered flooring? Oaks recommends Barrenjoey Timber.
Also remember this. A buyer typically puts all or most of their free capital into the down payment. So coming up with redecorating capital is usually a stretch for many buyers. If the seller redecorates, basically the buyer gets to finance that cost over 30 years or the life of the mortgage. Hence redecorating broadens your group of buyers handsomely. Buyers that intend to redecorate and have the financial wherewithal to do so are usually flippers. Get lots of advice on how to redecorate that will attract the largest group of buyers. A poor job is a waste of time.
Solid article with very applicable points. Our focus is on exterior home maintenance and when we work with homeowners that use our services prior to selling – we tell them to list ‘new/upgraded gutters’ as part of their home listing details to include a value-added feature along with giving peace of mind to potential buyers. Cost-effective upgrades are definitely key.