There are times when you may wonder what the best course of action would be if you ever had to quickly sell your home. Or maybe you consider what work you would like to do in the few years you are planning to stay in your current house. What are the things that are the most important? Would there be something that would give you the best return on investment? What would maximize the value of your home?
We are not talking about upkeep and cleanliness here. We kind of assume that you clean your property regularly and have everything in reasonably good shape. If not, definitely take care of that first. These water stains in the bathroom or the flies in the window sills are easy enough to tackle when you have a moment.
Interiors
Kitchens and bathrooms
Having an outdated kitchen and bathroom is something potential buyers may have a problem with. After all, replacing these will be costly and often messy. Refacing kitchen cabinets can be an interesting option if the doors look dated. This can be a good option when the actual cabinets are in good shape. This cost-effective solution may be worth investing in as long as the layout of the kitchen is fine. You can see wat a set of new doors and fronts can do in our portfolio.
Older kitchens can sometimes be updated by simply a fresh layer of neutral paint and new hardware. Using the proper painting technique and the proper paint would be important. This will help avoid that the update ends up looking cheap. Again, we can help with this. Selecting the best colours can be difficult for the untrained eye. You want for example avoid mixing up cold tones with warm tones. Select your colours carefully. We like to assist!
Bathrooms can sometimes simply look a lot better with a newer style vanity, sink, fixture, trim or even a new toilet. We can drop by for small jobs like this and you may be surprised what it can do for your space. Do you have boring walls? A smart piece of wall paper can lift up your space.
New lighting is also not the most expensive thing to implement, but can lift your space from the last century to the current one!
Furnace and water heater
Buyers these days are hoping to see some energy saving measures. If you have a really old furnace, switching it out may be a hefty investment, but it will help to not have a 30+ year old system showcased in the home. These big ticket items can withhold a potential buyer to put an offer in. If you plan to stay in your house you have the added benefit of savings on your heatingbill.
Water heaters cost less but their age is often mentioned in the description of the house when they are newer, and your savings while you are still in your house can be significant.
Seeing that a furnace and water heater are efficient gives the impression the home owners care about their house as well and have not simply given up.
Electrical system
This is again especially important when your system is really old. We can inspect the system and recommend updates so that everything is at least up to code and there are no obvious fire hazards.
Talking about that….a simple replacement of yellowed outlets can help make the place feel fresh for just a little amount of money.
Exterior Curb
Roof
Redoing the roof before you sell would be really helpful if your old shingles are in bad shape. Bad shingles can be seen from the road and give the impression the house was not looked after and the shingles are just the tip of the iceberg. We can help pick a neutral colour that most people will appreciate and works well with the siding. It will give your home an instant facelift.
If you plan to stay in your home a little longer, getting new shingles before leaks happen will save you money in the end, while preserving the value of your home.
Doors and windows
We agree that this is not a small ticket item, but at the same time will new windows and doors make a big impact on the decision whether a house is worth buying. If you have old, drafty windows potentially interested parties typically see it. In a climate like ours these things can’t be taken lightly. It would be worth maybe replacing a few windows at the time throughout the years your are planning to stay in your house. That way you can still enjoy the comfort and the associated energy savings. At the same time, you increase the value of your home.
If you are on a budget or in a hurry, consider to at least swap the front door with a new one if your old one has seen much better days.
Paint
We have mentioned paint a few times already, but it is such an easy tool to use to increase the value of your home. It is so easy to get used to grey stucco that you don’t realize sometimes how some fresh whites can make a huge difference. Decks can grey out and fade slowly and unless you pay attention you may forget that refinishing it will be somewhat time consuming but not really that expensive.
Landscaping
We assume that you are moving the grass regularly and are weeding your gardens. Having a few flower pots in the summer and some smal shrubs planted near the house, will also give your house that well-taken care of look. These things are definitely worth the small investment.
