Are you thinking about selling your home? Maybe you’ve outgrown where you’re living, you are ready to upgrade to a larger house, or you are downsizing after all the kids have moved out. Whatever the reason for wanting to sell, you might start thinking about home renovations. The popularity of the remodel shows on HGTV makes the home remodel process look like it doesn’t take a lot of time, and it’s easy. However, that is not the case at all. Some renovations can actually hurt the resale value of your home or cost you money that you won’t get back when you sell. So before you start going all Fixer Upper on your home and start demo day, make sure you know what will and will not help you when buyers come looking at your home.

First impressions are everything, and that rings true with open houses. If a potential buyer pulls up to your house and you have weeds, dead grass, overgrown shrubs, and peeling paint, they are less likely to want to go inside your home. Stepping up your curb appeal is a great way to help someone fall in love with your house before they’ve even stepped inside. If you’re selling in the Spring or Summer months, make sure your grass is cut, weeds pulled, your landscaping is tidy including shrubs, flower beds, walkways, and sidewalks, and your yard is fertilized and watered. While it might be a small investment to paint the outside of your house it will help with the value of your home. If you can, new siding, trim, and windows can add value, and if you get energy-efficient windows, that can also come as a tax break for you at tax time! You can also look at adding an outdoor living space. People enjoy being outside, and having a deck, or screened-in porch, can give you a decent ROI and help home buyers see more value in the home.

Inside your home is where you are most likely looking to renovate. However, you might not have to tear down walls and redo your entire master bathroom. Sometimes updating small things like shower doors, light fixtures, hardware, and paint can make your home more appealing to a buyer. When you are updating paint, make sure you keep the colors neutral. Having bright bold colors might be your style, but it can make someone who’s house hunting less likely to buy if they think they’ll need to paint over a bright red wall. You also want to look at small maintenance items that can make a potential buyer less interested in the house. Cracked grout, drafty doors, and windows, broken tiles, torn carpet, and other projects that are small and sometimes easy fixes can make a huge difference in an open house. Giving your house a good deep clean can also help someone envision themselves in your house. Remember, when people are looking at your home they need to be able to imagine themselves getting ready in the bathroom, eating dinner around the dining room table, having a drink with friends in the kitchen, and relaxing in the bedroom. If they’re looking at dust, dirt, outdated wallpaper, and flooring from 30 years ago, it’s a lot harder for them to picture how perfect the house is.

If you are going to do major renovations to your home before you sell, don’t break the bank. Make sure your remodel makes sense and is something a buyer will want to see. If you update the kitchen and put in top-end appliances, but the layout isn’t functional that can actually hurt the value of your home. Functionality and storage are big must-haves on any home buyer's list. Think about things you would want in your new home and make sure that you are providing that in your renovations. 

If you are thinking about adding a room, converting an existing space, or doing something that requires permits, make sure you hire a general contractor. It’s also good to hire a professional for any major repairs you might need to do on your home. The last thing you want is for your house to sell, only to have it fall through during the home inspection phase. Doing things on your own might save you money initially, but it could actually cost you a lot more in the long run. Our team of Real Estate professionals can help you make sure your home is ready to go on the market. We’re happy to recommend contractors, suggest updates, and help you get the most out of your house.