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Top Updates Before Selling

To impress potential buyers, there are five areas of your home to focus your decorating efforts. Don’t worry — these are quick upgrades. Your real estate professional can help you determine your target buyer so you can tailor your upgrades to the local market. Here are the top upgrades for the five high-impact areas in your home:

1. Curb Appeal

First impressions matter in real estate, increase your curb appeal with these simple changes:

Reduce clutter: if your porch or yard has been cluttered for a while it’s easy to ignore it. Tidy up your yard and pressure wash your driveway, porch, and garage.

Upgrade accessories: pick out a new welcome doormat and add a simple, seasonal wreath. Choose timeless accessories so your photos won’t look dated if a holiday passes.

Add accessories: your porch shouldn’t be bare but don’t go overboard with accessories. Think of your porches’ accessories like jewelry; they should enhance your home, not overpower it. Add some colorful and stylish potted plants to your exterior entryway or an understated outdoor cafe table and chairs for coffee and morning showings.

Paint your door: a beautifully painted front door is always a favorite. It’s an important part of your home’s exterior charm and complements your yard.

2. Foyer

Once they’re inside, buyers should be equally as impressed with your interior as your exterior.

Here are some simple upgrades to make your foyer feel welcoming:

Declutter: foyers are often cluttered with mail, shoes, jackets, homework, and anything else that people drop when they walk through the door. Add a few baskets or hooks to catch the inevitable clutter.

Add art or a mirror: wall art creates a definition of space and a great first impression. Mirrors can open and brighten up a space. A table or shelf below the wall art or mirror is a stylish way to upgrade the foyer and keep your keys from being lost.

Make room for a bench: a bench, with space for shoes underneath it, near the front door can be a major hit for buyers. This dedicated space for removing shoes and jackets when buyers enter the door signals that you care about your home.

3. Energy

Before you sell, make sure to upgrade your HVAC, water heaters, and windows. These changes are less expensive than solar panels and are more likely to produce a positive return on investment when you sell. Consider investing in a smart thermostat. A thermostat may seem like the most basic feature of the home, but it has a large impact on your energy bills and overall comfort. Half of your monthly energy costs are controlled by your thermostat, and a smart thermostat can reduce your energy expenditure greatly. If you make energy-efficient upgrades, make sure your realtor markets your home appropriately; consider providing copies of your bills to potential buyers to display how long the energy costs are.

4. Bathroom

Bathrooms can be a big selling point to a home buyer and it’s easy to look past things that need a fix or upgrade when you use a room every day. Even a dated bathroom can benefit from a few simple upgrades. The key to making sure your bathrooms are buyer-ready is to look at them through fresh eyes. Once you look around your bathrooms objectively, try these easy tips to freshen things up.

Replace your shower curtain: choose a shower curtain that matches your bathroom’s color scheme and “wows” your visitors. Though it’s easy to overlook, a shower curtain is a large visual element of your bathroom.

Invest in linens: put out a new set of towels and bathroom rug dedicated to showing and open house days. They should enhance your bathroom’s color scheme and create a refreshing look.

Upgrade your mirror: if your mirror shows signs of wear, upgrading to a new one is an important fix. A beautiful and fresh mirror creates a luxurious atmosphere in the bathroom.

5. Kitchen

Your kitchen is the most important room in the house when it’s on the market. Here are some easy ways to achieve an upgraded look buyers will adore:

Upgrade your cabinets: give your kitchen a facelift by replacing all of your cabinets.

Refresh your grout: if you have a tile backsplash, you might need to freshen up the grout. Whether it’s a deep cleaning or a new application, this little detail goes a long way.

Paint your kitchen island: everyone loves a painted kitchen island. The top colors are navy, gray, and black. This is a simple way to make your kitchen look stunning and stylish.

Let’s Upgrade Together

Selling your house can be overwhelming, especially if you’re also upgrading and remodeling. Don’t do it alone. Before starting your project, call a professional at House Lift. We give free consultations where a remodeling expert can help you figure out your project realistically and accurately. Contact us and start upgrading your home today.

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