Prep Your Home for the Market with These Selling Tips

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It’s a competitive market for home sellers right now. That means it’s more important than ever to make your house stand out from the competition and draw visitors to your listings and open house, as well as attracting interested buyers with excellent curb appeal.

All of these preparations take time and planning. However, if done correctly, you’ll not only bring more potential buyers to visit your home, but you’ll also be able to increase your asking price based on a few key aesthetic upgrades.

In this post, I’m going to fill you in on some of the most time and cost-effective ways to prepare your house for sale to bring the most number of potential buyers.

Make a revitalization budget

Before you start spending on your home upgrades, take the time to make a budget for the things that are the most important to making your home look and feel great. This budget will help you keep your spending in check and get the most out of your sale preparations.

Start working on curb appeal

Without spending much money, many homeowners can drastically increase the curb appeal of their home. Pressure washing the siding and sealing and sweeping the driveway is a great start.

Before taking photos or receiving visitors, trim and edge the lawn and lay down some fresh mulch. You don’t need to spend hundreds on flowers to make a substantial difference on curb appeal.

To make your home stand out and look up-to-date, apply a fresh coat of paint to your front door. Choose a color that complements your home, but one that also “pops” and grabs your attention.

Declutter and organize

Preparing your home for sale also happens to be a great time to start packing away some personal belongings. Family photos and other items that are unique to your family are best left out of your photos and distract viewers from being able to picture themselves in your home.

Since our homes are built to live in, many of us keep our things in convenient places rather than tucking them away. Now is a good time to try and find ways to integrate some minimalism in your home so that visitors don’t feel crowded by clutter.

Spend money on the right items

Some home upgrades just aren’t worth the time and money they’ll take to perform before selling. So, it’s best to prioritize the things that will have the most impact on visitors and viewers of your real estate photos.

A new welcome mat and cabinet handles are a great example of inexpensive upgrades that can make a home feel new again.

Take a look around your home and find the accessories that look dated or worn and see what you can accomplish on your budget.

Which Home Improvement Projects Add Value to Your Home?

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Home improvement projects not only help you personalize your space to suit your style, but they can also boost your property value. When you are investing in a home improvement project, it’s important to choose one that is going to allow you to enjoy the greatest return on your investment.

These home improvement projects typically add the most value to your home:

Kitchen Remodel

A kitchen remodel is one of the most costly home improvement projects that you can take on, especially if you decide to renovate your kitchen from the ground up. However, this is also one of the most valuable investments that you can make in your home. A renovated kitchen can provide you with anywhere from a 50 to 80 percent return on your investment, depending on the choices that you make and the amount of money that you invest in the project.


New Windows

Installing new windows in your home is an improvement project that will increase your quality of life inside your home while also ensuring you enjoy a generous return on your investment when you go to sell. It is important to opt for energy-efficient windows to get the most cost savings and see the highest returns. Don’t forget about the rebates and tax credits you may be eligible for when you invest in energy-efficient windows.

Improved Deck or Patio

When you make a commitment to improve your outdoor living space, you are investing in your own enjoyment of your home. However, a freshly painted deck or a new patio can also add a lot of value — either project can offer a 30 percent to 60 percent return on your investment.

Basement Refinishing

Finishing the basement in your home can transform this storage area into a new, functional living space. If you add luxury features, such as a full bathroom or a wet bar, you may find that you see an even larger return on your investment from this project.

Any home improvement project — regardless of its size or scope — is going to require an investment of your time, energy and financial resources. When you select value-added home improvement projects, you may find that your investment pays off in dividends when you list your home on the market for the highest possible price.

Tips for Sellers: Identify Your Target Buyer

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For those who want to enjoy a successful home selling experience, identifying your target buyer is key. Because if you understand why buyers may choose your residence over other available houses, you can promote your home to the right groups of buyers. And as a result, you may be better equipped than ever before to streamline the house selling journey.

Now, let’s take a look at three tips to help you identify your target buyer so you can promote your house effectively and speed up the home selling process.

1. Consider the Buyer’s Perspective

Think about why a buyer should choose your residence. Then, you can find ways to promote your house’s features to the right groups of buyers.

Ultimately, a home listing can make a world of difference, particularly for those who want to engage and inform prospective buyers about a residence. If you analyze the buyer’s perspective, you can craft your house listing accordingly.

For example, if your residence is located just minutes from top beaches, you may want to include this information in your home listing. On the other hand, if your home offers multiple bedrooms, you may want to include high-resolution photographs of these bedrooms in your listing to show off the size and beauty of your house.

2. Conduct an Inspection

A home inspection generally is completed after a seller accepts a buyer’s offer to purchase his or her house. But when it comes to identifying your target buyer, you may want to conduct an inspection prior to listing your residence.

During a home inspection, a property expert will examine your residence and offer insights into any underlying issues. You then can prioritize home upgrades, and as such, make your home more appealing to potential buyers.

With a home inspection, you may be able to gain insights into your residence that could be difficult to obtain elsewhere. Thus, if you perform an inspection, you can find ways to improve your residence so you can make your house an attractive option to dozens of prospective buyers.

3. Consult with a Real Estate Agent

If you are unsure about how to target buyers, you may want to collaborate with a real estate agent. In fact, if you have a real estate agent at your side, you can receive expert home selling advice any time you need it.

A real estate agent understands the challenges commonly associated with selling a house and can help you address such issues. First, he or she will develop a personalized home selling strategy and help you showcase your residence to the right groups of buyers. He or she next will host home showings and open house events. And if you receive an offer to purchase your home, a real estate agent can recommend whether to accept, reject or counter this proposal.

Devote time and resources to learn about your target buyer – you will be glad you did. If you use the aforementioned tips, you can identify your target buyer and map out a successful house selling journey.

Homeowners Can Save Big With DIY Kitchen Island Innovations

If the cost of renovations holds you back from realizing your desired living space, strategic do-it-yourself projects can save money and accelerate the process.

It’s essential to understand that not every handy homeowner possesses the DIY skills to orchestrate a complete makeover. However, basic understanding of how to measure and use tools allow everyday people to make substantial living space improvements. In fact, more than a few motivated people can create a DIY kitchen island. Given that the meal preparation area ranks among the more expensive to upgrade, a DIY kitchen island can be a game-changer in terms of enjoyment and investment.

Popular DIY Kitchen Island Innovations

The kitchen has more foot traffic than any room in the household and that’s why many consider it the heart of the home. Perhaps the most dramatic change involves adding a DIY kitchen island. This asset allows family chefs expansive food preparation space and a place for friends and family members to gather over small meals and beverages. The following DIY kitchen island innovations illustrate ways you can save big while enhancing your home.

  • Farm Style Center Islands: One surprising innovation involves taking an outdated table or workbench and refurbishing it. Antiques often utilize sturdy hardwoods that can be sanded down, stained, and coated for kitchen use and fixed in place. These furniture items are usually created at the precise height of a modern center island and can be picked up at tag sales or junk stores for pennies on the dollar.
  • Dresser Updates: Like farm tables, a beat-up old dresser can form a DIY kitchen island’s foundation. Identify a piece of furniture that meets your desired height requirement. For instance, dressers of about 42 inches may accommodate bar stool seating. You can remove the top and craft a replacement that extends off one side for a seating countertop. It’s also perfectly acceptable to attach a more expansive countertop over the existing one. Given that repurposed furniture is inexpensive, you’re only paying retail for the countertop materials.
  • Rustic Built-It-Yourself: A DIY kitchen island does not necessarily require you to purchase a manufactured product. Fashioning a kitchen island remains remarkably similar to building a make-shift table or cabinet. Consider downloading basic table-making or cabinet plans and crafting one from lumber. Given that most homeowners are not finished carpenters, rustic designs and appearance can simplify the project.
  • Value of Shiplap: These interlocking boards rank among the more cost-effective home siding materials on the market. They are easy to manage and ideal for the exterior of a DIY kitchen island. This wood material can be installed on three sides of an island, leaving one side available for storage shelving. Shiplap provides aesthetically pleasing lines and can be painted or stained to suit. That makes it a cost-effective material to employ in a DIY kitchen island innovation.

Working families on strict budgets do not necessarily need to build up home improvement savings or leverage equity to enhance their living environment. By thinking outside the box and putting your creative spirit to work, it’s possible to make these DIY kitchen island innovations a reality.