5 Home Improvements to Sell Your Home Faster

Not all home improvements are meant to be enjoyed as a homeowner as much as they’ll benefit you as a seller. But Elite Homes, a homebuilder in Louisville, Kentucky, is here to show you some upgrades that may not be elaborate, but they could make or break the sale of your home. Here are five home improvements can increase the value of your home. 

1. Bathroom Remodel.  Bathroom upgrades can provide as much as almost 80% returns.  This includes new countertops, faucets, light fixtures and other simple, but essential features. No need to splurge on fancy fixtures, but instead keep things neutral and classic to appeal to all types of buyer tastes.

2. Landscaping. Your yard is the first thing people see, so any improvement will be valuable.  When deciding what upgrades to make first, start from your curb and work your way to the front door. This mimics what the buyer will see first as they arrive and begin making their initial judgments. Small year round plants add nice appeal, while larger trees and shrubs also help with erosion and water run off. 

3. Exterior Improvements.  New siding makes a huge difference aesthetically, but more importantly protects your home. Certain materials like fiber-cement provide much more return on investment than vinyl, for example, which can crack, rot or fade. Swapping in new energy efficient windows is also big for buyers as they make a home feel warmer and save significantly on utilities overtime.

4. Attic or Basement Conversion.  Whether your goal is to convert the space into a bedroom for guests/in-laws or an area to entertain and relax, some new dry wall, floors and lighting can reap significant return on investment. 

5. Build a Deck or Porch. While these areas provide potential buyers the chance to envision themselves enjoying family cookouts and gatherings, they also offer a nice, seamless transition from the inside out.  These additions typically recoup about 85% of costs and can make a huge difference in the eyes of buyers who appreciate the bonus living space a nice outdoor area can provide.

If you’re ready to move into an Elite home, then start thinking about what your buyers may want so that you can sell your home in the near future! Some of these improvements may not be as valuable to you as they are to the next owners, so it’s important to see how noticing the difference can be more of a benefit when you’re ready to move.

How to Prepare Your Home To Sell

You've decided. You're moving into a new Elite Built Home! Through all of the excitement, you've started to become concerned about selling your own home? Not to worry! Here a couple of tricks of the trade to stage your home to get ready for selling! 

Make it welcoming.  With all the times you’ve used your entrance, you may have gone blind to the wear it’s accumulated over the years.  See what can be touched up with new paint or scrubbed with some cleaner, then replace house numbers, porch light and a nice welcome mat.

Mind the details. Small details you may not even notice can depreciate your home in the eyes of buyers. Freshen up with new switch plates and outlet covers if yours are grubby or yellowed. Polish handles and hardware, and scrub away minor spots and scuffs on walls.

Eliminate bad odors.  Buyers will quickly run away if something doesn’t smell quite right.  Buy air neutralizer to remove bad odors, or even better, bake a fresh batch of cookies or add scented candles to create a homey feel.

Make your space look bigger. Hang floor-length curtains above the windows to give the illusion of higher ceilings. Lay down a striped rug to make the floor seem more expansive. Use a clear shower curtain to open up a small bathroom.

Prepare for snoopers. Buyers will open your fridge, peek in your medicine cabinet, and check under your sinks.  Tidy up these spaces that tend to be messy, and hide anything valuable.

And then there’s the basics:

De-personalize.  Too many personal touches distract the buyer from envisioning their own future in your home. Rent a storage unit to store excess furniture, family photos, etc.

De-clutter. It’s true furniture helps make a room look bigger, but too much “stuff” just makes it cluttered and takes away from your home’s appeal.

Don’t wait to start packing. Chances are you’ve accumulated a lot of belongings over the years. Get a jump start on removing anything extra

Remove everything you’re keeping.  Any window coverings, appliances or lighting fixtures you want should be removed before showings. If the buyer doesn’t see it, he can’t want it.   

And maybe the most challenging, but important of all…

Look to the future. Once you decide to put your home on the market, it’s no longer yours. Try to remove yourself from the strong emotional ties, and focus on what’s next for you in your new home!

10 Tips to Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal

First impressions matter. especially when it comes to selling your home, and that usually means having great curb appeal. “Curb appeal” is the impact your home’s exterior makes on visitors. Buyers form vital impressions of homes while standing in the street or sitting inside the car, just beyond the curb. And those first few minutes can make or break a potential sale. 

1.    Clean up.  Sometimes the most obvious way to enhance curb appeal is simply by deep cleaning the exterior of your home. Turn the nozzle on your garden hose to the strongest setting and clean off your driveway, sidewalk, windows, and fence.  If dirt and grime is really caked on your home’s exterior, you can rent a power washer. For maximum sparkle, clean your windows outside and inside.

2.    Give your door a facelift.  A new coat of paint can do wonders. Consider adding molding, which offers a decorative frame for your door, welcoming visitors while serving as a grand entrance.  You can also glam up your door by adding metal house numbers, or a wreath or seasonal decorations.

3.    Have fun with your house numbers. If you’d rather not add house numbers to your freshly painted door, here are some alternative ideas:

·      Add house numbers to a post planter near the front porch.

·      Make use of the front porch stair risers by hanging or painting numbers there.

4.    Add some fun to your light fixtures.  Replacing exterior light fixtures is another curb appeal must. Just make sure your new light fixtures have the same mounting system. And if you want to save on lighting, just try spray-painting them — a can of spray paint costs around $10.

5.     Refresh your mailbox. Replacing your mailbox is easy enough, but why stop there? Try planting a welcoming mailbox garden. Dwarf, compact shrubs are good choices because they stay smaller and require less pruning. Plants such as liriope, daylilies and agapanthus are useful because they don’t get too tall, and quickly fill in, eventually eliminating the need for mulch. 

6.    Bring beauty to your doorstep.  Placing a container garden at your doorstep is a quick and affordable way to liven things up. Not a fan of flowers? Try foliage plants. Just plant something low-maintenance so that they thrive even if you forget to water them. (Dead plants definitely hurt curb appeal!) Choose pots and plants that complement the colors and style of the house.

7.     Install flower boxes. Flower boxes are a quick way to add some life and color to your house windows. If you don’t want to worry about installing flower boxes, the aforementioned container garden is just fine.

8.     Prune the landscape. It’s common knowledge that you should give your landscape plantings a trim before selling a home, but this is also the time to audit your ‘trash trees’ and overgrown foundation plantings. Have the big stuff removed by a professional. Paved paths or patios can bring value to the property because they make life easier without costing much time or effort.

9.    Be deliberate about patio furniture. Limit personal decor and furniture. Just as you would aim to simplify the interior of your home when your house is on the market, the exterior of your home should allow prospective buyers to envision their own style in the space. 

1. Get creative with storing/hiding items. Place a small lattice fence or side of paneling around the A/C condenser, and hide your trash bins behind a small fence or in a garbage can shed. You can also hide your hose in a pot or storage bench.

Easy Ways to Get Your Home Ready To Sell

We know you know the basics of getting your home ready to sell – de-clutter, repair, clean and stage. But buyers can be unpredictable. Any number of things – some of them practically intangible – can make them fall instantly in or out of love with your house.  So how do you combat that kind of pickiness? Here are a few tricks of the trade, courtesy of Forbes.com.

Set the welcoming mood. You’ve got curb appeal, but what about “walking up to the door” appeal? Invest in a new doormat and scrub down your front door since it’s probably covered with dust, dirt, and oils. Better yet, repaint it and add some new house numbers and a new porch light.

Wash the windows. Have your windows professionally washed, or devote an afternoon to washing them yourself from both inside and out. Even on gray days, clean windows will let in more light and make your rooms sparkle — and buyers will definitely notice if it isn’t done.

Mind the details. Small details can make your home look dumpy without you even realizing it. Freshen up rooms with new switch plates and outlet covers if yours are grubby or yellowed. Polish handles and hardware, and use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove minor spots and scuffs on walls.

Get painting. Paint adjacent rooms the same color to give the appearance of an open floor plan. Paint the walls to match your drapes and use the same colors and patterns in the master bedroom and bath. Walls aren’t the only things that need a fresh coat of paint. Dingy doors, window frames and trims will drag down the prettiest of rooms.

Appeal to the senses. Bake a fresh batch of cookies to create a homey feel in the kitchen. Employ soothing scents like vanilla and lavender in bathrooms and bedrooms. Make sure everything is clean and sparkling.

Make your space look bigger. Hang floor-length curtains above the windows to give the illusion of higher ceilings. Lay down a striped rug to make the floor seem more expansive. Use a clear shower curtain to open up a small bathroom.

Fake a closet organization system. Make your storage look custom with DIY shelves, hangers, and bins. Organize clothes by type and color for added impact.

Dress up the laundry area & garage. Make your laundry area and garage look welcoming by adding a folding surface, bins, and baskets for storage, or even installing wall shelves to store laundry accessories as well as sporting goods.

Prepare for snoopers. Buyers will open your fridge, peek in your medicine cabinet, and check under your sinks. Make these areas so tidy that even Martha Stewart would be proud.

De-clutter. You have a lot of stuff. Potential buyers don’t need to see it. The less “stuff” that’s around, the roomier your house will seem. Start packing BEFORE you list your home so that those extra books, clothes and furniture are in storage.

Good luck!

Elite Homes builds beautiful garden home communities perfect for baby boomers 55+ - featuring, single-family, low-maintenance homes, in a relaxing and convenient locations around Louisville.