Quick Projects That Improve the Sell-ability of Your Home

Selling your home in today's real estate market can be very competitive. You need to do whatever you can to make your home more sellable. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to get more for your home. In fact, the goal is to make your home look nicer so that it sells quicker. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make some changes that will make a big difference (and hopefully get your home sold rather quickly).

Unsure where you should start? Here are some quick projects that will improve the sellability of your home.

Do some painting (or hire someone to do it for you). Many homes get dirty quickly, especially when the walls are painted a light color. Every hand print and mark will show up on a white (or beige) wall. Nothing will brighten your home more than a new coat of paint. This is also helpful to do with rooms that are bright colors. If you painted your son's room a bright orange, you may want to paint it a more neutral color so that potential new owners can see themselves in that room. The same goes for bright pink and purple rooms. If they have a son, they may struggle to see him in a pink room.

Replace the carpeting. Replacing old and dirty carpeting can also make a big difference. No matter how careful you are, there is a good chance that there are stains on the carpet from muddy shoes, spilled drinks, and even the dog! Brand new carpet will help to brighten up each room.

If you aren't able to replace the carpet, at least get a shampooer and give the carpet a real good cleaning. In fact, this may be enough to change the entire look of the room!

Update the cabinets and hardware in the kitchen. It is true that some small changes can make a big difference. If your kitchen is less than desirable, you may want to paint the cabinets a more neutral color. You may want to change your faucet or even the hardware on the cabinets in order to make it a little more desirable.

The same could be done in the bathroom. If you are unhappy with your bathroom, you may want to paint the cabinets and change the hardware. If your toilet doesn't clean up (no matter how hard you scrub it), you might want to get a new one. If your bathtub is still grimy, you may want to look into replacing it (or at least covering it up) so that your whole bathroom looks as clean as possible.

Focus on the landscaping. Curb appeal is very important when you are selling your home. If people drive by and aren't impressed, they aren't going to want to look any further. For this reason, you may want to do some landscaping before you put your home on the market. Flower beds can make a nice touch. If you have some, you may want to freshen up the mulch and make sure that all of the flowers are blooming well. Trim the trees and shrubs that are around your home. If you don't have any, you may want to add a few, just to make your yard look better.

Power wash your home. Homes get dirty too, especially light-colored brick and siding. A good power wash could make your entire house shine! You will be amazed at the difference a few hours can make when it comes to the outside of your home.

Don't forget about the rest of the outside of your home. Take a good look at the outside of your home when you are done power washing it. How does your door and shutter look? Will a good cleaning help or do they need to be replaced? You may be able to paint them to make a big difference.

You may want to add some decor on your front and back porch. A nice wreath on the door will make a big difference. Add a potted or hanging plant. Decorate for the holidays. These little touches will bring people in your door.

And the inside. Nothing turns people away faster than a cluttered home. For this reason, it is important to do a thorough cleaning before you put your home on the market. While you are working on that, you should get rid of as much stuff as you can. Throw away the trash that is laying around your home. You don't need piles of magazines cluttering your side tables. Sell items that you aren't going to take with you and donate what you can. Get rid of furniture that won't fit in your new home. Don't move clothes that you aren't going to wear again. Go through your children's toys and minimize the amount that you have laying around. Take your time with this because this may make the biggest difference yet!

If you want your home to sell as quickly as possible without spending a lot, there are plenty of things that you can do. You may want to paint the entire house (or just the well-used rooms). You may also want to make rooms that are brighter a more neutral color so your potential buyers can see themselves living there. They might struggle to see that when the rooms are bright blue or pink. You may also want to replace the carpet. This is another way that makes a big difference.

Instead of doing a whole remodeling project in your kitchen or your bathroom, you may want to repaint the cabinets and change up the hardware. This can really update a room, without costing you a lot of money. A new faucet could really change the room. If your toilet or shower is really dingy, you may want to replace them too.

You can't forget about the outside. Make sure that you have some landscaping to bring people in. A good power wash can make a white house sparkle. Just don't forget the door and shutters. You may want to replace them (or at least give them a good touch up).

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Previously published on Medium and/or Newsbreak.