5 DIY Home Improvements to Help You Sell

5 DIY Home Improvements to Help You Sell

Selling a home can be an exciting time, but it can also be very stressful. You want it to do well on the market and-let’s face it-you don’t want to have to plunk down a bunch of cash on home improvements just so you can move out. Fortunately, a complete kitchen or bathroom remodel isn’t necessary to make your home move. And if you’re one of those peoople who actually enjoys doing it yourself, you’re even more in luck. Wanna get the most bang for your home improvement bucks? In addition to decluttering with proper storage and staging your home beautifully, there are projects you can take on that will get you a significant return on your investment. Read on for five helpful hints on DIY home improvements that will help you sell your home.

  1. Give Your Landscaping Some Love

Anyone who has watched home improvement shows knows about curb appeal. When your prospective buyers pull up to your house, do you want them to see a bunch of dried out flowers and overgrown shrubs? We think not. And the best part about it is you don’t have to break the bank to make a wonderful first impression with your yard. As this HGTV article notes, a splash of color makes all the difference. And “if your doorway is overwhelmed by greenery, get out the shears. Replace overgrown shrubbery with flowering foundation plants, mixing heights and colors for dramatic effect.” A little improvement in your landscaping will go a long way in selling your home.

  1. Tweak the Kitchen

Okay, okay, we know we said you didn’t have to go for the full kitchen remodel, at least not without the help of a design build firm similar to Thomas Buckborough & Associates, but you might consider a minor one. It’s widely known that remodeling the kitchen does lead to big financial rewards when selling your home, so even if you don’t go for the full remodel, you might consider some DIY tweaks. Brighten up the kitchen with a new coat of paint on the walls and/or cabinets, and put in some innovative lighting. Don’t forget to have some lights on when your prospects are coming through so they can admire your DIY handywork. Replace old and outdated fixtures for a quick and relatively easy fix.

  1. Painting FTW

There is nothing that is easier (relatively speaking) and less expensive than giving your house a fresh coat of paint. If you’re working on the interior, choose pleasant yet neutral tones. You want these people to picture themselves in your house-not you. That room you did in eggplant will always be your favorite but you might just have to let that go when it comes time to sell. Neutral or white will not only brighten but will also leave the prospects with the ability to envision the potential.

  1. Remove or Replace Soiled Carpeting

As WeBuyHousesDenver.co‘s Nick Evans notes, “There’s nothing that says, ‘I’m living in someone else’s home’ more than carpeting that is old or visibly soiled. We replace that with either new carpeting or hardwoods and potential buyers are always very happy with this home improvement.” As this US News article goes on to note, “While the idea of removing carpeting and refinishing wood floors on your own can seem like a daunting task, with the proper tools this DIY project can be done on a budget.” Not only that, but this will also get you a serious ROI when you sell your home.

  1. Brighten Up the Bathroom

If you’ve got the money to do a full bathroom remodel, go for it, as this is one of the fixes that will give you the biggest return (along with the kitchen) when selling your home. However, there are smaller DIY projects that will also do the trick. Again, a fresh coat of paint will brighten up the bathroom, making it look sleek and clean. Consider replacing old mirrors and shower doors. As the aforementioned HGTV article suggests, you might even consider removing shower doors. Anything that will give the illusion of space will go a long way in appealing to potential buyers. Replace old tile, fixtures, and vanities. This might sound expensive but if you’ve become a pro at shopping at more inexpensive places, you know you can do this for relatively little money. This is particularly true if you’re doing the installation yourself.

Put a bit of elbow grease into these DIY projects and you’ll surely watch your home fly off the market in no time.

Catherine Avatar