Fixes you can make to draw attention to your home's listing without breaking the bank

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Published Date 1/5/2021

When scrolling through online listings for homes in a particular price range with just the right number of bedrooms, baths, and amount of square footage, what makes a potential homebuyer single out your home, resulting in a request for an in-person tour? Is it the mention of a spacious yard or a great neighborhood? Or is it the photos that catch their eye?

While improvements like a new roof, a new kitchen, updated bathrooms, and new hardwood floors have a good return on investment, they come with high price tags. So are there tricks to get houses looking great without draining your kids' college fund?

Some of the simplest things are easy cosmetic "showing fixes" for a home that appear outdated — such as opening up a space by removing items so the room contains a minimal amount of furniture, highlighting the size of a room as well as its ceiling height, if those are its best features. In place of heavy curtains, use sheers, paint the walls a neutral color, and open the windows. Doing all this can allow a prospect to visualize living in the space without being distracted by the owner's personal preferences.

If there are other apparent physical issues that can't be staged and must be disclosed, why not amplify the story behind the property to redirect buyers' attention? Perhaps one of the things you'll miss most when you sell the property is enjoying your morning coffee while watching deer run through the back yard in the early morning mist. Or memories of how your kids climbed the trees there. It could be the memory of your daughter descending the staircase in her prom dress. Permit your Realtor to capture these stories on video to share with potential buyers before their visit to the home. With these stories in mind, people will start to feel the home come alive and envision themselves in the space with their own dreams.

There are also small cosmetic fixes that can make a world of difference, such as replacing doorknobs, replacing or adding cabinet pulls, and swapping out light fixtures. Instruct your listing photographer to get "detail shots" of a beautiful new front door handle or an elegant new entry chandelier so house hunters searching online can see the thoughtfulness you put into the welcoming feature of the home.

Replacing outdated flooring with luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is one of the most economic fixes, making your home appear to have beautiful hardwood floors (some people honestly cannot tell the difference), while touting the practicality of the flooring now being much more durable for pets, kids, and resistant to water. And in the kitchen, painting the cabinets can do wonders, along with replacing older appliances with new ones. White cabinetry seems to stay perennially in style, making kitchens appear sleek and clean. Final touches might be swapping out the faucets and adding in solid-surface countertops if the budget permits.

Most sellers recoup the cost of the updates and replacements mentioned here in the final sales price. As for the home's exterior, remember that curb appeal is a big deal. Small things, such as refreshing mulch, planting seasonal flowers, keeping on top of lawn maintenance, and adding a new doormat, can make an excellent first impression.

Source: RealtorMagazine | TBWS

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