5 Tasks to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

If you’re getting ready to put your home on the market, you may believe there isn’t anything you can do to make it better. However, even though you think it’s perfect, it is essential to view your home through the eyes of a potential buyer. Before you list your home, take care of some of these simple repairs and renovations to help attract attention from potential buyers. Don’t forget to ask your real estate agent for any recommendations of other upgrades you can make to boost your home’s value.

Paint a room or two

A fresh coat of paint can rejuvenate any room in your home. While you may not need to paint your entire home, focusing on a few spaces with blemishes can make a room feel clean and fresh. If you have a room with bold or dark colors, painting it a lighter or neutral color can appeal to more homebuyers. Best of all, interior painting can be accomplished on your own over a weekend, and it could bring up to a 107 percent return on your investment.

Fix leaky faucets

Homebuyers will likely notice the drip of a leaky faucet, raising concerns that there may be issues with your home’s plumbing. However, you can ease their minds by either replacing the washers on the faucet or updating an older faucet with a new one for $100 or less—this will also help give your bathroom or kitchen a visual upgrade.

Update the lighting

Make sure the lighting in your home reaches every corner to help buyers take notice of all your home’s features and brighten up any evening viewings. If you have a few rooms with dated light fixtures, switching them out can make the space seem more open and inviting. Make sure you replace any burnt-out lightbulbs and switch out any bulbs giving off a yellow or dark tint for LED lightbulbs. If you’re looking for an easy way to improve the natural lighting in your home, remove any heavy drapes to let the sunshine stream in.

Replace damaged window screens

Before potential homebuyers enter your home and check the view from each of your windows, make sure you repair or replace any damaged screens. Tears can make your home look dated or in disrepair, so either replace the screen (you can find many options for less than $50 depending on the size) or use a screen-repair kit to fix the damage. These kits cost less than $20 online or at your local hardware store. Such a simple repair can significantly impact the overall look of your home.

Update your flooring

No matter what style of flooring you have, giving it some TLC before selling your home can improve its appeal. If you have hardwood floors, you can highlight this in-demand feature by having them refinished to make them look new. You can hire a professional to do it for around $3 to $8 per square foot, but the task could add up to 2.5 percent to the sale price. If your carpets have permanent stains or tears, you’ll want to have them replaced for a clean aesthetic. Most homeowners pay between $3 to $11 per square foot for new carpet. If your carpet doesn’t need to be replaced, you may want it cleaned. It’s recommended to have the carpets in your home cleaned at least once a year.

Getting your home ready and keeping it clean can be challenging, especially if you have a dog or cat. Use these tips to help make sure selling your home isn’t ruff for you or your four-legged friend.