5 Best Home Improvements to Increase Value

The biggest question that home sellers want to know is which home improvements should I do to increase my home’s value?

I totally get it. There is no point spending money to get your home ready unless you are actually going to get that money back when you sell.

As part of the highest producing brokerage in the Raleigh area, we’ve got lots of data on what gets the best prices when a home sells, and the improvements I am going to share in just a minute have been shown to get the highest offers, increasing the return on the money you spend on these improvements by three times. That is a 300% return on your money. What other kind of investment will get you that kind of return in 60 days?

One important point, before you doing any updates, please hire a Realtor. Your Realtor will usually have a design person on staff or a stager that you can talk to for recommendations. I don’t want you to spend this money doing these home improvements and then your Realtor comes in later and tells you…it’s not a good look.

#1 Carpet

Installing fresh carpet is one way to get more money for your house when you go to sell.

We all walk on our carpets every day. And even if you’re meticulous about taking your shoes off, we still have oils on our skin and the weight carpets bear every day they just get worn. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to get my dogs to wipe their feet when they come in the house. Replace your carpets or if they’re not that old, get them professionally cleaned. But they should look NEW.

#2 Paint

Young couple painting wall. Fresh paint is one of the best ways to increase your home's value.

We usually don’t see how dingy our walls have gotten over the years because we look at them every day. Trust me, they’re dingy. Especially at kid and dog level. Most people don’t paint their homes every 3 years, so even if you are one of those whose walls are pristine, you know who you are, your color is likely dated. A fresh coat of paint will make your home look like no one ever made a mess there. And I won’t tell if you don’t…

#3 Landscaping

Nicely landscaped moderate home. Fresh mulch and trimmed landscaping makes you more money on the sale of your home.

Some of us keep the inside of our homes in great condition…maybe it’s looking a little shabby outside. Don’t worry, a few little touch ups can go a long way to getting that wow factor you really want buyers to feel when they first lay eyes on your home.

Mulch. You need it. Get yourself a truckload. I’m just kidding… But really, mulch is kind of like coffee or shoes. You never can really have too much. Okay, wait, you can have too much coffee. I have no idea how much mulch you need or how big your yard is, but I know you need it. Go get some, spread it around out there.

Grass. You also need some grass in your yard. Ideally, plant some early enough that it has time to grow. If the weather isn’t right, order more mulch.

Trim your bushes, power wash everything, get some nice colorful planters to put on your porch with pretty flowers in them. Weed eat, pull weeds, give everything a nice spruce. Everything looks better with a spruce.

Thinking of Selling?

We do a very detailed listing report specific to your home, and we tell you exactly how much we expect any updates to increase the value of your home.

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#4 Painting Cabinets

White cabinets are generally more desirable to buyers than old oak cabinets.

If your cabinets are dark cherry or oak or if they are pretty much any dated wood color, you’re going to want to paint your cabinets. And please, please have them professionally painted by someone who specializes in cabinet painting. White never goes out of style. That’s a pretty safe bet.

Before I move on to the last tip, if you’re thinking about selling your home and you feel like you need a little more information, you can download my guide, 29 tips to sell your home for top dollar.

#5 Light Fixtures.

Modern Light Fixture. New light fixtures can change the whole feel of your home.

And I don’t mean go into the bargain bin at Home Depot and pick up whatever mismatched stuff is left from last season. They should all match and be the same color. Again, light fixtures, like paint color, is another one of those things that can go out of style pretty quickly. So updating all your fixtures to match in a modern, up to date style, can make your home feel brand new. And buyers love that stuff. And you want them to love it.

For staging tips, see 5 Products to Stage Your Home Like a Pro