Remodeling Ideas To Consider before Selling

Try to put yourself in the homebuyers shoes. What would be your biggest deal breaker? Besides walls filled with cracks and mold, perhaps an old and dysfunctional kitchen or a leaky roof? Imagine entering a home and seeing loose kitchen cabinets, faded flooring, rotten windows and doors, old appliances…. what a disaster! How much would you have to spend later on renovating this poor house? And that is what most buyers think when entering your home. If they see a room that needs upgrades and renovations, they will most likely pass on to the next offer. Here are the top 3 remodeling projects which increase home value and make your home look like a majestic castle:

A Cooking Dream

The kitchen and bathroom renovations are on the list of highest ROI remodels. This is because they are the key parts of a functioning home. If the pipes in the kitchen aren’t working or the windows in the bathroom are loose, it’s like living in a 15th century home. However, creating a new kitchen isn’t recommended as it is a costly job. Instead, experts suggest doing renovations and upgrades on the already existing parts. For instance:

• Upgrade the windows – What kind of windows are best for kitchens and bathrooms? Well, the ones who provide the most air breeze and natural light, of course! That’s why by the kitchen sink, install casements or sliding windows ( they are easy to reach and extremely energy efficient).
• Repaint the cabinets – Window replacement is highly recommended, but the cabinet is not. Instead, paint them over with light and friendly colors. They do not absorb natural sunlight but reflect it – making the kitchen brighter & more welcoming.
• Replace countertops – preferably to marble, ceramic tiles or quartz. The shinier, the better since everyone wants feeling like royalty while preparing breakfast.
• Upgrade appliances – going for an eco-friendly fridge or kettle may sound strange to some, but it will leave homebuyers in awe. Carefully plan which appliances you will change since some can be really expensive.
• Colorful patterns – If affordable, think of replacing your kitchen tiles with new and colorful ones. For those with a tighter budget, you can add fun patterns by simply repainting the walls or adding patterned wallpapers.

A Castle’s Courtyard

The real estate market is always dictated by the needs of the buyers. Today, buyers – some of the millennials are looking for high curb appeal and energy efficiency. The latter is easily improved by door and window replacements, insulation, roof renovations, and sealants. But the first is a little bit trickier since it requires tons of free time and maximum creativity. Fortunately, it is the most interesting remodeling project as well. Here are the best ways to grab homebuyers attention and have an upper hand on negotiations:

• Garage door – It may sound weird, but that doesn’t make it less true: Replacing your garage doors is the project with the highest ROI (98.3%).
• Repaint exterior – Just with a simple repainting job, you can make the house look brand new. If not affordable, consider repainting the window frames or adding authentic shutters since it is also a huge curb appeal increaser.
• Go green – The least money spent by sellers is for fixing up the garden. A couple of window boxes and garden benches always help for garden appeal. Try to even plant a tree and advertise it as an additional shade in cool summer days.
• Entry door renovations – All of the excitement of house viewing culminates at the entry. So repainting the door, adding chairs and entry pathways will excite the viewers even more.
• Gates & Fences – Besides being a security measure, they are a symbol for firmness and stability. Everybody wants privacy in their homes, and what better way than with strong gates and fences.

A Brand New Deck

Imagine a couple preparing their dinner in the kitchen, one of them turns and says: “Shall we dine outside this wonderful evening?”, and you immediately imagine a lovely, comfortable deck, right? But, no.. see this couple hasn’t got a deck at all and they have to sit on an uncut and moisty grass. Won’t be such as surprise if the second one firmly says: no. Deck upgrades and replacements can have an investment return of 80%, if done wisely. Here is how to upgrade your deck the right way:

• Use quality wood – The best way to upgrade a deck is by replacing the flooring with hardwood. This alone has a ROI of 82%. But if you choose a poor, faux wood – your ROI may go down by 15 to 20 %. Choose wisely!
• Your home – If your home is small, it doesn’t make sense to make an enormous deck. It will increase the value for sure, but not as much as for a large home.
• Deck Size – A common rule is to make a deck that isn’t larger than the largest room in the house. However, it should also be comfortable and large enough to handle a table, barbeques and preferably swinging chairs
• Accessorize – Yes, swinging chairs! The size and wood are important, but people are vulnerable to beautiful things. If your deck looks like from a dream, they would be willing to spend much more for the entire home.
• Location & Access – Other important factors are location and access. Do not place the deck right next to the bedroom. Instead, install patio doors from the living area who lead right in to a lovely deck. Also, decks who face North have lower ROI than those who are exposed to the sun.