Before homes are listed for sale, most owners make improvements like painting, landscaping, refinishing floors or even remodeling kitchens and baths. Some cost hundreds, others thousands, but all have one thing in common. When they’re done, soon-to-be sellers wish they’d made the improvements long ago.
Picture the moldy linen closet freshly lined with aromatic cedar, the grungy deck power-washed and resealed, the front door repainted and a door bell that rings. How about a shower that doesn’t dribble, a toilet that doesn’t run — fixes for all the little glitches around the house?
That’s part of the picture. The more difficult part is deciding which projects you want most versus which ones make your house most salable. They may be the same. But owners sometimes opt for unique improvements like exchanging closet space for a large sauna. Find a buyer who loves saunas and you’re golden. But if most are looking for storage space in every bedroom your home loses widespread appeal.
In today’s housing market you may not be thinking about selling. But it’s wise to check your most-wanted projects against a list made by people who sell houses for a living — hundreds of real estate agents across the country reporting their findings to realtor.com.
From the professional’s point of view it’s all business, and agents say sellers need to remember that improvements are business decisions, not personal preferences. They recommend improvements that appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers, concentrated in four areas: the appearance of the interior and exterior, plus kitchens and baths. No matter how you look at it — better for buyers or better for you — here are the projects that pay off.
Front door Whatever overall picture the home presents from the street (its curb appeal) most buyers get their first detailed look by the front door. The spruce-ups: new paint, new house numbers, a knocker that’s shined, a bell that works, a deadbolt in addition to the handset lock, a wreath, a flower pot in summer, raked leaves in fall, cleared snow in winter. Also fix loose bricks or cracked concrete in an approaching walkway, even if you go in and out through the attached garage.
Outside Repainting every surface might be the ultimate exterior improvement, but light sanding and a coat of paint is often enough to eliminate eyesores like peeling window sills. Soffits (the underside of the roof overhang) are another chronic maintenance problem, havens for mold growth, and difficult to clean and paint. That’s why many homeowners finally replace wood soffits with aluminum or vinyl. Projects that reduce ongoing maintenance are a plus for buyers, and a good investment even if you never sell.
Inside Painting is the obvious improvement. But there’s a greater reward in transforming old, worn surfaces into new ones finished to stay looking new. Case in point is old, worn, 1/4-inch strip oak flooring. You could refinish it, often a three- or four-day project that creates clouds of dust and makes the area unusable for a few days as multiple coats of sealer dry. Or you could apply a click-together laminate — a DIY job in most cases that saves the cost of a contractor. Most laminates are pre-finished so once the planks are down you’re done. And if all else fails over a worn floor, consider a pad and new wall to wall carpet. Another agent tip: Add a touch of luxury like crown molding, plantation shutters, the ultimate spraying shower head, something unexpected, even over the top. Agents call it the wow factor.
Kitchens and baths The key word from real estate agents is declutter. It’s a start, especially in rooms complicated with fixtures and appliances. If you can’t stand to give up the collection of countertop appliances, consider an appliance corral — a storage area under cabinets at the back of the counter with a flip up door. Or go for the wow factor with a new stove, or new countertops in lieu of an expensive redo of the entire room.