What makes a house sell for more money?

De-Clutter and Stage Your Home One of the best ways to make your home sell for more money (and quickly!) is to declutter, clean, and stage the space. A dirty, cluttered home will feel small and make a buyer wonder how much money they'll have to spend to get the house move-in ready.

landmarkhw.com - 5 Ways To Sell Your Home For More Money

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The moment you list your home on the market is both exciting and nerve-wracking. Although you have to focus on so many different things throughout the home buying and selling process, there’s often one lingering concern in the back of every seller’s mind: Will I be able to sell my home for what it’s worth … or more? Use these easy fixes to sell your home for even more money than it’s worth! (These figures were accurate as of time of writing in 2014. Some links have been updated as of 2018.) (These figures were accurate as of time of writing in 2014. Some links have been updated as of 2018.)

1. De-Clutter and Stage Your Home

YOU PAY: $150-$200

YOUR RETURN: $1,500- $2,000

One of the best ways to make your home sell for more money (and quickly!) is to declutter, clean, and stage the space. A dirty, cluttered home will feel small and make a buyer wonder how much money they’ll have to spend to get the house move-in ready. By spending around $200 to clean and tidy the space, you can increase your selling price by $1,500 to $2,000. Remove your personal possessions from the home, remove items from your closets so they are about 2/3 empty, and organize drawers and cabinets. Put odds and ends in small groups of three, and put away extra decorations to add space to your home. You’ll want to neutralize your home’s décor, colors, and spaces. This allows buyers to picture themselves and their belongings in the home instead of feeling like they’re trespassing on someone else’s house.

2. Update Your Home’s Lighting

YOU PAY: $200-$300

YOUR RETURN: $1,000 - $1,500

The lighter your home is, the more open it feels. By doing some lighting upgrades worth between $200-$300, you can increase your home’s selling value by $1,000-$1,500. Make sure to use the right type of lighting for the different rooms in your home. High-wattage bulbs can make a tight space seem bigger while softer lighting makes an empty space feel smaller. Changing out the lighting in your house doesn’t have to be all about the lightbulbs either. Remove heavy drapery and shades to open up your windows and let in the natural light of the home. If you don’t have a lot of natural light coming from your windows, consider adding a sky light or sun tube for an electricity saving option and a more natural feel to a room.

3. A Fresh Coat of Paint

YOU PAY: $500-$750

YOUR RETURN: $1,500 - $2,000

Putting a fresh coat of paint on your home can increase your home's price between $1,500 and $2,000. Repainting your home and getting rid of any dings, scratches, and scuffs will help to stage your rooms and make them appear brighter and lighter. When choosing a color, go for a clean white or light neutral color. Lighter colors will open up a room, while darker colors will make the room feel smaller. Painting in neutral tones will let the buyer create their own space in their minds-eye as they tour your home. Not every interested person will like the same color scheme as you, and an unappealing color may look like a lot of work and money to a potential buyer.

4. Protect Your Home With a Home Warranty

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YOU PAY: $350-$650

YOUR RETURN: $2,300

A study by the Service Contract Industry Council found that listed homes that include a home warranty stay on the market for less time and sell for more money than homes without a home warranty. Homes with home warranty plans sell 11 days faster and for $2,300 more than homes that did not include a home warranty plan. In a press release, SCIC executive director Tim Meenan said, "Purchasing a home is a significant investment and can create tremendous anxiety. Fortunately, because home warranties can be transferred to the new owner, buyers are finding that the extra protection of a [home warranty service] contract can ease this apprehension." Purchasing a home warranty for a home listed on the market means extra protection for a home’s systems and appliances, and peace of mind for the new buyer. This peace of mind that buyers feel with an included home warranty plan can end up paying off big time for a home seller!

5. Increase a Home’s Curb Appeal

Just like how you want to make a great first impression with the new people you meet, you want your home to make a great first impression as well when a potential buyer pulls up to your curb. This is known in the real estate industry as “curb appeal.” Even if your home isn’t the newest or most up to date, great curb appeal can increase your home’s value. Here are some of the things you can do that will get you a great return on your investment, and help you increase your home’s value:

Garage Door

YOU PAY: $3,470

YOUR RETURN: $3,411

According to Remodeling.net’s Cost vs. Value guide, a garage door replacement is the highest earning remodeling project a homeowner can do for their listed home. Replace your garage door with something in-style and new, and 98% of your spend back. According to the National Association of Realtor’s research department, a new garage door can cost only $2,300, so if you can get a good deal like that, you can increase your home’s value by much more! If replacing the garage door is too expensive, power wash and paint your garage door to make it gleam as potential buyers come to visit your house.

Steel Door

YOU PAY: $1,471

YOUR RETURN: $1,344

Another high ROI remodeling project is replacing the entryway door of your home with a steel door. Although Remodeling estimates this project to cost around $1,471, Home Advisor estimates the cost to be between $500 and $1,230. With a new steel door increasing a home’s value by $1,344, it can pay to replace your entryway door! If replacing the door seems too much of a hassle, cleaning and repainting the door can also help with a home’s curb appeal.

Roofing

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YOU PAY: $7,500

YOUR RETURN: $8,150

According to the National Association of Realtors research department, one of the best updates you can do on your home to increase its value is to redo your roof. The NAR estimate of how much a homeowner would pay to replace the roof is $7,500, but sellers can get a 109% return because new roofing increases a home’s value by $8,150.

Landscaping

YOU PAY: $300-$400

YOUR RETURN: $1500-$2000

One of the cheapest ways to increase your home’s curb appeal is to landscape the front or backyard. This doesn’t have to be anything ridiculously expensive. According to the Home Sale Maximizer Guide, you only have to spend about $300 to $400 on landscaping to get a $1,500 to $2,000 increase on your home’s value. This includes pruning trees and bushes, power washing, planting flowers and weeding, and removing dead leaves, plants, and trees from the yard. As you can see, it can be easy to increase your home’s value while it’s listed on the market. One of the easiest (and most lucrative) ways to increase a home’s value is to purchase a home warranty for a potential buyer. Buyers can have peace of mind knowing that their covered systems and appliances have the budget protection of a home warranty. With Landmark Home Warranty, a seller can order listing coverage while the home is on the market, and once a buyer makes an offer, convert that listing coverage into a full home warranty plan. All of Landmark’s home warranty plans for homes involved in a real estate transaction have a home’s major systems and appliances covered. (Make sure to look at Landmark’s home warranty contract here for the full coverage, limitations and exclusions.) (These figures were accurate as of time of writing in 2014. Some links have been updated as of 2018.)

landmarkhw.com - 5 Ways To Sell Your Home For More Money

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