It’s a seller’s market. Don’t talk yourself out of the great opportunity you have to sell your home just because you think you need to update everything from the ground up. In fact, you may not need an expensive renovation at all. Many people overlook the many ways you can add value to your home without costly, time-consuming, and messy renovations.
Save yourself the time, effort, and money by concentrating on these methods that will get you the most bang for your buck. Leave your guests speechless and update your home with these savvy, money-saving home renovation ideas. Anyone can tackle the projects on this list with minimal knowledge and tools. So you can save even more money by avoiding a call to a contractor. When it comes to maximizing your home’s value, every penny counts!
Add Curb Appeal
The first thing a potential buyer sees is the outside of your home. Before scheduling an open house, make sure your outside spaces are up to par. Trim down overgrown bushes and greenery to make any existing landscaping look fresh and inviting. If your existing outdoor plants look sickly, consider replacing them with a hearty and cost-effective plant like hostas.
If you have a couple spare hours, take a look at other opportunities to update your outdoor space. Power wash your sidewalks, repaint your mailbox, or haul away any neglected outdoor furniture. The goal is to make your property look inviting, because we all know that first impressions are everything.
The Front Door
Speaking of first impressions, don’t underestimate the value of your home’s entrance! This is a place where a small update can have a big impact. If your front door is outdated, consider replacing the doorknob with a more updated style. Or to take the focus away from a bland white door, add a stylish wreath and a statement welcome mat. Although adding decor doesn’t usually add value to the home itself, it can give your home the warm, positive vibe you need to lock in the right buyer and sell even faster than you imagined.
Add Color to Smaller Rooms
If you’re feeling tight and cramped in some of the smaller rooms in your home, it’s likely that potential buyers will feel that same way. But there’s a quick fix and it is cheap, too. Dark paint colors absorb the light in a space, making it feel small. A new coat of paint can make any small room feel and appear much larger than it actually is.
A laundry room is the perfect space to put this tip into action. Dim, windowless and tiny, laundry rooms are often just glorified shoeboxes. Lighten things up by painting the walls with a soft tone like off-white, light blue or green. For more on choosing paint colors and primers visit Angie’s List. They have dozens of additional home renovation ideas, tips and tricks.
To save even more money, consider browsing the clearance aisles of big-box stores for discounted paint or visit a paint recycling center to pick up unwanted paints for cheap or even for free.
Let the Light in With Light Tubes
In addition to the color of your walls, how much natural light you have in your home plays into how large it feels. And, when selling, you want your home to feel bright and welcoming. But not all homes have ample windows that let the light in.
Add light tubes to brighten up a windowless area of the home, like a hallway or bathroom. This renovation is much easier (and cheaper) than having to tear into your house and rearrange the frame to accommodate a window. Light tubes can be slipped between the roof and the rafters and are much more affordable than the average window and are significantly less expensive than a double-paned insulated window.
Swap Out Hardware for a Fresh Look
An outdated kitchen or bathroom can be an eyesore. But you don’t need to do a complete renovation to make those spaces look and feel more updated. One of the most effective and least expensive ways to update kitchen or bathroom cabinets is to replace the old hardware with new. Replacing drawer pulls and door handles is a project you can do in just a couple hours. Typically, all you need is a screwdriver to take out the outdated hardware and install something more modern.
In addition to replacing outdated brass or ornate hardware with sleeker styles, you may also want to consider adding a little flair. Faux porcelain, glass, or colored knobs are slightly more expensive but can still be a cost-effective way to add a touch of flair to your space.
Don’t Forget to Look Up
After living in a space for a while, you might forget about all the stuff on your ceiling. Don’t give potential buyers anything to fret about. Make sure your smoke detectors are attached, dust-free, and have fresh batteries. And if you’re feeling ambitious, consider replacing outdated light fixtures with newer models. Standard light fixtures (and even fun statement fixtures) are surprisingly inexpensive, and you can easily learn how to swap them out yourself to get even more value out of replacing them.
Go for Faux
They might be beautiful, but hardwood floors are downright expensive. But don’t let the ticket price keep you from achieving the look you want. There are options for flooring that look just as nice as the real thing and cost much less. Vinyl and laminate floors are surprisingly realistic and there are even wood-hybrid options that are less than half of the cost of Mahogany wood floors.
You can choose a style that suits your home and existing design because there are more styles and options with faux wood. Plus, with these flooring alternatives, your buyers can easily see that the floor is easy to keep clean and is hassle-free. This is a big bonus if they have kids or pets because they won’t have to worry about any stains on the carpet, harsh chemicals or time-consuming maintenance.
The Bottom Line
After considering these ideas, you’re probably thinking that updating your home can be more budget-friendly than you imagined! All of these projects can be tackled in an afternoon. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, set aside a weekend and go straight through the list. The results will be highly rewarding, both to your bottom line as you sell your home for more, and to your sense of pride knowing you did it all yourself!
