When it comes to selling your home, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. You might not be able to sell your house at all; you might have trouble finding the right buyer for the property; or, if you’re lucky enough to find an interested party, they may back out after making an offer.
When this happens, it’s often due to one of three factors: The house doesn’t suit their needs in some way (too small or too big), they’re turned off by something about the interior design and layout (poorly lit rooms, unappealing decor), or they’re intimidated by how much work will need to be done on the outside before moving into a new place. If any of these problems plague your house, it’s going to be a much tougher sale.
Depending on the neighborhood you live in. However, there are ways to improve these factors and attract potential buyers. These five projects will help make your home look a little more modern and appealing, but they’re all still worth doing even if you never plan on selling. They might even pay for themselves over time by increasing your curb appeal and helping maintain the value of your property.
1. Paint Everything White
Painting the walls of your home white will give it a much more modern look, and it’s especially appropriate for homes that are located in neighborhoods with lots of trees. If you’ve noticed that these areas tend to have homes with light colors on the exterior, there’s a reason for that: the light colors make it seem like there are fewer shadows around the home, making them appear larger. It’s not an exact science by any means, but it does work in most cases.
2. Fixing up Exterior Lighting
If you want potential buyers to take notice of your house when they drive past it or walk by, then dusk is definitely your friend here. You should replace any burnt-out bulbs in your exterior lights, and you should upgrade to brighter LED bulbs whenever possible.
That being said, dusk isn’t always the safest time to be working on outdoor projects. If this is the case for you, try replacing any dark or dull overhead lighting with floodlights that are pointed at the exterior of your home. Not only will they highlight your property’s best features when it’s dark outside, but they’ll also give off enough light so that work can continue during the twilight hours.
3. Trim Bushes and Trees Near The Property Line
If anything about your landscaping seems out of place or tacky to someone who walks by your house regularly, then you might need to reconsider trimming back some of these bushes and trees. However, if your neighbor’s yard is a little more wild or untamed than yours, then it might be a good idea to trim back the vegetation that’s growing onto your property.
Just be sure you give yourself enough time to care for these plants so they can grow back quickly. Since most of us have different projects going at any given time, it may take weeks or even months before you notice new growth on some of them.
4. Get a New Roof
Your roof might seem out of place in a neighborhood that features modern, boxy houses with flat rooftops, but it’s really the roofline itself that’s making your property look dated. If you’re planning to sell your house within the next year or two, then it’s definitely worth getting a new roof installed if yours is looking its age.
One of the things potential homebuyers are surely going to do when they visit your house checks out the roofline from various angles. So contact a reliable roofing company to get an estimate on roofing replacement costs.
5. Upgrade Your Windows and Doors
If possible, try to replace all of your windows and doors at once; it can certainly help with resale value in most cases. Not only do new windows and doors contribute to a modern look in any neighborhood, but they also make rooms brighter and let in more natural light when compared to older window models.
If you’re planning to put your house on the market, or if it’s been a while since you’ve updated any of these features for resale purposes, then make sure you tackle all five projects. There are many benefits that come with upgrading an exterior appearance in this manner: not only does it give potential buyers something to look at from afar, but some of these improvements will also help maintain your property value over time.
