Smart Remodeling Projects for Home Sellers
Why remodel a home you’re planning to sell? While it’s not usually realistic to remodel an entire home for sale, there are certain home improvements that can be considered an investment in your home because they’re likely to pay off at the time of a sale, by helping the home sell and providing a good return on your investment.
Homebuyers are looking for certain key features in a living space: updated kitchens and bathrooms, built-in storage and organizational features, and perks such as a home office or mudroom. Families are often looking for a family room, and most homeowners prefer the convenience of an open floor plan.
In order to minimize your investment, maximize your return, and ultimately make a sale, focus on making minor updates in key areas that help address the home’s most pressing issues. A Charlotte remodeling services contractor can help you identify and improve these features on a budget. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Kitchen updates. You can give your kitchen an affordable facelift by updating the most important features. Most buyers are interested in newer, energy-efficient appliances. Choose one or two other areas to modify, such as countertops, cabinets, or damaged flooring. Consider refinishing wood surfaces and adding a kitchen island or peninsula, which creates counter space, storage, and bar seating.
New countertops and a kitchen island can give the space a fresh look.
Bathroom updates. As with the kitchen, pick the two or three things that would help the room more appealing and function better, and focus your efforts in these areas. A frameless shower is a feature that can take a bathroom to another level by helping the room feel more spacious. Replace a vanity countertop with popular, affordable quartz, update fixtures, and hang an eye-catching mirror.
A frameless shower enclosure improves lighting and elegance.
Custom storage solutions. Built-in storage is attractive to buyers and it helps declutter your home while it’s on the market, giving you more bang for your buck. These affordable upgrades can be integrated around the home. Look for places to add storage and organizational features in the mudroom, garage, basement, attic, closets, and kitchen pantry.
Create a coveted room. Home offices and mudrooms rank high with homebuyers and can often be created within a home’s existing footprint. The space around a home’s front entry can be converted to a mudroom. If there’s room in the kitchen, consider adding a computer console countertop for homework and bill paying.
An office can also be created in an attic or basement. Although they require a larger investment, full attic and basement remodels can create the family rooms, office spaces, and extra bedrooms that many buyers are looking for, and the investment tends to have a good return at the time of sale.
By Brad Little, owner, Case Design/Remodeling Charlotte