Small changes that make a big difference

Advice on raising the sale value of your home is not hard to find. It leaps out at you from social media and grocery store magazines and well-meaning relatives. Everyone has an opinion to offer.

Still, the quality of that advice can be… mixed. Reminders to “mow the lawn” or “clean up pet toys” or “wipe down the kitchen counters” are basic and unnecessary. Suggestions that you take on major projects like landscaping, interior renovations, or HVAC and electrical upgrades are simply unrealistic.

You are willing to put in a reasonable amount of work, but you want to know that it will pay off. So what can you do?

Cleaning
I know, I just said cleaning advice was basic and unnecessary. But let’s talk about finishing touches. We often do not prioritize them in daily or weekly cleaning. Things like wiping down baseboards and trim, gently washing kitchen and bathroom walls, or renting a steam cleaner and rediscovering the original color of the playroom carpet don’t just make your home appear clean. They make it look new.

Take a walk around your home and look closely for places where dirt collects slowly over time. Make a list, and then work your way through that list. The beauty of this kind of cleaning is that, because the dirt in these places took years to pile up, it won’t pile back up again before you sell your home. Chances are you’ll only need to do this once.

Painting
Did you know Sherwin Williams offers over 1,700 colors of paint? Behr offers over 2,000, and Benjamin Moore a staggering 3,500. Nearly infinite color combinations, in shades and finishes that appeal to each of us. We use color to brighten our homes, make them cozy, or create soothing calmness to return to each evening. They make our spaces truly our own.

Of course, potential buyers don’t want to move into your space. They want to create a space that is theirs. If your home has walls or rooms painted in unusual colors, consider returning them to a more neutral shade. Choose something a potential buyer could imagine themselves living with - at least until they are ready to apply their own colors!

Yard Work
Nothing communicates that a home is well-maintained more quickly than a well-kept exterior. Before a buyer enters your home, they see the driveway, the exterior walls, the garden or flower beds, the fences, even the mailbox. They take all of that in. It sets their expectation for what they will find inside.

The next time you're out driving, pay attention to the homes that you pass. How do they look from the outside, and what does that lead you to assume about their interior? Are you eager to see more, or hesitant to go in? Then have a fresh look at your own home’s exterior. Is it time to hire a power washer? Freshen the mulch? Trim overly ambitious bushes or trees? The exterior of your home is going to be the first thing a potential buyer sees. Give them something beautiful to look at.

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Some homes will require significant work before they're ready for the market. Most don't. A little bit of extra time and attention to small details can make all the difference.