Ravi Chandran
If you are thinking of selling your home, cheap home improvements can increase the sale price of your house
Even if the economic recovery is mixed, the property scene is still thriving. And with simple, cheap home improvements, you can improve the sale price of your home greatly.
Perhaps you’ve already lost out on your initial property investment from the past years of low resale prices for your home, and now you’re low on cash to spruce up the place.
No worries. We’ve compiled ten easy cheap home improvements tips for sprucing up your property and getting a higher sale price.
1. Get rid of junk
The old saying that “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” is definitely NOT the case when you’re trying to sell your pad. Cluttered counters, floors or even closets can be distracting and a real turn-off for buyers.
People can get rid of up to 50 percent of their stuff. If you have a bunch of books, put three-fourths of them in storage or somewhere else. People want to imagine themselves in the space they’re looking to buy and that’s easier if the space looks less lived-in and personal.
When they see a really neat apartment, they think, ‘I’m gonna live here and I’m gonna be really neat too.
A less cluttered space will also make the space look bigger. So put away those toys, shoes, clothes, and photos. Your junk isn’t the buyer’s treasure — it’s just junk.
2. Do deep clean
Scrub every nook and corner, every crack and far-reaching spot. Carpets should be sucked dry of dust, and all surfaces should be wiped to shine, including windows and screens, and especially windows.
Clean windows let in more light, and if you happen to have a great view, clean windows will really show it off. Ideally, you should get your apartment or house professionally cleaned, but if you’re really strapped for cash, be your own Mary Poppins.
3. Paint your heart out
One of the best ways to freshen up an apartment or home is to give it a good paint job. Just stay away from dark colors or anything too jazzy.
Many real estate agents recommend variations of white, especially reflective whites that lighten up a room and make the space feel bigger.
Don’t use too many colors, and if the trimmings on the walls look beat up, just paint right over them.
4. Re-grout the bathroom and re-do the tub
Re-grouting the bathrooms will give them a fresher look, helping prospective buyers forget about who’s been using the shower. If the bathroom is really yucky you might also want to paint, and even re-glaze.
5. Let there be light!
Inexpensive lighting is an easy way to modernize. If there’s an old chandelier or crummy built-in fixture, go somewhere like Ikea to freshen things up.
Also, make sure to increase the wattage in dark rooms that lack natural lighting to help them seem larger.
6. Clean up the storeroom
Put away the tools, woodcraft and sewing machine. Hide storage boxes at your friend’s place, and paint the place. This will help prospective buyers envision using that storeroom for their own handiwork.
7. Spruce up the kitchen
You probably don’t have the money to replace your old appliances, so just make sure they work well enough and look shiny. Don’t bother with anything on the inside, but on the outside use a nice shiny clean. It will make your kitchen look as good as new (almost).
8. Fix your floors
Refinishing your floors will make the apartment look clean. A cheaper home improvement alternative is simply to deep clean, and really scrub away those dirt stains. If you have carpet, rent a steam machine. If you have hardwoods, then buff and polish. And if you happen to have one of those vinyl floors, buy some light-colored vinyl squares to fill in any empty spots.
9. Replace small hardware
Sometimes little details make all the difference. So throw away those decayed-looking switch-plate covers and replace them with new ones made of brushed metal. Get rid of the pulls in the kitchen and put in others made of brushed nickel. And put in some door hinges, sans the rust.
10. Give that door a new look
Buy some paint or stain and slap it on or consider shopping around. What you don’t want to do is end up throwing down for something pricey. The expensive door may be what the buyer is looking for, maybe not. So, be on the safe (and better) side by going with cheap home improvements.
Mr Paul Ho, chief officer at iCompareLoan, said: “Your home is an investment in living as well as in savings. If neglected, it will pay no dividends. If properly maintained and improved, it will pay a high yield in comfort and usefulness for your family and in avoidance of costly repair bills.”
“Cheap home improvements also tend to raise neighborhood standards and, as a result, property values. From an economic standpoint, renovation mean higher employment, increased markets for materials and home products-and therefore a more flourishing community.”
