How to Spruce up an Old House Before it Goes on the Market
Have you finally decided to put your home out on the market? If the answer is yes, this article will dive into all the projects you can take to understand how to spruce up an old house and make it fetch the most profit from its sale. Some projects discussed below are DIYs, while others require some professional intervention. Some projects may cost you a lot, but you will realize their return on investment in the long run.
When it comes to how to spruce up an old house, you need to be vigilant, depending on your tastes and preferences. Before we dive into the ways in which you can make your home better fetch a higher profit in the real estate market, you need to understand the benefits of upgrading your home.
Benefits of Home Upgrades
A home is a place of comfort, and everyone should be thinking of improving it. A home upgrade should be something unique, and that reflects one’s taste. An upgrade can vary from the house’s structure, the colors of your walls, or just creating a home of your choice. A home upgrade comes with several advantages that include:
Emotional and mental relaxation – The appearance of a home should offer the owner a space that brings solace and relaxation after the hectic day-to-day activities. A home should be different from the working place. An unsettling home does not provide the comfort and relaxation that is needed after a tiresome day. Renovating a home and making it a place of relaxation feels good and will result in a favorable environment you wish to spend time in. The upgrades should offer positive effects to the owners, which in turn gives satisfaction. The new appearance will improve the family’s lifestyle and give them a fresh start.
Increasing space – Space is paramount in the house, especially in the living room. The extension allows free movement around the home. The extra space will allow an additional group of people, like when one has visitors. A small home offers congestion which negates the relaxation value of a home. Additional space will also offer a playground to the children, which is an essential factor in the child’s development. Increased space can also offer extra room to be rented, resulting in an additional income.
Security – The materials used should be provided to offer a secure home, and if necessary, use materials that make you secure from external and internal threats. The materials used in renovating should make it safer and less dangerous, like installing fire safety materials, alarms and others. Security is significant in a home as it provides peace of mind to the owners.
Noise isolation – The current lifestyle involves complex electronics like the home theaters that are high sound systems. Some neighbors tend to be a nuisance as they play loud music with the noise affecting those around them. When renovating, one ought to invest in materials that insulate the home from outside noise. During upgrades, sound insulation should be considered for a peaceful and quiet life without outside noise disturbances.
Increase in the home value – Home upgrades increase the value of a home even when not currently selling. The renovations can be a great deal in the increase of the resale value compared to the initial capital of the property. Consulting the local contractors can help to steer you in the right places to renovate for maximum value addition. Any small upgrades like renovating the kitchen, updating the bathroom, and restructuring the sitting room to modern styles, increase your home’s value.
Saving money – Home upgrades factor a lot in the saving of money. Most people tend to spend lots of money on maintaining their homes due to low-quality materials. Homeowners are repainting their homes due to using low-quality paints. Investing in highly qualified contractors and quality paints will solve the problem. Investing in quality materials that will last longer will prevent frequent replacement and repairs. This interprets to less expenditure on repairs and replacements, thus saving money.
A home upgrade appeals not only to things you can see but also to things you cannot see as they may be more valuable. Consulting the experts helps you get the right renovation materials from ideal sources, thus saving on cost and time.
Projects of Sprucing Up an Old House
Competition has become a significant threat in today’s world, especially in the real estate industry. Therefore, you need to be vigilant about the kind of projects you can undertake to ensure that your property is in the best condition before putting it up on the market. Some of these projects need you to hire a professional, while others need you to get into your best construction apparel. Some of these projects include:
Have Everything Appraised
Having your home appraised is among the best ways on how to spruce up an old house. Home appraisal means giving the experts a chance to approximate the value of the property. Think of a furniture appraiser to help you estimate the value of your furniture. An appraisal in a purchase-and-sale transaction is important to help determine whether the price contract of the property is right, depending on the home’s location, condition, and features.
Additionally, if you are planning to get a loan and put up your home as collateral, your lender may need to get an appraisal to ensure that the amount you borrow is within your limit. It is vital to know the exact or an estimate of your property’s worth before it goes into the market. Under-pricing or over-pricing can have detrimental effects on your profits. Under-pricing will give you a small profit margin, while the latter may chase away potential buyers.
Get the Plumbing in Order
It is not news that a home whose plumbing has been done right will attract more buyers than one with leaking pipes and unfixed water taps. Your old home might have served for quite some time, but how often do you have the plumbing system checked out? There are no two ways to go about this issue. You must have your plumbing checked and maintained from time to time.
Today, there are very many professionals offering plumbing repair services. The icing on the cake is that most of them have pocket-friendly charges that an average homeowner can afford. So, if you want your home to fit the market standards, you cannot ignore getting your plumbing in order. This is one of the best ways on how to spruce up an old house.
Repair Old Gutters
Gutters and roofs that are not in good condition do not only affect your home’s value, but they also pose a risk for your family. Therefore, this is not something you should be reminded of constantly. You have to stay alert on the gutters’ condition. Your home is old, and so are its gutters. It is time to have them checked out by a professional to ensure that they are well-repaired.
If you deem the repairs will cost you a lot, you can consider getting gutter installation service from experts in that field. Gutter repairs or installation is a perfect way on how to spruce up an old house before putting it up on the market.
Replace Windows and Shutters in Disrepair
Shutters on the windows are essential, especially when you consider your security or for blocking out light. Your old home has been around for quite some time. If you are thinking of selling it, you must do everything possible to ensure that it attracts the best buyers. This includes checking the condition of the windows and shutters.
If your windows and shutters require minor repair, then you may consider hiring a professional to fix them. However, if they are in their worst condition, it is time to replace them. Fortunately, today’s market is filled with different types of windows and shutters. So you can never go short on the options. However, if you have specific tastes and preferences, you can consider having custom shutters and windows made for your old home.
Have the Roof Inspected
A roof inspection is a process that should be carried out regularly, not only when you want to put your property up for sale. The house’s roof is among the first parts that potential buyers see when they have an interest in buying the property. Therefore, it is very imperative to ensure the shingles are well-fixed and they are not buckling.
Roof repairs are a good way on how to spruce up an old house before it goes on the market. This involves making sure that the roof is well-fixed and all its members are in perfect condition. However, if you realize that the repairs may not hold up the roof, then it is time to call in a roofing company and have the whole structure replaced.
Restore any Seriously Damaged Areas
It is common sense that a well-restored home is much more worthy than one with severely damaged parts. For instance, potential buyers will be turned off by a garage door that is not functioning or one that is lying on the ground. Such damages may have been a result of severe weather conditions, a robbery attempt, and a fire hazard, among other causes.
As the homeowner, you must understand how failure to repair those damages can negatively affect your property’s value. If you want to get the best out of your old house, then it is time to pick up that phone and contact professionals who handle home repairs. If you had a fire breakout that destroyed part of your house, look for an expert who offers fire damage restoration service.
Check for Asbestos in Your Insulation
Before putting up your old house on the market, it is imperative to ensure that the next owners will not suffer from cancer caused by asbestos. Asbestos is a dangerous mineral that can enter your body through breathing in contaminated air. This mineral may build up in your insulation system, and the best way to get rid of it is by procuring asbestos removal services from experts qualified in that field.
If the buildup is too much, then it is time to consider pulling down the insulation system and acquiring new insulation installation services. This is a great idea on how to spruce up an old house before potential buyers show up.
Have the Property Landscaped
In the real estate industry, one of the factors that command a high price for the property in question is its landscaping. Having your lawn and yard well-done should be among the first ways on how to spruce up an old house. Get professionals in tree service to cut down or take care of the trees in the compound. Bushy fences require trimming. Your lawn needs mowing.
Such are some of the best examples of landscaping projects you can undertake to make your old house more appealing to potential clients. While you are at it, you may also consider conducting a water and sediment test to ensure that the water is safe for human consumption.
Maybe you have bought a new home, or you are moving to a different location, or have some financial requirements. Whatever the reason you have to sell your old house, you must ensure that it is in a condition that will help you get bang for your buck. It is your responsibility to follow through with some of the ways on how to spruce up an old house, which will, in turn, help you sell your home for a good price. Such may include repairing your gutters and roof, replacing worn-out windows, landscaping the property, and restoring seriously damaged areas, among others.
The information given in this article is quite detailed to provide you with a clear glimpse of how to spruce up an old house. One of the key things to consider is having your property appraised. An appraisal will give you the exact or an approximate of your house’s worth, consequently helping you to avoid under-or over-pricing it once it hits the market.
