Why hello there friendly blog readers! I’m Matt Kearney, I’m a Real Estate Agent at Lamb & Co. and definitely the twins favorite (shh… don’t tell the others!) Since Lyndsay and Leslie are in full swing of filming Season 3 of Unsellable Houses, I thought I would hop on here to answer one of our brokerage’s top questions.
Spring tends to be one of the busiest times for real estate. With this in mind, many homeowners spend the winter months prepping their homes for the market by making minor upgrades and finishing up (or start!) those dreaded projects they’ve been putting off.
As an agent, one of the most common questions I get around this time of year is, “What can I do to increase the value of my home for the least amount of money?” Of course, that answer will vary home to home, but there are a few things I find myself suggesting most commonly.
Fresh Paint
Painting a home can help make it feel like it has a new life. With a fresh coat of paint, there will be no more imperfections or scuffs, making a home feel new again!
You might love pink, purple, or blue walls, but they might not be the best colors to paint if you plan to sell your home soon! Ultimately, when buyers tour your home, you want them to be able to picture themselves living in the space.
Leaning towards neutral colors like white, gray, or beige (or green if you want to get a little crazy!) will help create a space, a blank canvas, if you will, to help them feel more at home.
Here are a few of Lyndsay’s favorite paint colors to help make your home “Sellable!” https://www.lambandcompany.com/2021/08/unsellable-to-sellable-paint-colors/
It is an added expense to paint the ceiling white rather than the gray, greige, or beige you have on the walls, but totally worth it. It creates a high end look that buyers love. Trim can often be cleaned to save a little money, but springing for fresh trim paint is another way to really make your listing shine.
New Floors
Over the years, I have noticed that homes with new flooring tend to sell for much more!
Unfortunately, there’s almost no way to avoid normal flooring wear. In addition to new paint, I often suggest freshening up the flooring. Replacing carpet, refinishing hardwood floors, or adding luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring will help make a massive difference when selling your home.
Everyday spills, stains, and high-traffic areas cause easily visible wear and tear on carpet. Because of this, I suggest replacing the old carpet, so the space feels (and smells!) fresh and new again. Can’t decide on a color? Try to stick with a neutral color, like the tried and true Iron Frost!
Instead of simply replacing your carpet with new carpet, try LVP. The addition of LVP flooring in high-traffic areas like the entryway, living room, or bonus room will undoubtedly increase the value of your home.
Hardwood floors are beautiful and can add significant value to your home. But due to things like age, water damage, scratches, or discoloration, they will inevitably lose their original visual appeal over time. If possible, try refinishing your hardwood floors to restore that original beauty. Otherwise, it might be worth the investment to add LVP flooring here too!
Professional Cleaner
If you were planning to sell your car, you would probably have it professionally detailed before taking photos or taking it to the dealership in an attempt to get top dollar. Hiring a professional cleaner to deep clean your home before listing it is no different.
Now, I’m not implying that your home is dirty by any means, but a professional cleaner goes way beyond how you usually clean. You may be great at cleaning your home, but the added professional touch is indispensable. Plus, they come into your home with a fresh set of eyes and might notice areas that require a little more attention, which will help create that clean, blank slate so buyers can easily envision themselves living there.
Of course, there are a few more little things I would recommend:
Clean the gutters, or hire someone to clean them
Use a Softwash service to clean the moss off of your roof
Get your furnace serviced
If you have a septic tank, we highly suggest getting it pumped and inspected before listing. That way if any issues come up we are dealing with it on our terms rather than negotiating with a buyer.
Thanks for reading!
Your Favorite Home Inspector-Turned Agent,
Matthew Kearney
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It’s me again!
If you want to buy or sell a home and live in the Snohomish or North King County area, we would love to have one of our agents meet with you! They are all expertly trained in Real Estate trends and would be able to put together a list for your specific home to help you get the biggest bang for your buck!
Don’t forget to follow our agents on Instagram to stay up-to-date on their listings, real estate trends, and maybe even a giveaway that’s coming up!
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XO
Les
