Paying for expensive home improvement projects may be the last thing on your mind if you are trying to sell your property. After all, you will be moving to a new house soon so it would be impractical to invest in a renovation project.

But in order to enhance the value of your property and make it more appealing to prospective buyers, you will need to improve certain areas and facets of your home. The upside is you don’t have to spend a lot to make small but significant upgrades in your home.

There are affordable and simple things you can do to improve your property and make it market-ready.

Leading estate agents from Bolton share five low-cost upgrades that can help you achieve your goal of selling your home fast:

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   Splash on a new coat of paint

A new coat of paint can go a long way in making your home more attractive. It will give your home a cleaner, fresher, and more up-to-date look.

However, painting the entire house can cost a lot especially if you will hire contractors to take care of this project. But if the whole house doesn’t need a fresh coat of paint and you like taking on DIY projects, you can simply paint the main sections of your home such as the living room, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom.

Consider painting these fixtures and features as well to immediately impress viewers:

• Front door
• Hallways
• Kitchen cabinets
• Wooden paneled walls

When choosing paint colors, go for light, neutral, or cool hues since they are easier on the eyes and never fail to make any room or feature look more stylish.

1. Clean and declutter

This is the cheapest yet one of the best ways to prepare and improve your home before selling it.

A clean, organized, and clutter-free home will help prospective buyers imagine themselves living in the space they are looking at.

In addition, getting rid of all unnecessary items will make it easier for viewers to really see what you’re selling. Lastly, decluttering your home also creates the illusion of more space.

Start by clearing off counters, straightening up bookshelves, and removing family and personal photos from the walls. Get rid of all old newspapers and magazines and anything that you never use and is simply eating up space.

Next, clean the carpets and remove any worn rugs. If your house has a wooden flooring, give it a good clean.

Make sure all rooms, fixtures, and features are squeaky clean and dust-free.

1. Enhance lighting

Great lighting can make your property seem larger, warmer, and more inviting. It can even change the tones of your paint color.

As such, if you still have some old-fashioned light bulbs, consider changing them with new, energy-efficient ones that have proper voltage suitable for each room.

If you plan on getting your home staged, you can also look at adding lamps and other fixtures as well as accent lighting for improved illumination in certain rooms. These fixtures will add to the décor as well.

1. Remove or change dated window treatments

Old and dark window treatments such as heavy curtains or draperies not only make your home look outdated; they also make rooms look darker, uninviting, and smaller as well.

If you want to change them, go for sheer or light curtains or other types of window treatments.  Whatever you choose, pick something simple and one that can provide the room with plenty of natural light. By doing this, interested buyers will feel more comfortable in your home.

1. Improve curb appeal

Lastly, your front lawn will create a positive first impression in any potential buyer. This is because many buyers consider curb appeal when shopping for a home.

The good news is there are several quick and low-cost landscaping projects you can do to improve the curb appeal of your property. These include:

• Decluttering your lawn (removing fallen leaves, mowed grass, and other debris)

• Mowing and watering the lawn regularly

• Removing weeds

• Pruning shrubs and hedges

• Adding colorful, flowering potted plants

• Mulching and edging the lawn

• Adding or improving exterior lighting

You don’t have to break the bank to boost your chances of selling your home fast at the price you are looking for.

Follow the tips above and you can expect great results from the small investments you make.  

AUTHOR BIO

Sally Jones is a Director and Co-Founder of The Purple Property Shop, an award-winning estate agent serving Bolton, Bury and the surrounding areas of North West England. The Purple Property Shop was founded in 2010 and quickly grew to become one of Bolton’s leading estate agents, specialising in residential property sales, property lettings and management.