Getting the most out of your Austin home sale doesn’t have to cost a fortune
Over-investment prior to selling is one of the biggest pitfalls for a homeowner. There can be a fine line between investments that bump up your sale price and extensive renovations that eat into your profits. The good news is that maximizing the return on your Austin home sale doesn’t have to come with a steep price tag. Here are a few simple and relatively inexpensive ways to get your home looking great for prospective buyers.
1. A Coat of Paint Goes a Long Way
The first thing any seller should look at doing to freshen things up prior to their Austin home sale is painting, inside and out. The first thing buyers will see is the exterior of your home, so be sure to patch up those exterior walls or siding with a fresh coat of paint.
Now’s typically not the time to flaunt your personality, as colorful as it may be. Those bright red walls may make you go gaga, but they’ll likely be a turn off to others. Internally, you want your home to appeal to as many home buyers as possible, so stick to neutral and unobtrusive colors for the walls.
2. Whip the Yard into Shape
When getting ready for your Austin home sale, it’s important to remember that buyers won’t just be looking at the house. Your property will also be under scrutiny. Curb appeal can make a great impact on the sale of a home, both positively and negatively.
Landscaping is an excellent way to make your property more attractive. Ensure that the trees are trimmed, the garden beds are in good condition, the weeds are pulled, the fences are mended and painted, and the driveway and patio are patched and cleaned.
And don’t forget to keep the lawn trimmed and tidy in between showings! You never know when a potential home buyer might be driving by.
3. Small Repairs Equal Big Results in Your Austin Home Sale
Most of us never have enough time to look after every single one of the little maintenance tasks in our homes. From loose doorknobs to fiddly faucets, crooked mailboxes to wobbly deck steps, this is the time to tackle those jobs that have been taking up space on your to-do list.
You can bet that buyers will be going over everything with a fine-tooth comb, and the smallest little details can make a huge difference in your Austin home sale.
4. The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home, and the Heart of Your Austin Home Sale
There’s a reason that kitchen renovations feature prominently on pretty much every single list of things to do before you sell a home.
Buyers consistently say that the kitchen is the most important room in the house when making a home buying decision, and investments in sprucing up a kitchen tend to have the biggest impact on sale price, when compared to other renovations.
But you don’t have to spend a lot, or redo your kitchen from scratch. A few simpler solutions: look at refacing cabinets and counters, updating floor treatments, new light fittings, window treatments (and remember that almighty fresh coat of paint) — sometimes all your kitchen needs is a fresh look.
5. …And Don’t Forget the Bathroom
Much like the kitchen, you can get a lot more out of your Austin home sale by giving your bathroom a quick makeover. Pay attention to the fittings and the lighting, and add some nice décor touches, like plants or fresh flowers, candles, and new window treatments.
Make your bathroom a warm and inviting retreat. Get new towels, washcloths, hand towels, and bath mats to complete the look.
6. Do You Need a Renovation or a Decorator for Your Austin Home Sale?
When going through your home before you put it up for sale, ask yourself whether you really need a renovation or a decorator in every room that might need an update.
Whether it’s throws and cushions on the beds, or new place settings on the dining table, a bit of fresh artwork on the walls, or a rented suite in the living room in place of your “comfy” family furniture, staging your home with a few decorating touches can save you thousands in costly renovations.
And remember, you can always get advice from your Austin Realtor®. Good Austin TX real estate agents will be able to help you with the staging of your home, refer you to professional stagers and provide insightful advice on how to get the most return on your investment. Your Realtor® sees homes every day, and is likely very in-tune with what Austin home buyers desire.
When preparing for your Austin home sale, look at every dollar you spend from an investment perspective, and only do the work that will help you get the return that you want. As tempting as it is to do massive renovations in the hopes of getting top dollar for your Austin property, in many cases, you may not get back what you put in, so be sure to weigh the outlay against the potential reward. Chances are that there’s a cheaper and easier way to shore up the value of your home.
If you’re considering selling your home, or if you have commercial real estate in Austin that you’re looking to sell, and need a Realtor®, give our Austin real estate agency a call. Our Austin real estate agents are among the best in the city and can help you prepare for your Austin home sale. We’ve been helping homeowners sell their Austin homes since 1972. Habitat Hunters also has an on-staff Austin real estate lawyer to help you through the legal aspects of the process. Contact our Austin realty company today!
