When it comes to home renovations, “most important” is a subjective term. Everyone’s situation differs, so your priority list will account for that.
If you’re planning to live in your home for the next 25 years, your energy is best spent on the upgrades that will bring long-term satisfaction to you and your family. Remodeling your kitchen, finishing your basement or attic, and replacing old plumbing can be excellent places to start. Your dream home is on the other side of those projects you’ve been putting off for years.
If, on the other hand, you’re planning to sell your home soon, there are a few staple renovations that I always recommend to my clients. As a realtor in Lincoln, I’ve seen thousands of homes in various conditions, and these three upgrades never fail to make an impact.
When I say “most important,” I’m referring to…
Carpet, Paint, and Floor Coverings
I recommend this one renovation so often that I gave it an acronym: CPFC.
Maybe it’s a side effect of text neck, but nobody looks up anymore. While this is great news for your popcorn ceilings, your outdated tile and electric teal paint are another story.
Your flooring is the first thing buyers will see and something they’re bound to remember after a showing. Even if the rest of your house is aesthetically flawless, if your floors aren’t up to snuff, you’ll have to find a buyer who’s interested in remodeling—and that can be a challenge.
As for your walls, neon pink and orange may have spoken to your daughter a decade ago, but for marketing purposes, now is the time to transition to something more neutral. If buyers can’t imagine their own furniture and decor in your space, you’ll have to paint the picture for them (quite literally).
Pound for pound, the absolute best money you can spend when preparing to sell your home is on the largest, most visible surfaces. Every dollar you invest in flooring and paint will be returned to you—and that’s on 17 years of experience in this business. In a market where people are paying record interest rates and are financially drained on closing day, fresh flooring and paint will always result in shorter market time and higher sale value.
There aren’t many ironclad laws in real estate, but CPFC is one of them.
Ditching Your Brass Fixtures
This one is unbelievably simple. You can increase the value of your home for less than $2K by replacing your brass fixtures with something more sleek and modern.
Fixtures are one of the most overlooked renovations that make a huge difference in a home. To understand this logic, consider that the average four-bedroom, three-bathroom house has five ceiling fans, five light fixtures, 15 interior doorknobs, 70 door pulls, three exterior light fixtures, and dozens of door hinges.
That’s a lot of brass!
And for as little as $1,500, you can replace all of it.
By now, you’re probably thinking, Bill, why would I bother with this stuff? It’s a seller’s market!
So, here’s the hard truth: The market is hot for A+ homes that require few or zero upgrades upon move-in. But B and C homes that need cosmetic attention are seeing fewer showings and offers from the current buyer pool.
As mentioned above, the economy is in a tough spot, and buyers are strapped for cash. They want a home that is move-in ready—and ditching your brass fixtures is an easy way to say, “You’re going to love living here!”
Making Sure Your Grass is Green
To make an offer on your house, buyers must be certain that the grass will be greener once they own it. An easy way to convince them of this is to make sure your lawn is actually green.
Personally, I don’t think much about my grass. I mow it and get on with my life. But if I were going to move, I would plan on having fresh sod installed to make my lawn look brand-spanking-new and perfect.
If you’re prepping your home for the market and your usually well-maintained grass is looking a bit dry (as is often the case in summer), then the investment is simple: water, water, and more water. Make it look irresistible.
And if your lawn looks like mine, make peace with purchasing new sod. It’s the easiest investment you can make in your home’s curb appeal.
Ultimately, the “most important” summer home renovations are the ones that speak to you and your goals. But in my experience, you can’t go wrong with CPFC, updated fixtures, and perfect green turf.
Turn it into a game. Buy yourself an ice cream cone every time you complete a project. Try to enjoy the process. After all, what you put into your home is what you’re going to get out of it.