Are you ready to put your home on the market? There are a few simple things you can do to improve its value before you hire a real estate agent or list it in the classifieds:
- Add a bathroom. Even if it’s just a toilet and a sink, it will make your home more attractive. Many of us have seen the older home where there’s an extra toilet in the basement, but no walls or privacy around it. We don’t recommend you do that if you’re trying to improve your home’s value. If putting a toilet in the bathroom is the most feasible thing to do because of access to pipes, make sure you put a wall around it and make it a proper bathroom.
- Add a bedroom. This can be easier than you think. If you have a den, sometimes the only thing that’s keeping it from being called a bedroom is the lack of a closet. Adding one of these is a quick fix. Another space you may think about turning into a bedroom is the attic, or even a basement. If you go with the latter, just be aware that many municipalities require you to have recessed windows in a basement bedroom.
- Update an existing bathroom. You don’t have to go all out, but sometimes even a fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference to a potential buyer. Another quick and cheap fix is to replace the flooring with vinyl tiles, or even replacing the toilet seat.
- Renew your kitchen. Just like with the bathroom, you don’t have to go all-out. Instead, choose small, simple fixes. Replacing the handles and painting the exterior of the cabinets and drawers is one fix. Updating the faucet is another.
When you are ready to move on to your next home, Heartland Bank will right there beside you.
Heartland Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender