How can I make my house more expensive to sell?
Some factors, such as property maintenance and improvements, are in your control. Other times, factors outside your control, such as the property market, natural disasters, and changes in your neighborhood, might be bringing down the value of your home.
- Clean and declutter. ...
- Add usable square footage. ...
- Make your home more energy-efficient. ...
- Spruce it up with fresh paint. ...
- Work on your curb appeal. ...
- Upgrade your exterior doors. ...
- Give your kitchen an updated look. ...
- Stage your home.
...
- Make it more attractive. ...
- Make it low-maintenance. ...
- Make it more efficient. ...
- Make it bigger. ...
- Make it smarter.
Some factors, such as property maintenance and improvements, are in your control. Other times, factors outside your control, such as the property market, natural disasters, and changes in your neighborhood, might be bringing down the value of your home.
- Clean & Declutter Your Home. Photo via @sharon_arny_interior_design. ...
- Remove Personal Items. ...
- Furnish Empty Spaces. ...
- Let in Natural Light. ...
- Hire a Professional Photographer. ...
- Choose the Right Paint Color for Your Walls. ...
- Spruce Up Your Curb Appeal. ...
- Upgrade Carpets & Floors.
Your home is more likely to sell with a fresh coat of paint, which is the very first thing buyers see. “You want to have nice, fresh impression for the buyers,” says Norris. “They don't want to come into a house that looks like it's been worn hard and is in poor condition.”
So is it worth it, and do new appliances add value to a home? Well, the short answer is yes! If you buy new appliances, this could increase your home's value by up to 7%. This is because new appliances will last longer and are more energy-efficient.
Kitchen Improvements
If adding value to your home is the goal, the kitchen is likely the place to start. Conventional wisdom says kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. How much will a new kitchen increase the value of your home? According to Zillow, kitchen renovations provide up to 80% return on investment.
In short: A quality deck will make a valuable addition to your house. So exactly how much does a deck increase the value of your home? Experts estimate that a deck offers a resale value of at least 76%, which is higher than any other home renovation project.
Supply and demand
The basic law of supply and demand have a major effect on the housing market. Simply put, as the housing supply decreases or as demand rises, creating an inventory shortage, home values go up. A real estate inventory shortage means that there are fewer sellers than there are buyers.
What are the best colors to sell a house?
When you're painting your house to sell, you'll want to stick with neutral or earthy tones, though you can choose white, beiges, greys, or even off-white colors. Depending on the room, you can even choose neutral shades of blue or green (like in the kitchen). You'll also want to avoid white in bathrooms.
Updating appliances or any major systems, like plumbing, electrical or HVAC, can be costly, so if yours are outdated, it could affect the overall value of the home. And if the interior hasn't been changed for decades, it may not appeal to buyers, which can also cause the value to decrease.

- Too Much Furniture. ...
- Furniture that Doesn't Fit the Room. ...
- Household Smells. ...
- Keeping Knick Knacks on Display. ...
- Excessive Dark Paint. ...
- Drastically Different Paint Colors Throughout the Home. ...
- Pushing all Furniture Against the Walls. ...
- A Lack of Light.
Staged Homes Usually Sell Faster and For More Money
Ninety-five percent of staged homes sell in 11 days or less, which is 87% faster than non-staged homes. They also sell for an average of 17% more, so you could recoup the cost of staging and then some.
While the seller can enjoy the ease of an all-cash offer with a sales price of $1, they may end up dealing with a lot of hassle come tax season. Some parents may try to sell their home to a child for just one dollar in order to help their child avoid estate taxes down the line.
Tips for selling a house in the summer
Long summer days, school breaks and warm temperatures allow you to charge a premium for a home in May, June and July. Expect a bit of a slowdown in August, when many people take their summer vacations.
Yes, it can absolutely affect your resale value! Online real estate giant, Zillow, has conducted paint color analyses like this one over the past few years to determine which exterior and interior paint colors add the most value to your home during resale.
Stainless is the best choice for resale for any and every brand. Why? Stainless is timeless. The appliance industry has almost put to rest the almond and avocado green that is nearly impossible to match for the consumer.
These days, dishwashers can add value to kitchens with enhancements that reduce noise, allow for remote operation, increase energy efficiency, and come with warranties.
- Air Conditioner. Both central and room air conditioners are well known to suck energy in the summer. ...
- Dishwasher. ...
- Dryer. ...
- Furnace. ...
- Hot Water Heater. ...
- Refrigerator. ...
- Washing Machine.
What style of home has the highest resale value?
Colonial. Colonial-style homes have the highest resale factor when all other elements are equal. These two-story homes that often have a boxlike appearance are popular because of the amount of functional living space that they often have.
They keep air moving, make for cooler, more pleasant home environments, and are highly desirable to prospective buyers. Minor upgrades like ceiling fans contribute to your home's overall marketability and selling price. Equip your home with ceiling fans throughout the main living areas to capitalize on their value.
Other Aspects of Kitchen Remodeling
While kitchen appliances are the runner-ups, cabinets are the clear winner in being the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel. However, countertops still hold third place. While deciding your budget, you should always set aside some money for miscellaneous expenses.
To make your kitchen cabinets pop: The right backsplash design can bring out the color and style of your cabinets. To entice buyers: If you're selling your home and trying to raise its value, a backsplash is a smart choice. It shows potential buyers there is one less job for them to take on if they purchase your home.
Does painting kitchen cabinets add value to your home? Yes! Professionally painted kitchen cabinets can add value to your home, especially if they are a timeless color such as white (still the most popular!), gray, cream, or black.
Patios are usually more cost-effective to construct than decks. The reason for this is that they're usually made out of concrete, bricks, or stone, which are all less expensive materials! One study showed that—per square foot—patios cost less than half the cost of decks!
- Decks require more maintenance than patios. ...
- If wooden decks are not maintained properly, they can rot. ...
- Permits may be required. ...
- If adding a hot tub or outdoor kitchen, weight restrictions should be considered.
As a rough guide, a nicely landscaped garden that is low maintenance can add up to 10% to your home's value – that's potentially an extra $100,000 on a $1 million home.
A seller's market arises when demand exceeds supply. In other words, there are many interested buyers, but the real estate inventory is low. Since there are fewer homes available, sellers are at an advantage.
The home should be airy and well-ventilated
A home must reflect good vibes, and well-ventilated homes are ideal for living. Dwellers stay happy and healthy in a well-ventilated home where ample sunlight comes in and air flows well. Good ventilation is important for several reasons.
What are two disadvantages of owning a home?
- Costs for home maintenance and repairs can impact savings quickly.
- Moving into a home can be costly.
- A longer commitment will be required vs. ...
- Mortgage payments can be higher than rental payments.
- Property taxes will cost you extra — over and above the expense of your mortgage.
"Generally, going with neutral colors like shades of white, beige, taupe, and grays lead to a faster sale," she shares. "Neutral colors are also more appealing to potential buyers because many want the creative freedom of a blank canvas to add their personal touches to when looking for a new place to call home.
While prices may already be in your favor, if you want to sell your home for the highest price possible, the color you paint your door could help. Painting your home's front door slate blue or black will net you the highest selling price for your home, according to research from Zillow.
Fresh Paint will make your Home look Expensive
Light airy neutral paint colors make a room look expensive. Choose from white, beige (yes beige is back!), cream and off-white colors. Dark brown and black are also on trend so will make your interiors look more upscale as well.
The short answer is “no, a messy home should not affect the outcome of an appraisal.” However, it's good to be aware that there are circumstances in which the state of your home can negatively affect its value. Let's go over what appraisals entail and what factors can influence them.
An appraisal can come in low because the appraiser isn't selecting truly comparable sales for his or her analysis. This can happen if the appraiser doesn't know the local market well.
What negatively affects a home appraisal? One of the big things that can have a negative affect is the age and condition of the home's systems (HVAC, plumbing) and appliances. If the local market is declining, that'll also hurt your home's appraised value.
The 3-foot-5-foot rule
Keep surfaces in the 3-foot to 5-foot range, such as on coffee tables, credenzas and dining table, clear of clutter. Some stagers love to bring tall vases and place them everywhere, but don't let them.
The best neutral paint colors for staging a home are light grays, beiges, and whites. Not only do these light neutrals stand the test of time, but they reflect light well and can make rooms feel larger.
Staging an empty house is just as important as staging a fully furnished one. It might even be a bit easier to do since there's no need to depersonalize the space or find somewhere to hide any clutter. The goal when you stage a home without furniture is to highlight those features that you do have.
What makes a house less valuable?
A home's value is affected by local real estate trends, the housing market, the home's condition, age, location and property size.
Some factors, such as property maintenance and improvements, are in your control. Other times, factors outside your control, such as the property market, natural disasters, and changes in your neighborhood, might be bringing down the value of your home.
Giving someone a house as a gift — or selling it to them for $1 — is legally equivalent to selling it to them at fair market value. The home is now the property of the giftee and they may do with it as they wish.
Billionaire mogul Byron Allen, CEO of Entertainment Studios and perhaps best known for buying The Weather Channel, purchased a Malibu mansion for $100 million, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Fair market value is usually determined by taking the average of three or more comparable homes. The comps strategy is a popular way to determine a home's fair market value, the price a buyer is willing to pay in a given market.
Age and condition
Typically, homes that are newer appraise at a higher value. The fact that critical parts of the house, like plumbing, electrical, the roof, and appliances are newer and therefore less likely to break down, can generate savings for a buyer.
Principle of Supply and Demand
Buyers and sellers tend to set the price or value of a good based on the supply of a good and the demand for that good. If the supply of a good is stable, and demand for that good increases, sellers of that good tend to increase the price.
If you hope to increase your home's value before putting it on the market, consider an electrical upgrade. Several electrical upgrades can increase your home's resale value and attract more potential buyers, including grounded outlets, an electrical panel upgrade, and home rewiring.
So you want to add more value to your existing home but don't know where to start? In general, a bathroom can increase your home's value anywhere from 10-40% depending on the quality of the bathroom and its updates. That's anywhere from $20,000-50,000 for cost-effective updates.
Supply and demand. The basic law of supply and demand have a major effect on the housing market. Simply put, as the housing supply decreases or as demand rises, creating an inventory shortage, home values go up.
What does it mean to be house poor?
The expressions “house poor” and “house broke” refer to the situation where homeowners have bought homes beyond their means. They end up spending all their income on repairs and expenses, forgoing vacations and discretionary spending. Instead of being your sanctuary, your home becomes your albatross.
Average Home Value Increase Per Year
National appreciation values average around 3.5 to 3.8 percent per year. Ownerly explains that the average home appreciation per year is based on local housing market trends as well as the economy, and this makes for a great deal of fluctuation.
The three most important factors when buying a home are location, location, and location. Too often I hear people talking about making decisions based on the home itself, instead of the location, and that is a mistake. What is it about the location that makes it so vital to real estate investing?
In looking at home values over the past year, the least costly homes showed an 8.5 percent gain in their worth compared to a 3.6 percent increase for the most costly abodes, according to the findings by the provider of real estate information.
A material fact is information that would influence a buyer's decision to purchase a property or how much they might be willing to pay for it if they were made aware of it. Material facts can include structural damage or “emotional” information about the property, such as that someone was murdered there.
A new HVAC system is simply new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Does New HVAC Increase Home Value? We often receive the query, 'does new HVAC add value to home', and though there are a few factors to consider, the answer is that yes, generally it does. It can increase your home's value by up to 10%.
Adding outlets will improve your home's value:
If you have enough space in your breaker panel, adding outlets can help improve the worth of your home. Prospective buyers love to see easy-accessed outlets. It will also help keep you from overloading any circuits.
Increases home value - Installing GFCI outlets may also be beneficial for homeowners because it can increase the value of their home when selling or refinancing.
New tile, an updated cabinet or fixtures and brighter, more natural lighting will appeal to buyers. Usability and adding a touch of luxury are other factors to consider with remodels that include the following: Adding a Jacuzzi tub or steam shower in the master bath. Installing heated floors.
An extra bedroom will typically add 15 percent to the resale value of a house. However, that may not necessarily cover the initial cost of a room addition.
Does adding a shower increase home value?
Simply adding a shower to a half bath can increase your home's real estate value by an average of 5.7%, particularly if the number of bathrooms is equal to the number of bedrooms in your home.