Renovating your home for sale can increase your home’s value and lead to higher offers, but many homeowners are unsure of what to renovate or where to start.

As you can imagine, home renovations are as individual as people are. Even two homes with the same layouts can have different finishing's, natural lighting, or features that make them stand out to potential buyers.

Part of my service as a realtor is coming over to discuss whether any renovations need to occur before we can list your property for sale. Usually, it's small things like paint touch-ups and decluttering, but sometimes larger projects can get you more bang for your buck!

Here are a few renovations that I recommend when listing your home for sale:

1. Painting

One of the easiest ways to upgrade your home without a hefty price tag is to patch and repaint your walls. If you see any holes or cracks in your walls from hanging photos and shelves, or from general wear and tear, fill or patch them before you paint.

When picking paint colours, try to pick neutral tones like whites, creams, light greys, and beiges. When your home is painted in neutral colours, it will act as a blank slate for potential homebuyers. This allows them to see themselves living in your home and inserting their personal style into the space.

2. Decluttering

When potential homebuyers come to view your home, they will want to see every square inch of your space. This means that they will be looking in every nook, cranny, closet, and even the shed.

Before putting your home on the market, be sure to remove any of the clutter that exists in your home. Tidy up the old shed, clean out your closets, and remove any personal items, like mail or photos from surfaces. It feels good to purge, donate, or rehome any items you do not need or use.

Neatly storing items in the corner of a room, the basement, or garage is an option if you have space to put the decluttering pieces you want to keep. And if you do not have anywhere to put these items, companies like PODS allow you to pack it up, store it, and then they move it to your new home.

3. Updating Light Fixtures

Another simple way to renovate your home before selling is to upgrade and replace outdated or broken light fixtures. Replacing light fixtures in places like your entryway, kitchen, or bathroom will modernize your home for very little money. All burnt out light bulbs should also be replaced.

Before investing in new light fixtures, it is recommended that you chat with your realtor to understand what type of light fixtures are in style and what your target buyer will prefer.

4. Kitchen Renovations

If you are willing to invest a bit more in your renovation before selling your home, I always recommend starting in the kitchen. The kitchen is one of the main selling features in a home, so it’s important to ensure that your kitchen appeals to potential buyers.

One of the most beneficial kitchen renovations you can do to increase the value of your home is to install new countertops and backsplash. Many buyers prefer granite or quartz countertops and will pay more for a home that already has these types of countertops installed.

If you are unsure of what type of new countertops to install, ask your realtor! They will know which countertops appeal most to potential buyers and which will increase the value of your home.

However, if the kitchen is just too dated and needs a complete overhaul, pricing the home accordingly will help with your sale without spending money on a renovation buyers may not like.

5. Bathroom Renovations

The bathroom is another great space to renovate when selling your home. This could be as simple as replacing hardware like faucets, towel bars, and knobs, or as complex as re-tiling your shower or installing a new bathtub or toilet.

Bathroom vanities are surprisingly inexpensive changes that can be updated for a few hundred dollars but will make the bathroom seem like it’s completely updated. Staging your bathrooms with a new shower curtain and towels when listing your home for sale is also helpful.

6. New Flooring

Floors that are outdated or that need to be replaced/ refinished are a huge turn-off to potential homebuyers. To get the biggest bang for your buck, we recommend replacing old vinyl flooring in your home with new vinyl, laminate or hardwood floors. Some popular wood flooring colours include white oak, dark walnut, and brown stained oak, and grey vinyl.

Again, setting up a consultation for your specific home will help us decide whether the house should be priced to need these updates or if it worth changing the flooring before the sale. After all, the buyer may want a completely different type of flooring and a flooring credit at the time of possession or a price reduction to accommodate this may be the best and easiest option for everyone.

Unsure of what repairs or renovations you should be making before you sell your home? Contact me, Jeneen Marchant, Re/Max Real Estate, today for a one-on-one advising appointment! I’ll take a look at your home and let you know what changes I think you should make to put more money in your pocket!

Contact Jeneen by phone: (780) 904-4240 or by email: jeneens@remax.net. RE/MAX Real Estate

Hi, I'm Jeneen Marchant!

I’m here to help you find you during your next Real Estate transaction.

Home ownership is a beautiful thing and I love seeing my buyers happily opening the door to their new home on possession day. I also get great satisfaction from helping my sellers get the best price possible for their home when it is time to move on to another property.