If you think you want to sell your house, or you might want to in the future, it’s always good to know what most buyers are looking for when they buy a house. Below are some of the top things to consider adding before you sell your house.
Consider Adding a Laundry Room Before You Sell Your House
This is one of the biggest things that people are looking for when they want to buy a home. They want a dedicated space where they can hide their dirty laundry (literally) and stack up the clean laundry until it is put away. This is the feature that the NAHB said that most home buyers want to have.
If there’s not a laundry room in your home and you’re interested in adding one, your basement’s usually where it’s cheapest and easiest to put it. There are already the necessary utility lines there and a lot of basements are unfinished. Therefore, there’s no need to do any demolishing.
If you want to go the extra step and buy new appliances, look for models that are Energy Star-certified. This is going to help with saving the buyer money and energy. Add a nice utility sink for washing out or presoaking very dirty or stained items and some good lighting. Based on your space and budget, you also can add countertops, a folding table, or cabinets.
Consider Adding Exterior Lighting Before You Sell Your House
Illuminating your manicured lawn using exterior lighting is something that is going to grab the attention of buyers even before they get into your door. In addition, this is one of the outdoor features that people want based on the report from NAHB. Some of the options are walkway lights, pendant lights, and spotlights
In addition to aesthetics, exterior lighting will also serve as a great feature for safety for the home. A motion sensor light will automatically turn on anytime there’s movement outside of your home.
Consider Adding Energy-Efficient Items Before You Sell Your House
People who are looking for a home with low utility costs are going to look for properties that have appliances and windows that are Energy Star-qualified. If this is something that your house doesn’t have already, look into your budget for remodeling. Not only will this help with saving money while you’re living in your house, but it is also going to make your home look a lot more attractive.
Windows that are energy-efficient can help with trimming cooling and heating costs by up to 12%. Individual appliances can help with reducing water and energy bills. A washing machine that is Energy Star-certified will cost you anywhere from $700-$2,000 and can save you 25% in energy and use around 33% less water when compared with regular washing machines.
When you replace an old dryer with one that is energy-efficient can save up to $200 during the lifetime of the appliance.
Windows that are Energy Star qualified to have 2-3 glass panes and they have invisible glass coatings, spaces that are vacuum-sealed filled with inert gases or air between the panes, improved materials for framing, and weather stripping that is sturdier when compared with regular windows. These all reduce the undesirable heat loss and gain in your house. A dishwasher that is Energy Star-certified will cost anywhere from $400-$1,200 will use soil sensors so that it can assess the amount of dirt on the dishes so that water usage is minimized.
Once you have these features installed and you sell your house, you can play up these features and how much they will save the buyer.
Consider Adding a Patio Before You Sell Your House
One of the things that you shouldn’t neglect when you are selling your house is the backyard area. Living spaces outside are one of the things that people look for in a home. Potential buyers want to be able to see themselves seated outside with their friends and relaxing.
Because a patio is usually made from pavers or concrete, they’re not as expensive as a wood porch or deck to construct. They also usually have simpler maintenance. It can be power washed rather than having to stain it and reseal it or repaint it. The only thing is that the resale value is going to be lower than a porch or deck. A concrete patio will run you from $1,660-$4,320
Consider Adding a Double Sink Before You Sell Your House
In the past year or so, due to COVID-19, more people have been eating at home because of not being able to go out. One of the things that people will love having in their new home is a double sink. Some of them are divided 50/50 and some are 60/40. This will give you additional options for organizing your work with one of them to hide the dirty dishes and the other for prepping food, drying ones that are hand-washed, or using your garbage disposal.
When you are choosing your sink, search for one that is deep enough so that large cookie sheets, pots, or pans can be accommodated. Sinks that are builder-grade often are too shallow and impractical.
Porcelain sinks are beautiful, but they often get stained, scuffed, or chipped. Stainless steel’s easy to care for and durable. Most of the models today are either made from stainless steel that is 16/18 gauge. This is thicker and much less noisy compared with the older models. So that installation is a lot cheaper and easier, match the shape, kind of installation, hole number, and shape to your old sink.
For a drop-in sink, with 2 basins and 18 gauge, the price ranges from $89 to $2,005. For an under-mount version, the price will be $120-$1,027.
Along with replacing the sink, you also should replace your faucet. A stainless-steel pull-down kitchen faucet will run anywhere from $47-$1,158. You also want to make sure that the valves for shutting off the water are correctly working, since the inspector also will check that.
Consider Adding a Walk-in Pantry Before You Sell Your House
One of the biggest problems that a lot of people have in the kitchen is a lack of space. So, according to the report from the NAHB, a walk-in pantry is something that a lot of homebuyers look for. Those home buyers who have families know that the kitchen can become very crowded when you don’t have enough space for storing things like:
- Canned items
- Condiments
- Containers for food storage
And since a lot of people do their shopping in bulk, particularly during the pandemic, they need space for storing it.
Unlike those pantries that are closets and that you reach in, a walk-in version lets the homeowner store bigger quantities of those non-perishable items close to where they are doing the food prep.
These kinds of pantries usually measure 5’x5’ and they have u=shaped cabinets or open shelves as well as a countertop. Make sure this pantry’s somewhere that’s dry and cool. The price is going to depend on the features and other variables.
Consider Adding a Front Porch Before You Sell Your House
Front porches give you a place between the curb and the front door of a house where a homeowner can relax, people watch, and have some interaction with neighbors and friends. Since it’s covered, it extends the living space. It will give you some protection from the elements, and if you screen it in, you are able to avoid bugs as well. unfortunately, the porch’s overhanging roof is also going to reduce the amount of natural light’s coming into the front windows, though putting skylights on the roof of the porch can help with that.
Based on the This Old House website, porches should be a minimum of 6’ deep to make it comfortable to sit or at least 10’ deep for dining outdoors. A lot of the newer homes are built with shallow 4’ deep porches, and these are more for the way they look than for using them. Be sure that the porch’s style matches the style of your house.
If the house already has a porch, provide some comfortable seating that won’t overcrowd your space. Add some color pops with pillows, an outdoor rug, and cushions, along with some flowers. You can also add an outdoor use ceiling fan to give a nice, cooling breeze when the weather is warm.
If you’re looking for additional privacy and don’t want to lose natural light, putting a deck in your backyard might be a better idea than having a front porch. Since decks don’t have roofs, it’s lighter than the porch and it won’t need as much structural support. Therefore, it’s going to cost less when compared with a porch.
Finally, make sure that you are getting a permit for the project and that it’s conforming to the building codes.
These are some of the things that you want to consider adding to your home before you sell your house. Don’t have the time or the money to make these adjustments? We’ll be glad to buy your house as-is. Contact us here for a cash quote and you are under no obligation whatsoever.
