How to Make Your Old House Look Good Enough to Sell

Are you struggling to sell your old house because the current real estate market isn’t great and you can’t lower the price any further? Or are you worrying that potential buyers will think less of your home, because it doesn’t have the modern features they expect from new houses these days? If so, then read on for expert advice on how to make your old house look good enough to sell. Luckily, this does not mean you must abandon your first and perhaps only home. With a little bit of time, energy and money.  Not to mention some clever ideas.  You should be able to transform that dated abode into a desirable property again. After all, isn’t there a reason why people are referred to as ‘older’ when they reach a certain age?

Decide What’s Most Important to Potential Buyers

When it comes to updating your old home. You must always ask yourself what is most important to your potential buyers. Different people are likely to value different things when looking for a house. Although there are some basic things that everyone wants.  Things like a good location, a spacious interior, a decent amount of storage space, and an acceptable number of bathrooms.  There are many other smaller things that people may want or need that you might not have considered. By keeping an eye on the current state of real estate in your area, and making a list of what appears to be selling the best. You will be able to decide what features you should focus on updating in your home. If a lot of new houses are being sold with a certain type of kitchen or bathroom. For example, then you should take note and decide whether or not to invest in that kind of renovation for your own home.

Brighten Up Your Interior and Exterior

If the interior of your home looks dark, dreary, and cluttered. People may be turned off before they even step inside. One of the easiest ways to brighten up both the inside and outside of your house is by adding more natural light wherever you can. If you don’t have any windows that get sunlight during the day. You can add windows by building an addition or by taking out a wall. Another option is to paint the walls white to make the most out of whatever light you do have. You can also clean up your exterior and make it more appealing to potential buyers by adding a fresh coat of paint or installing a new, decorative fence. If you don’t have much room for a garden or yard. You can still create a welcoming atmosphere by adding some decorative, colorful pots to the front of your home.

Make Small but Meaningful Changes

If you simply can’t afford to make as many changes to your home as you’d like, don’t fret. You can still make some meaningful improvements that don’t take a lot of money or effort. You can start by simply polishing up the surfaces of your furniture and adding decorative pillows and blankets to make them look brighter and more inviting. If you have mostly empty rooms, you can also fill them with decorative items, like bookshelves or art, to make your home seem more full. You can also clean up your yard and replace your front walkway to make your home look more modern and appealing. Which is especially important if your home has bad curb appeal.

Replace Your Bigger Appliances

If you’ve been putting off replacing your old appliances. You’ll likely find that this is a big deterrent for potential buyers. Even if they don’t mention it. The fact that your appliances don’t look like new could be preventing them from buying your home. Consider replacing your appliances. Especially, those that are commonly found in new houses like, your kitchen sink, your bathroom sink, your furnace, and the water heater. Many people don’t realize that these items can be replaced. So you can get away with it for a long time. However, others are obvious, like a clunky old refrigerator or an oven that’s falling apart. In any case, you should replace your appliances before you try to sell your house. It’s easier and cheaper to do before you list it than after.

Add a Fresh Coat of Paint Throughout

While you should make sure the appliances in your home are in good condition, you should also make sure everything in between is up to par. This includes the walls of your home. The paint in many old houses is likely very dated and hasn’t been touched in years. This makes it look as though no one lives there, and prospective buyers are less likely to want to purchase a house that doesn’t look like a home. While you may not be able to afford to entirely repaint the walls. You can simply paint over the existing color to give it a new look. Choose a neutral color that is neither too bright nor too dark so that it will match most furnishings. You can also paint the ceiling a lighter shade if it’s currently dark.

Go Small and Easy With the Updates

While you should make some changes to your home.  You shouldn’t go overboard with renovations. No matter how much money you spend on upgrades, you don’t want prospective buyers to think you’re trying to make your home look new. Instead, you simply want people to think it’s well cared for and just a little bit nicer than what they’re used to seeing. When deciding what renovations to make. Keep in mind that you want to go small, and you also want to try and make your renovations as inexpensive as possible. This will help you invest as little money as possible in your home but will still give it a nice boost. You can start by installing some new flooring in high-traffic areas.

Conclusion

Selling an old house can be challenging, but it is possible. Selling an old house requires a different marketing strategy than selling a new house because it has different needs, and appeals to different types of buyers. When you’re ready to sell your old house. Make sure it’s as presentable as possible. You can make your old house look good enough to sell with a few renovations and upgrades.