Sell Your House Quickly by Making These 6 Home Improvements and Repairs

Want to sell your home quickly? Start by making some key repairs and improvements that will attract more buyers. Your focus might be on your new home, but potential home buyers have their eyes on your current home. Here’s how to woo potential buyers for a quicker sale and perhaps even a higher offer.

1. Hire a Professional to Do the Work Quickly

Even if you consider yourself a DIY warrior, you’ve got enough on your plate with packing up for your move. So if there are repairs to be made, it’s a good idea to hire someone else to do them. 

A handyperson can likely perform multiple small jobs, such as repairing stuck windows and doors, cleaning gutters, and painting trim. This could save you time in having to vet and hire numerous repair professionals. However, if you are looking to tackle a number of larger projects, such as reshingling the roof or painting the exterior of your home, it might be time to contact a local general contractor who can handle the scheduling and hiring of subcontractors for you.

2. Replace Older Windows

While you don’t have to foot the bill to replace every new window in your home, it’s a good idea to swap out some older windows. Opt for energy-efficient features that will lower monthly heating and cooling costs. Potential buyers will love knowing that they can start saving on their monthly bills as soon as they move in.

3. Enhance Curb Appeal

First impressions are everything. When selling your house, you want potential buyers to be wowed from the moment they arrive. That’s why improving your house’s curb appeal is a fast and easy way to entice buyers.

Neatness is everything, so here are some tips that can get your yard spruced up quickly:

• Mow your lawn

• Tend to garden beds

• Power wash your home’s exterior and driveway

• Add a cheerful doormat

• Paint your front door

• Put flower pots on either side of your front door

• Hang a wreath

• Refresh or replace your house numbers

These are small projects that will go a long way toward giving your property a fresh, clean look. If you’ve got the budget to do it, now’s the time to redo that driveway or replace that garage door.

4. Freshen Up the Paint

Your color preferences might not be the same as potential buyers, but there’s nothing like a smooth, freshly painted wall to give a neat, clean appearance to any room. Even if you like dark or bold colors, it’s best to go with a neutral palette for resale.

Some paint colors that will help you sell your home faster—and possibly for more money—include:

• Warm beige

• Off-white

• Light gray or blue, especially for the kitchen

Not only does this allow for buyers to see your home as a blank canvas, but it will also make it much easier for them to paint over with their own colors when they move in.

5. Replace Old Appliances

New appliances give homebuyers peace of mind. No one wants the refrigerator or washing machine to stop working immediately after moving in. While it’s not necessary to give every major appliance a refresh, it is a good idea to replace any that are really showing their age. Stainless steel is usually the preferred look, so keep that in mind when shopping.

6. Update the Small Details

In the end, some of the smallest details can add up to making your home a big hit with potential homeowners.

For example:

• If you’ve got outdoor lights, make sure all the bulbs are working

• Fix any doors or windows that stick

• Patch any holes in the walls

• Upgrade cabinet and door hardware

• Remove personal items like photos and knick-knacks

• Let natural light into each room

• Update outdated light fixtures

• Paint outdated cabinets

• Declutter your home

• Do a deep cleaning

• Add a few houseplants throughout your home

While these issues are small and not likely to be a dealbreaker with buyers, it shows that you have pride in your home and took care of it well.

Consider Your Budget Before You Get Started

The reason you’re making these repairs in the first place is that you want potential buyers to see the value in your home. However, you shouldn’t expect to recoup all your money. While some improvement projects have a better return on investment than others, you’ll want to make sure you’re not pouring money needlessly into extensive renovations when small changes will do.

For example, replacing a garage door is an exterior project that could recoup up to 94% of your investment, according to Remodeling Magazine’s 2021 Cost vs. Value Report. On the other hand, spending money on a primary bedroom upgrade will only get you back a 48% ROI.

Also, keep in mind that time is of the essence when it comes to selling your home. If you want to take advantage of a hot market, long-term projects that delay you from listing your home could erase any profit you were hoping to make.

A move-in ready home doesn’t always mean that every inch of it was renovated. But it does mean that it’s ready to be lived in. Make it easy for the new homeowners to move right into your home with these repair tips that could lead to a quicker sale—and a higher sale price.