This Is the Best Time to Sell a House—How to Get Yours Ready
Three easy projects to bring your home’s value way up.
Updated Oct 11, 2018 10:45 PM
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Anyone looking to downsize to a townhouse, go back to renting, or offload that summer home, listen up! Now is the perfect time to sell your place. According to a new report from real-estate platform Opendoor, inventory is low, buyer demand is high, and the National Association of Realtors expects sale prices to tick up to the tune of 8 percent. Before putting a “For Sale” sign in the front yard, though, there are plenty of upgrades that can raise the value of your property by thousands of dollars without massive renovations. Read on for some easy touch-ups.
Paint the Front Door
Rather than spend time re-covering the whole house, boost curb appeal with an eye-catching focal point for people driving by. Painting the front door glossy black can help a home sell for up to $6,000 more than similar listings. With Behr paint at only $42 a gallon, can you afford not to spend an afternoon covering one surface?
Spend on the Kitchen
“This is an important space for buyers, and is often immediately visible upon entering, so you’ll want to focus your attention here,” says Jean Brownhill, founder of contractor database Sweeten. Sanding and repainting the cabinets will cost around $500, but for less mess you could change out the fronts for a new look that doesn’t turn the room into a construction site. However, if there’s a chance a potential buyer won’t like the new style, that money might be better used for new appliances like an oven or refrigerator.
Upgrade the Netflix-and-Chill Setup
Whether you plan on turning an extra bedroom into an entertainment zone or just mounting a projector and retractable screen in the living area, buyers are ready to spend 19 percent more for a completed home-theater system. No need to splurge on the highest-quality products—these days you can get a projector, screen, and speaker for $325. Save the fancy tech for your new place.
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