These Under-$1,500 Renovations Could Help Sell Your Home Faster

Attention, homeowners hoping to sell their properties ASAP: In case you were unaware, you’ll attract more buyers with renovations than without. Real-estate trends show that updated houses have been proven to spend less days on the market than ones with dated features. But that doesn’t mean you have to shell out $25,000 on a full-gut kitchen renovation. According to a new report from Knock, even the smallest changes can help your property sell faster. (Psst: The bathroom and kitchen cabinets are totally worth investing in!)

The stats show that, on average, spaces with improvements sell in eight days (or 30 percent faster than the typical 12 days of a nonrenovated place). Homeowners who completed two or more updates managed to cut this time in half with an average selling time of six days.

Not sure where you should begin? Luckily Knock also found that there are certain renos worth tackling if you’re in a time crunch. So before you strap on your heavy-duty tool belt and commence busting down walls, consider these four straightforward projects that are all under $1,500.

A Bathroom Vanity Update

Average cost: $1,100

Bathrooms are one of a property’s biggest selling points (along with the kitchen), but the good news is you can quickly bring this space out of the design dark ages with a simple vanity refresh. Katherine Thewlis revived hers with Spackle, a fresh coat of paint, and a $5 gold leaf paint pen, which she used to spruce up the hardware. Bonus: The dazzling upgrade took her only 30 minutes to complete.

A Shower Remodel 

Average cost: $1,043

We’ll just come right out with it: A nice shower is essential. As a part of their bathroom renovation, Mark Baehser and Joey Meyers swapped their tub-shower combo for a sleek walk-in version and wound up with a spalike haven. “It was near the door and made the entrance feel very narrow and cramped,” says their designer, Stephanie Lee. “Removing it helped the bathroom feel a lot more spacious because it allows light to stream all the way through.”

A Backsplash Refresh

Average cost: $641

Give your kitchen a mini facelift with a new backsplash. We recommend taking a page from Domino chief creative officer Kate Berry’s book and going the DIY route. Along with the artist Nathaniel Wojtalik, Berry created a new wallpapered backsplash out of three different rectangles of medium-density fiberboard and glass. The wallpaper is secured by silicone, which can be peeled off to remove the panels. “That’s the beauty of it,” Berry says of the chic, temporary design.

A Perfectly Power-Washed Exterior

Average cost: $480

A home’s facade gives potential buyers major clues about what to expect once they cross the threshold, so perk up your property with a power wash. If you don’t own a pressure washer, consider hiring someone to do the job or renting one from your local hardware store. The size of the house obviously depends on the amount of grime that needs clearing, but either way we think it’s worth the wash. Lifestyle DIYers Melissa and Andy Johnson power washed their home to prep it for a paint job and the cleanup process got rid of more than just debris and dirt. “It can also help remove loose paint,” says Andy. “Just let everything dry out for a day.” The “For Sale” sign in your yard will be gone in a flash.