When selling a home, it's essential to ensure it's in the best possible condition to appeal to a wide range of potential buyers. Even well-maintained properties can still become outdated and to a buyer, this means potentially huge costs get the property up to par. Outdated or out of style features are a turn-off to buyers interested in buying a turn-key home.
What are the features that will most likely indicate to buyers that a house needs work? I've put together a list of six indicators to help you figure that out.
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The Kitchen
The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of a home, and for a good reason. It's where families gather, meals are prepared, and memories are made. Signs that your kitchen isn’t a place new owners would dream of include old appliances, worn countertops, and outdated cabinetry. If your kitchen looks tired, it may be time to consider upgrading to modern stainless steel appliances, led lighting, and new cabinetry. Quartz has replaced granite as the preferred countertop material these days and is an easy way for buyers to identify a modern home.
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The Bathrooms
The bathrooms in your home can make or break a sale. Out of style fixtures like permanent toothbrush holders, worn or broken tiles, and outdated vanities give away the age of your house. Upgrading to modern fixtures, new tiles, and a new, possibly floating vanity, will hint to buyers that your home is current with the new trends.
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The Paint
A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for your home, but faded, peeling paint will have buyers running the other direction. If your home still has bold paint colors from the 1970s, it’s time to consider repainting with neutral colors that appeal to a broader range of potential buyers. New interior paint will also freshen the look and smell of your home as well, making it easier for new buyers to picture themselves living in that space.
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The Flooring
Walls and floors are the easiest parts of the interior of a home to get soiled and retain odors. Worn, stained flooring can be a major red flag for potential buyers. Consider replacing high maintenance carpet with luxury vinyl plank flooring or tile. Post pandemic, renters and buyers alike appreciate having bleachable floors to quickly sanitize a home. Vinyl plank is just as easy to maintain as tile but a fraction of the installation cost because it can be installed over the existing flooring. The result will instantly modernize your house.
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The Lighting
Lighting is another important factor when it comes to the appeal of your property. Buyers love bright, inviting spaces with recessed lights and energy-efficient LED lighting fixtures. Chandeliers that date your house and don’t provide enough lighting need to be replaced with attractive appealing lighting.
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The Windows
Old windows are not only aesthetically unappealing, but they also signal high energy and insurance costs to prudent buyers. Floridians especially will expect impact resistant doors and windows as opposed accordion or other kind of shutters. Upgrading to new windows will help cool your home and make it look more modern. It can also help to add natural light, making your home brighter and more welcoming.
In conclusion, selling your home is an exciting process, but it can be challenging to ensure that your home is up-to-date and appealing to potential buyers. Do the work of focusing on these six tell-tale signs of an outdated home and remedy the areas that need improvement. You’ll get a better price and have fewer days on the market. I’m sure you’ll find it well worth the effort.