When you’re renovating a house to sell, the goal is different from renovating one to live in. Your taste doesn’t matter much. What matters is what buyers will pay for, and whether each dollar you spend comes back at closing.
That means keeping the design neutral, staying inside your budget, and putting money into the parts of the house buyers look at hardest. These three are usually the best places to start.
1. Update dated kitchens and bathrooms
Buyers judge a house by its kitchen and bathrooms more than any other rooms. An old kitchen makes the whole place feel old.
The trap is overdoing it. A full gut renovation with custom cabinets is expensive, and you may not get that money back. A lighter update often does the job:
- New fixtures and hardware
- Modern appliances
- Fresh paint and lighting
- New countertops if the old ones are worn
The aim is clean and current, at a cost the sale price can absorb.
2. Replace old windows and doors
New windows and doors improve how a house looks and how it feels to walk through, and they cost less than most people expect compared with the value they add.
Pay particular attention to the front door and the garage door. They’re the first things a buyer sees from the street, and a new one can change the whole impression of the house.
3. Don’t skip the exterior
Speaking of the street: buyers decide a lot before they get out of the car. Curb appeal often determines whether they book a showing at all.
Exterior work that tends to pay off includes new siding, stone veneer accents and a wood deck. Basic landscaping and a clean, painted exterior help as well, and they’re cheap.
Keep the budget tied to the sale price
Before you start any of this, work out what the finished house should sell for and work backward to your renovation budget. If an upgrade won’t raise the price or help the house sell sooner, leave it out. We cover more options in the best renovations for resale.
Financing a renovation
Sachem Lending provides short-term loans secured by real estate to investors who are buying, renovating or developing residential and commercial property. See our fix and flip loan program, or apply online when you have a property in mind.
