Ready to sell your house in Raleigh? There are plenty of things you can do to create value, but not everything will produce a return on your investment; This is where many sellers get into trouble. In our latest post, learn more about what to spend money on when selling your house in Raleigh and how to reduce your costs!
There are three ways you can sell your Raleigh NC house: You can sell it as-is for all cash to a company such as Wake County Home Buyers, you can sell your home by owner, or you can list it with an agent. The first method is the fastest and least expensive way, but the last two can be pretty expensive upfront.
Here are just a few of the things we recommend doing if you decide to list your Raleigh house:
Kitchen & Bath Sells The House
As professional rehabbers, we always pay close attention to the kitchens and bathrooms. This is where the most money is spent on our renovation projects. If your house was built in the last 20 years your cabinetry should be reasonably up to date and not need replacing. If your cabinetry is scuffed and scratched you can paint them to give them a new and vibrant appearance. I would recommend hiring a professional to paint vanities and cabinets.
Also, you can invest in some nice fixtures such as faucets, drawer pulls and hinges to give a modern and vibrant appearance.
Flooring
Worn and damaged carpeting is a huge turnoff for homebuyers. If you have carpeting that is worn or stained, you can replace the carpets and padding, or have them steam cleaned depending on the extent of the damage. Steam cleaning can be done cheaply. Do yourself a favor and refrain from wearing shoes indoors during a home sale. This will safeguard your carpeting from any further staining.
For maximum value, you should consider installing hardwood flooring. We like to add hardwood flooring throughout all of our rehab projects, and we usually budget $4 – $5 per square foot for it.
New Fixtures
New fixtures such as interior lighting door handles, door knobs, are a great way to spruce up the interior. The best part is you can comparison shop all these items online for cost-effectiveness.
Paint & Drywall
It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to the appearance of a home. Painting is the first thing many people do when putting their house on the market. While you can possibly do this one on your own, it doesn’t mean you should. A poor paint job will be very noticeable to buyers looking at your house. Spend the money to hire a professional to do the interior of your home. Painting an average size home in the Raleigh area will cost at least $2,500. A good rule of thumb is to multiply the square footage of your home by $2 – $3 and this will give you an estimate of what it will cost.
Appliances
We always go with stainless steel appliances when selling our renovation projects. Remember, the kitchen and bathrooms sell the house so if you’re going to spend money, the kitchen/bath is the place to do it. You can do some thorough online research and find some stainless steel appliances for a reasonable price.
Curb Appeal
Many people decide whether or not they will buy a house within the first few seconds of seeing it. You need to convey a feeling of warmth the moment a prospective buyer pulls up. Fixing up the landscaping and replacing things like the mailbox, address numbers, and trimming some shrubs is a great way to create curb appeal. And the best part is you can do this work yourself.
Staging & Storage
It is highly recommended to hire a professional staging company while the house is on the market. This will allow you to pack up your personal items and store them at an offsite facility. I come from a family that never threw anything out so I know how daunting this task can be! Keep only your necessities at the house, allowing the rest of it to be taken care of by a professional. If it’s not in your budget to do the whole house, focus on having a few of the main rooms done. You will still want to remove your personal items during property showings. By storing them offsite, potential buyers won’t be faced with all your stuff you tried to hide in the closet!
Before you spend money making repairs to the house and doing some of these things to spruce it up, consider what selling your home for cash could do for your situation! With a direct sale to a cash home buyer in Raleigh, there is zero cost to you! Plus, there aren’t any agent commissions!