We Tried to Sell Our Home by Owner

Whatever the reason may be for deciding to sell your home, the primary goal is to get the most resale value as possible. Aside from hiring a real estate agent that you are comfortable with, there are several steps required when selling your home. One of which is to improve the look and comfort of the house in order to increase the resale value. Choosing which projects to do can be a difficult decision, but in many situations, there are three home improvement projects that will increase the resale value: window and siding replacement, HVAC unit replacement, and bathroom remodels.

Windows and Siding

The exterior of the house, especially the windows and the siding, is the first thing potential buyers will notice about the house. Although both projects may seem like expensive places to start, they are actually the two most cost-effective choices. Although the addition of new windows and siding will provide an excellent aesthetic appeal to the house, saving money will be one of the best features. Over time, older windows and siding break down. This causes the air conditioning and heat to escape from the house, resulting in the HVAC unit working harder in order to keep the home comfortable. Replacing the windows and the siding are an excellent selling point because it is a way to save a significant amount of money on energy costs.

Replacing the HVAC Unit

Potential buyers will expect their new home to keep them comfortable year-round, so if it is a struggle to keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer, it's time to replace the HVAC unit. Not only will it save you a large amount of money on energy costs while you are still living there, but a new HVAC unit can significantly increase the resale value of the house as well. Installing an energy efficient HVAC unit may be one of the primary selling points for potential homebuyers. The cost of replacing the old unit is cost-effective because of the money it will save on energy costs and it can increase the resale value by several thousand dollars.

Bathroom Remodel

Typically the two most commonly used rooms in a house are the kitchen and the bathroom. A kitchen remodel will definitely help to increase the resale value of your house, but in many situations, it can also be the most expensive type of remodel. So, the next best way to increase the resale value is to remodel the bathroom. Because of its size, a bathroom remodel is usually one of the quickest and easiest types of home remodel projects. There are several inexpensive things you can do during a bathroom remodel that will make the space more comfortable as well as save you and/or potential home buyer's money. For example, simply replacing the showerhead and the toilet with new, energy-efficient models will reduce the amount of energy used to heat the water and reduce the amount of water used.

If you have decided to sell your home, trying to choose what type of home improvement projects to do can be difficult. But, if you look at the home as an outside or as a potential buyer, it will give you a better idea of what others see, but you may be missing. For example, since you pull into your driveway every day, you may not pay too much attention the windows and the siding, but potential homebuyers will notice the worn framing around the windows and damaged siding. It helps to choose one remodeling project at a time, take your time and complete the project completely before starting something new and wait until all projects are completed before putting your house on the market.

For more advice on selling your home, work with real estate agencies like RE/MAX INLAND EMPIRE.