5 THINGS YOIU CAN DO TO INCREASE YOUR HOME'S VALUE

Small investments can yield significant returns and make your property more desirable to potential Buyers; By changing small things you don't have to spend a ton of money, but can certainly PROFIT a ton with the finished result.

The thing is, Buyers want to purchase homes they can SEE themselves in. With all the HGTV Shows & Netflix Reality Dramas about Selling Real Estate... Buyers have ideas of what a home should look like that are suuuuperrrr unrealistic right!? Then, we consider pinterest, which, I'm not sure about yourself, but I for one, have a hundred Boards with the most Aesthetic decor items, Spaces and ideas posted to (which again, make my own home look sucky lol). Reasonably so, most people (especially First Time Home Buyers) have trouble imagining a Home's potential and for that reason, as Sellers, we have to help them see the potential that exists. But hey, I get it, if you're wanting to sell and wanting to MAKE money off your property, you're not going to want to SPEND money. That being said, if you don't SPEND money to make your home stand out, you may not sell it or you may get sub-par offers. Let's avoid this. I've compiled a list of things I suggest to my Sellers in order to maximize their return when selling while keeping their cost low, because I understand and usggest not dumping money into something you're, well... trying to dump. lol

Here are 5 suggestions that won't break the bank!

1. Painting; When it comes to painting, you can hire a professional but it really isn't something that you can't do yourself. (catch that hat double negative there? ahah). While you can hire a professional, most people paint their homes themselves and it's not tough. For this reason, Painting is my number one suggestion based on the ratio of cost vs profit. My suggestions are pick a trendy colour (see my other posts for suggestions) because those are the 'in' colours; most popular and tending to catch the eye as a result. Right now comfy Beige's and cool Grey's are trending. Paint is relatively cheap and it increases your home value by 2-5%... to put in perspective, on a home priced at $500,000, that is $10,000-$25,000; The cost? maybe $500 in paint if you DIY.

2. Lighting; Lighting is one of those things that just give 'Bright & Happy'. Most people are 'woke' when it comes to Mental Health Concerns and want bright spaces that make them feel happy and healthy. This helps. Adding modern lighting will also improve the Aesthetic of your home overall and not only are the Fixtures something you leave with the home in order to add value, but they make the photos of your home in the MLS listing look so much more attractive; remember what I always say, First Impressions Matter ! When it comes to first impressions, photos are our FIRST IMPRESSION and our only form of communication with Buyers that we aren't already connected with; Renewed lighting helps open the spaces, improve the photos with both aesthetics and temperature/feel of the room! Remember, we ned to appeal to buyers and Lighting is HUGE. You can source some really great fixtures at Costco (Custom Builder's Daughter Hack) or second hand stores such Decor on a Dime, Habitat for Humanity Resource Store, Kijiji or even Facebook Marketplace!

3. Backyard Space Upgrades; Since COVID-19 I can't stress enough how much people want to be able to have private, secure and comfortable Backyard spaces. I think people really got stuck in their homes too long & it changed us all forever haha. The truth is simply that many of us still work from home and we want to get out of our houses. More so, people love to be outside in general and your Backyard is still part of your property where you can customize & enjoy it. Things installing: Fencing, Decking, Outdoor Kitchens, Hot Tubs, Sheds, Garages, Gates, Sod and home-grown Gardening Spaces are really trending. You can do a quick & cost effective gardening space, deck or landscaping to set the tone for potential buyers pretty easily and pretty inexpensively. This offers a leg up in the market that many Sellers haven't thought of. Buyers will prioritize homes that have additional space liek a cozy backyard to enjoy their growing family, host get togethers or enjoy our super warm Summers!

4. Kitchen Updates: This seems expensive but it's not! You can source 'off-cuts' that are left over stone for countertops from past jobs or failed jobs from most Granite / Quartx Companies. Make it look aesthetic because most females (actually males too) spend most of their time in the kitchen, especially with TikTok trends of cooking online etc. So, updating to durable stone countertops or a wood-chop top is super attractive. Secondly, I recommend changing cabinetry to easy-to-clean or just a modernized option. If you have real-wood, you can simply sand and re-stain or re-paint them for minimal cost. Other options include new hardware (Drawer and Cupboard Handles or Faucets etc). People tend to focus on the kitchen during the purchase process so this is a key tip!

5. Flooring: Flooring is a huge and cheap one! A lot of people have allergies to carpet or dander and the idea of renovating a home after purchase really intimidates Buyers, especially First Time Home Buyers. So, installing Hard-Wood or Laminate (more durable and cost effective) off-sets that and removes any existing smell in the home (you might be nose blind), as well as offers a more attractive look to the home in general. Pro tip: Laminate is actually considered better by Dog Owners because dogs (especially large dogs) tend to scratch and ruin Hard Wood but not Laminate Flooring, So, although Hard-Wood is socially and statistically considered more up-scale, I would suggest laminate because it actually appeals to more buyers! I always tell people this. You can source Laminate through, again, places like Kijiji from people who bought too much during their own Reno's or keep an eye out for sales at places like Home Depot or Rona etc.

As always, if you want the most for your home, you need to have an educated, experienced and GOOD agent. THATS ME! I also have preferred contractors I work with that offer my clients alone 10% off their renovations. Shoot me a message and let me know or visit my preferred contractors page to contact them directly ! Just let them know Sirrah Farrauto is the agent you're using to Sell your home or that you Bought your home with and they'll pop in a discount for you !

Good luck in your renovations :)