If you’re thinking of selling your home here in San Antonio, there are a few things you can do to catch the eye of your potential buyers, and they may be easier than you think. You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of time and money to make improvements; sometimes it’s really the little things that can make all the difference.
In the overall scheme of home improvements, they will typically fall into one (or more) of the following categories:
Structural – foundational or support issues that affect the overall integrity of the house
Functional – windows and doors, laundry, storage space, kitchen design – things that “work” for you
Cosmetic – paint, carpet, outlet covers, and things that only affect appearance
Keep it Simple
It’s easy to think that you should REpaint, RElandscape, REcarpet, REtile, or REmodel to make your home appealing to buyers. We are giving you permission to RElax; It doesn’t have to be this difficult! Obviously if there are major foundational / support issues in your house, you’ll want to have a plan for how you will (or won’t) take care of these as they will come up during the home inspection. But otherwise, most things that buyers look for will fall in the “personal preference” category.
What’s the bottom line? You want to go for appealing and inviting without going overboard. This means you don’t want to include things like brightly colored accent walls and more personalized touches. Focus on neutral colors and subtle styles. This will give the house a sharp look and still allow the buyers to personalize their new home.
Kitchen and Master Bedroom/Bathroom
Realtors advise sellers that the kitchen and master bath are two of your home’s biggest selling points.
If you feel you need to upgrade in terms of cabinets and countertops, again, go for neutral colors and subtle styles. While an entire kitchen or bath remodel may be overboard, look at the details in these rooms. Do all the outlet covers match? Does all the hardware on the kitchen cabinetry match? 
Small things like this can have a powerful overall effect on the room’s feel and appeal. If you have tile, check for cracks and gaps and note if any need to be replaced. If you do decide on a larger project, matching the kitchen and bathroom tile can enhance appeal and save on cost.
While you’re thinking of making changes, a general rule of thumb is to consider why you’re doing the work. Keep in mind that your potential buyers may not share your taste for color, design, and use of space.
Windows and Doors
Along the lines of functionality, if things like doors/windows are damaged, they should be replaced. Windows have a general life span of 15-20 years. Consider why you’d replace them. Are they leaking? Are they efficient? Do your homework before buying. And be aware that new homes today are already designed to be more energy efficient overall than in years past, with or without the “energy efficient” label on your windows. If your doors are old and noticeably drafty, consider replacing them. Newer doors often fit better than older ones and tend to be more insulated. Remember neutral colors and the matching principle when selecting your doors and windows.
Home Exterior and Yard
Your home’s exterior and yard are the first things potential buyers will see when they visit. If the color is faded, you might consider repainting the exterior. If the roof looks old (runoff lines are oil seeping from the shingles), it will likely need to be replaced in the near future. Your roof’s lifespan is twenty to thirty years, depending on weather conditions and wear and tear. Consider where you are in that timeline and have a plan on replacing or possibly adjusting selling price if it will need to be replaced shortly.
If you live in an area with an HOA, make sure that your house and style of your yard blends in with the surrounding homes in your neighborhood. Again, subtle is best. You most likely won’t need a complex landscaping project. Mulch can be your yard’s best friend. You may try adding some extra mulch to areas that don’t have much grass, or mulching a simple walkway through high-traffic areas in the yard.
Walk-through and Changes
Don’t let selling your home overwhelm you. Using the guidelines above, do a walk-through and write down changes you’d like to make. We advise sellers to talk with a realtor and a general contractor prior to the formal home inspection. The realtor will advise you through the selling process and the contractor will advise you on options for dealing with issues that the home inspection would bring to light. Oftentimes these can be taken care of at a much lower cost ahead of the formal inspection. Building EdLacer takes great pride in helping you make the difficult decisions when it comes to selling your home. Let’s talk!