It’s both an exciting and nerve-wracking journey when you decide to move home, from the thrill of finding the perfect new property for you and your family to going through the selling process of your current home.
A lot is going on during the sale and purchasing phases of moving, but if you know you’ll be moving within 6-12 months or more, you can start preparing your home for selling right away. If you can get ahead and schedule your current property for viewings and open house days well in advance, you’ll have a better chance of getting your home sold quickly.
Often this question comes up, “how can I prepare my house for selling?” There are, of course, many things that you can do to improve the likelihood of your property selling. But the kitchen and bathrooms can have the most significant impact on potential buyers. If the kitchen and bathrooms are in good condition and visually pleasant, this will tick many boxes.
Another question many homeowners ask is, “is it worth updating my kitchen or bathrooms just to sell on?” The honest answer is, it depends. Look at other properties for sale in your area and see what condition and style the kitchens and bathrooms are on the listings. Ask your realtor or designer for advice to understand the local market.
Let’s have a look at some of the upgrades you can do to your kitchen and bathrooms to improve the likelihood of your home selling. We have included a variety of updates to suit different budgets and timescales.
Use Paint to Your Advantage
Painting your interior may seem like a huge undertaking, but it makes a HUGE difference to spaces. If you have any out there colors, you may wish to consider painting over these in a more neutral color. Having a neutral palette appeals to potential buyers because it gives them an excellent foundation to work with to make the house their own.
Particularly for the kitchen and bathrooms, this can be a particularly worthwhile upgrade if marks, scuffs, grease marks, or dark or bright colors are used on the walls. Give the spaces a quick freshen up – you won’t regret it.
Freshen Up Cabinets
What condition are your cabinets? If you have recently upgraded these, you may not need to do anything with the cabinets at all other than a good clean. But if your cabinets are looking a little tired, they could do with some TLC!
Consider painting or restaining your kitchen and bathroom cabinets – this can give them a whole new life! If you need to modernize your home, go for a neutral paint color like white, soft cream, or light gray. As we mentioned earlier, have a chat with a local realtor to see what buyers prefer with cabinetry. It’s also crucial that you do your research so you prep and paint the cabinets correctly.
Replace Backsplashes
Backsplashes can be a relatively inexpensive update. They can add a “wow” factor to your kitchen and freshen up your bathrooms. Depending on the tiling route you take, you may be able to do this yourself if you’re a fan of DIY.
Hardware
Another inexpensive update that is well worth doing is changing your cabinet hardware. Hardware upgrades apply to both the kitchen and bathrooms throughout your home. Hardware is a low-cost update but can modernize your spaces, which many buyers will look for.
Keep the finish cohesive with the sink faucets to keep the rooms looking consistent. If in doubt, use chrome. In terms of hardware style, a sleek and straightforward design will uplift your kitchen and bathrooms.
Lighting
Updating your light fixtures for modern and trendy styles can uplift both the kitchen and bathrooms. You can pick up ceiling pendants and wall sconces relatively cheaply and are therefore well worth the investment.
Other Considerations
There are, of course, some more expensive upgrades you could make to your kitchen and bathrooms. We recommend these updates for more dated properties that need some real TLC. Check with your realtor to see whether the higher investment would add a significant return in terms of the house’s value.
Updating your countertops and appliances is expensive, even if you plan to stay in your home for 5 – 10 years, let alone sell it. However, if you have a laminate countertop in your kitchen, you may wish to consider replacing this with granite. Granite countertops are mid-ground in terms of cost but could make a huge difference in selling the home compared to laminate.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this post and found it helpful!
