Home selling can be a daunting task, especially if it’s your first time doing so. If you’re thinking about selling your NC house, you may want to consider what home improvements you can make that will appeal to potential buyers and increase the home’s value. In this post, I’ll discuss a few ways you may be able to  boost the sales price of your North Carolina house.

1. Paint your home (even if it’s just a touch-up)

Wallpaper, for a lot of folks, has lost its appeal. While some homebuyers may not mind it, there are many who might. Stripping wallpaper and painting the walls could help with this. Or you could just paint over the wallpaper, but I suggest speaking to a professional before you do this, as it may not be the best course of action.

Like the color of your walls? You may want to consider putting a fresh coat of paint on them or touching up splotchy areas. This can help an older home feel more like a new home.

2. Landscape your yard

Landscaping is a great way to make a solid first impression and increase your home’s curb appeal. Homeowners often treat landscaping as a DIY project, but it may be necessary to hire a professional to get it looking just right. Your homeowners association will likely appreciate it, too (if you have one).

3. Clean up the flooring

Does your floor have a lot of scratches on it? There are products — many under $50 — that allow you to remove these. And according to Zillow, 26% of home sellers make improvements to their flooring.

If you have carpet stains, you may want to buy or rent a wet vac to take care of the imperfections. Of course, depending on its current condition, replacing your carpet altogether may be necessary.

4. Make minor bathroom renovations

This doesn’t have to entail getting a new sink, tub, or floor. Something as simple as getting a new toilet may help your bathroom feel cleaner and more modern. You may also want to consider updating your towel racks, mirrors, and lighting fixtures (which brings me to my next tip).

5. Put in new lighting

If you want to give your home a facelift, consider replacing entire fixtures throughout your house. Keep in mind the feel you want your home to have before deciding on these. 

Putting in new lighting doesn’t necessarily involve getting a new fixture. It may be as simple as replacing light bulbs. For instance, if your home has fluorescent bulbs, I highly recommend you replace most (if not all) of these with incandescent bulbs ASAP.

I know a single guy who kept his home filled with fluorescent lighting until he started seriously dating a girl. Needless to say, he and his now-wife currently only use incandescent lighting. Full disclosure: That single guy was me.

6. Knock down some walls

This can open up your home’s floor plan and make it feel like it has more square-footage than it actually has. If you’re not a contractor, you should definitely talk to one before attempting to do this yourself.

7. Get a new garage door

A garage is often good for a home’s market value. But an ugly or damaged garage door may be a turnoff for some homebuyers. If your garage door opens automatically, you may not need to replace the opener. Getting a new door can certainly spruce up the look of your garage, especially if it has visible signs of wear and tear.

8. Make improvements based on your home inspection

Your home’s inspection report should contain a list of improvements you could make. Consider using this as a checklist for items you can address. Doing so may add value to your home.

Final thoughts

If you want to get a return on investment for your home improvements, we may be able to help. Before you decide to use a real estate agent or corporate realtor to sell your home, consider contacting us. We’re cash buyers who don’t use middlemen. So if we like it, we’ll make an offer.