3 Improvement projects to entice potential buyers and help sell your home fast!

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Guest Author:  Suzie Wilson

According to SmartAsset, the average home in the United States remains on the market for about 65 days before it finally sells. However, the actual amount of time it takes for a house to sell varies widely depending on the season, housing market, location, and other factors such as the condition of the property.

However, performing necessary repairs, making updates throughout the home, and staging the house in a way that appeals to potential buyers can help a home to sell much more quickly. To explore three different home improvement projects that can help a property to sell in less time, keep reading!

Give the Front Door a Fresh New Look

When you’re selling a home, adding curb appeal to the front of the house is one of the best things you can do to entice buyers into heading inside for a closer look. Several ways of adding curb appeal include trimming overgrown plants and shrubs, pressure washing the sidewalk and driveway, cleaning the gutters, and adding fresh mulch to the landscaping.

However, one of the most effective strategies for boosting a home’s curb appeal is as simple and inexpensive as painting the front door a new color. While popular colors for painting a front door include green, red, brown, white, and blue, the shade you select should depend on your home’s style, neighborhood, and the color of its exterior. Your front door should be striking enough so that it attracts potential buyers, but it shouldn’t look entirely out of place.

Install a Fireplace or Renovate the Existing One

According to Realtor, homes with functioning fireplaces are highly desirable among buyers, especially those who reside in colder climates. While fireplaces are certainly less desirable in warmer climates, many buyers still prefer the look and feel of homes that have them, and removing a fireplace from a property could negatively affect its value.

Prior to listing your home, installing a fireplace could be a good investment if you live in a colder climate and you’re looking to stand out from the competition. The cost of adding a fireplace to a home varies, but you’ll likely spend at least $2,000 on the cost of installation. However, installation fees vary depending on whether you add a wood-burning, gas, or electric fireplace to your home. Electric fireplaces are the least expensive, but they tend to require more maintenance than gas or wood-burning options.

If your house is already equipped with a wood-burning fireplace, you may choose to have it inspected, cleaned, or converted to gas before selling your home. Your fireplace will be inspected during the home inspection, but having the fireplace cleaned and serviced prior to listing your home will help to expedite things later on.

Add a Backsplash to the Kitchen

While some desirable kitchen features include freshly painted cabinets, new hardware, and granite or solid surface countertops, a designer backsplash can also help your house to sell more quickly, especially if you haven’t updated the backsplash in years or can’t afford to complete a full kitchen remodel. In most cases, the cost of installing a new designer backsplash will depend on the type of material you use and the amount of tile you need. However, you can expect to spend anywhere between $700 and $6,000 on the cost of installation.

Different types of backsplash materials include:

• Porcelain or ceramic tile
• Natural stone
• Engineered stone
• Glass, metal, or mirrors
• Beadboard painting

If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to using these higher-end materials, faux metal tiles, peel-and-stick ceramic tiles, and stick-on vinyl are all excellent options that will give your kitchen a fresh new look without breaking the bank.

By completing these three improvement projects, you’ll add curb appeal to the front of your house, improve the home’s ambiance, and update the kitchen in a way that appeals to prospective homebuyers. Selling a house is hard work, but these three projects will sell your house quickly so you can move on to the next big chapter in your life.

Suzie Wilson is an interior designer with more than 20 years of experience. What started as a hobby (and often, a favor to friends) turned into a passion for creating soothing spaces in homes of every size and style. Visit her site at HappierHome.net.