We’re in the heart of the home selling season here in Los Angeles and prospective sellers often ask me what they can do to increase the value of their house before it hits the market. Here’s my advice: Strategic small-scale upgrades help sell your home faster and for a higher value.
Did you know 99% of a home’s first views are online? And just like online dating, if a buyer sees your home and doesn’t swipe right, they’re never coming back to date you. Harsh but true. Don’t expect a coffee meet-up or dinner and a movie. You’re done. Ideally, you want a home that will catch buyers’ attention from the minute they see the very first listing photo. If your house isn’t camera-ready right now, that’s where small remodeling changes can create a big visual impact.
Here are some examples of smaller remodeling projects that can increase the value of your home:
- Changing fixtures
- Painting cabinets
- Decluttering
- Deep cleaning
- Refinishing floors
- Planting flowers by your front door
- Updating or painting your front door
- Pressure washing your pavers
- Cutting back overgrown shrubs
- Painting the interior walls a neutral shade
How does this work in real life? Let me tell you a fun story: Several years ago I worked with a seller in Studio City who was an art collector. As I surveyed the house, I saw art everywhere—large paintings hanging on the walls, art displayed on countertops—and while art is usually charming and eclectic, when you’re trying to sell a home, you want it to be clear, decluttered and streamlined.
We recommended the seller host an estate sale and they did. It was a huge success! Once the estate sale was complete, I went back to visit the house with my stager. At the exact same time, we looked at each other in complete shock and said, “Oh my gosh, the whole house is pink!”
There was so much art in the home we hadn’t even realized the walls were pink. Even the seller’s son had no idea! So, we painted the house a warm white, cleaned up the floors, changed out some fixtures and staged the house with a midcentury modern theme to fit the architectural vibe. The photographs were absolutely stunning! The home sold for $2.6 million and in my professional opinion, without the updates and staging, it would have been comfortably listed at about $1.9 million.
That’s the power of preparing your home properly and making those small, strategic changes that bring a “wow” factor to your house. It’s also why you should always work with an experienced real estate professional who can guide you toward the most valuable upgrades that will pay off in the long-run, bring more buyer attention to your home and lead to a fast, successful sale.
If you’d like to book a complimentary home-selling consultation, get in touch. I’d be happy to talk about the recommended changes I’d make before putting your property on the market.
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Andrew Manning • REALTOR® • Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties • DRE: 00941825 • 818-380-2147 • andrew@andrewmanning.com