California is a desirable state for homeowners, with a warm and sunny climate almost all year round, stunning beaches, great transport links, and plenty of trendy shops, restaurants and things to do. But if you own a home in California, there’s still plenty of competition to contend with if you are considering selling it. Today’s potential home buyers are looking to get as much value for their money as possible, so if you’re considering selling your home, you might have realized already that it’s not a quick and easy process, no matter how desirable your area.
Whether you are looking to sell as quickly as possible or it is something that you are considering for the future, there are plenty of things that you can do now to prepare your property for potential buyers and ensure that you’re in with a bigger chance of attracting interest and getting an offer as quickly as possible. And, the good news is that not all changes and improvements to your home have to be majorly expensive. There’s also plenty that you can do on a budget to help your home sell sooner and for more. We’ve put together some ideas for you to consider.
#1. Add Solar Panels:
California is quickly becoming one of the greener states and with solar panel installation in the Los Angeles, Bay areas and around the state, it’s no surprise that new home buyers are also expecting environmentally friendly additions to be made to the homes that they are considering.
Solar panels are a fantastic addition to your home, whether you’re looking to sell as soon as possible or at some point in the future. Not only will they make your home eco-friendlier, but they will also help you and any potential future homeowners who buy the property from you use less energy from the grid, helping to conserve the planet’s resources, plus save a significant amount of money on their energy bills at the same time. And, potential home buyers are so aware of the benefits of solar panels that it is not uncommon to see higher offers made for homes that have this feature.
And, adding solar panels to your home is easier than ever. Semper Solaris is one of the best solar companies in Los Angeles and also provides the best solar installation in Los Angeles and the Bay area, so you can rest assured that the process of adding solar panels to your home is in good hands. They offer a wide range of options to suit every home, with high-quality panels made by trustworthy brands like Panasonic, in addition to American-made options to choose from. There are several types of solar panels to choose from, too – traditional, thin cell and biohybrid solar panels are available, allowing you to choose the best option for your home.
#2. Solve Structural Problems:
A home with structural problems, no matter how small, is always going to be more difficult to sell than one without. So, if your home has any structural issues at all, then the best option is to deal with them before spending any further money on adding value to the property. It makes no sense to carry out any cosmetic improvements, or even invest in making the property eco-friendlier if there are structural problems that can put off even the most interested of buyers.
Some examples of common structural defects that you will need to address quickly include a leaking or sagged roof, damp in your home, bowing walls, rotten joists or roof timbers, cracks in the walls, missing or broken roof tiles, insect infestations, collapsed floors or slabs, and an unstable chimney stack. If you are not sure whether or not your home has any structural defects to take care of, then don’t worry – they can quite often be difficult to spot by an untrained eye, so it’s worth getting a professional building surveyor in to look over your home and find any structural defects that it might be hiding. Bear in mind that a potential buyer is likely to do this if they are interested in your home, so it’s always worth getting one step ahead now.
#3. Consider Rewiring:
Has the electric in your home been around forever? If you have a new build or a fairly new property, then it might not make much sense to rewire your home, but if you have an older California property, then it’s definitely worth looking into. Over time, electrical wires can become unsafe as they lose their quality, and older electrical fuse boxes and meters can not only be harder to operate, but can also easily use up more energy.
If the house has not been rewired for some time, then updating the electrics may be an essential step in adding value to your home. You should be able to tell if there is an older fuse box by looking at the main meter in your home. Rewiring the house and adding a modern consumer unit with a residual circuit device (RCD) for safety will not only add some value to the property, but also reassure potential future buyers that the property is safe.
While conducting a rewire of the property, it’s worth bearing in mind that adding extra electrical sockets will add some value to your home, and it often does not cost much extra to opt for decorative face plates for both sockets and switches, which can make your home more appealing on the eye. You can also use the opportunity when rewiring your home’s electrics to add additional appealing features, such as extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, underfloor heating, and update the lighting.
#4. Create an Additional Room:
Potential home buyers today are looking for homes that their families can grow into, so if you have the funds and the space available, you might want to consider extending your home to create an additional room. This could be done by converting the attic or the basement and creating an additional bedroom or living space, or you could build onto your home to create a sunroom or extend the kitchen.
If you have attic space in your home that is barely used, then the good news is that it does not often cost a great deal to turn this into a livable space. And, attic bedrooms are extremely trendy these days; they can be used as an extra bedroom for your potential home buyer, or even an opportunity to make some money renting it out to a student or professional. Add even further value to your home by creating an en-suite bathroom and shower in the attic.
#5. Decorate:
Decorating is a simple enough job for most homes, and if your walls don’t need a great deal of work, then it could be as easy as a new coat of paint and some wallpaper. It’s perhaps one of the most obvious tasks that you can carry out when it comes to adding value to your home, and while older décor and small superficial defects won’t take a great deal away from the value of your property, they could easily put off potential home buyers who are looking to buy a property that they can move into with minimal work.
There are several typical defects that can be repaired by a simple redecorating job, which include peeling paint and wallpaper, discolored walls, doors and windows that are squeaking or sticking, faulty door latches, loose or chipped flooring or wall tiles, squeaky stairs or floors, dripping faucets, sewer smells, cracks in ceilings or plasterwork, broken or damaged windows, and moldy bathroom and kitchen sealants.
When it comes to decorating your home, one of the best things that you can do to make it more attractive to potential buyers is to use neutral colors. While you may want to put your own stamp on the property if you are going to be living there for some time before you sell, if you’re considering selling as quickly as possible, then neutral colors will have the best effect. They take away any distractions from the home to make it easier for potential buyers to envision themselves living there in the future. In addition, they are also easier to decorate over, so it won’t put off buyers who want to change the colors and patterns and make everything their own once the sale is complete. White, off-white, cream and magnolia are a good base to start with.
#6. Replace the Windows:
If your windows are getting old, then replacing them is an ideal way to improve the value and buyer attraction of your home. Today, double-glazed windows tend to be the standard expected by home buyers, so if yours are only single-glazed, you can expect several buyers to be put off by the cost and work that will go into replacing them, not to mention the additional energy that these windows will use up when it comes to heating and cooling your home.
There are many considerations to keep in mind when updating the windows in your home. First, think about the style of the property and how the new windows are going to look – if you have an older property with plenty of character, for example, then modern windows could take away from the aesthetic value of this, so windows should be replaced like-for-like whenever possible.
Make sure that any replacement windows that you choose are well-balanced and have equal sight lines, and that they have proportions where they are taller than they are wide. Consider the window frames, too – timber or stained hardwood tend to be lower-maintenance options compared to others.
#7. Update Your Kitchen:
A clean, sociable and spacious kitchen will be very attractive to your potential buyers – after all, the kitchen is the heart of the home. However, it may not always be necessary to pull out and replace your entire kitchen if it is not very old or run-down as there are several smaller changes and improvements you can make which will have a large impact.
Consider making small changes first – sometimes, all it takes to breathe a new lease of life into a kitchen that has seen better days is replacing the cupboard doors or even repainting them – a fresh lick of paint for the walls and replacement tiles and splashbacks. New floor tiles and better lighting can also have a large positive impact on your kitchen without being as expensive as replacing the entire room. And if your appliances are old, consider upgrading them – built in ovens and hobs plus an integrated fridge and freezer looks very fresh and modern and can add a huge amount of value to your home.
#8. Update the Bathroom:
The bathroom is another room in the home that residents will use regularly and every day, so updating the bathroom is another great way to add some value to your California home and make it more attractive to potential buyers. Similar to your kitchen, bathroom updates don’t always have to involve the costly process of ripping the existing one out and replacing it entirely, although this might be ideal if your bathroom is very old and dated.
When it comes to updating your bathroom, if your bathtub, sink and toilet are in good condition then you can get away with smaller and cheaper changes that will still have a big impact. Painting it in bright, neutral colors will be a big improvement and you might want to replace the floors with a modern, bright and easy to clean option. There are several additional features you can add to the bathroom which will make it very attractive to buyers like a heated towel rail and underfloor heating. A large mirror, plenty of storage space and a luxurious shower are also great investments to make – a bathroom that’s a luxurious sanctuary and place to relax will grab the most attention.
If you’re considering selling your California home, the location alone might not be enough to get a buyer interested straight away. Take these tips on board to get the most value out of your home.
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