12 Ways to Invest Less Than $1,000 in Your Home and Sell It for More

When it’s time to sell, every homeowner wants to get the highest sales price possible. One of the best strategies to keep the price high is to eliminate reasons for buyers to reduce their offers. At first glance, it may seem counterproductive to spend money when you’re trying to sell your home for the best price, but it does make sense. A thoughtful and limited cash infusion to your home will make it show better, perhaps function better, and attract more homebuyers.

Before you start any work, consider your home’s competition. For example, if your older home is up against new construction you will need to make sure your home shines in comparison to the model homes buyers are touring. It’s imperative to make sure your home looks squeaky clean, open and airy, bright and shiny.

Look around your home before you put it on the market. You’re sure to find a few places where some elbow grease or a little cash could make a big difference. Our dozen ideas of how to use $1,000 in your home is by no means exhaustive and you may want to focus on certain areas that need attention or that your local buyers put more emphasis on. Don’t be limited by our list, but use it to create a move-in ready home all buyers desire.

Keep reading for 12 ways to spend just a little to help bring in top-dollar offers. And, if you have any questions, please contact us. We’re here to help you get your home sold fast and for the best price.
1. Wash the Windows

Here’s what dirty windows say about you: “I don’t take care of the parts of this home you can see, so imagine how neglected the parts you can’t see are.” The would-be buyer sees grimy windows and thinks: “This home isn’t worth what they’re asking.” Price this service out and you’ll find that windows can be professionally washed for not nearly as much as you might think.

2. Magic Carpets

Hire an experienced professional to clean all the carpets in your home. Make the carpets look as good as new and you’ve just possibly saved a few thousand dollars on the offer. If the carpet in a particular room is in rough shape, go ahead and replace it. Often one room can be re-carpeted for less than $1,000, while punching up the overall appeal of your home.

3. Work the Yard

Unless your lawn is in really bad shape, $1,000 can go a long way toward weeding, seeding, mulching, adding plants and generally greening it up. Because curb appeal is so important, you might consider adding landscaping color and design to the spots that count.

4. Kill the Clutter

Are you surrounded by clutter? If you can’t chuck it all, then consider renting a storage unit while your home is on the market. Even a couple of months will run you less than $1,000. Extraneous books, excess furniture, mounds of kids’ toys, unused yard tools, etc., can make a home look too lived-in and drop the value of the home in the eyes of a buyer.

5. Color Changes

There’s nothing that can make a home look better, cleaner, newer and ready-to-move-into than a new paint job in neutral colors. If you do the work yourself, $1,000 can cover a lot of walls—and trim.

6. Invite an Inspector

Don’t wait until a buyer bids on your home to have it inspected; hire an inspector yourself. Sure, you might find some defects that cost more than $1,000 to fix, but for a few hundred dollars in inspector’s fees, you’ll get peace of mind. Having a current home inspection could even give you an edge over the competition.

7. Look Down

Are your hardwoods as good-looking as the day you walked in? A good cleaning could make them look new and cover up small scratches. Refinishing may cost more than $1,000 depending on the square footage. Replacing worn linoleum or cracked tile in smaller spaces can also be doable with the budget at hand.

8. Go Tech & Go Green

Change your thermostat to an internet-based programmable one. Change out all your incandescent light bulbs to LED. Install a low-flow toilet or water-saving shower heads. Or, do it all and you’ll likely still be under $1,000.

9. Appliance Upgrade

If the microwave, dishwasher, dryer, washing machine or other small- to medium-size appliance indicates that its best days are behind it, replace the item and make your new buyer happy.

10. Spruce Up the Front

A new steel front door on average costs just over a grand, but the impact it gives to would-be buyers is priceless. Don’t forget a new welcome mat and welcoming wreath or potted plant!

11. Hardware Shines

Consider updating doorknobs, drawer pulls, hinges and the like with a uniting new finish to bring your home up-to-date with the small things. If you do the work yourself, you could have this task done in a quick weekend.

12. Deep Clean

Consider replacing all tub and tile grout and caulk to start with a fresh, clean look for your kitchen and bath areas. Remember, clean and bright sells.

Written by Zachary Petrocca on March 8, 2022. Posted in Selling

Trackback from your site.

Click here to cancel reply.

First Name *

Email Address *

Website

Message

Blogs & Headlines

If you put a pause on your home search because you weren’t sure where you’d go once you sold your house, it might be a good time to get back into the market. If you’re willing to work with a trusted agent to consider a newly built home, you may have even more options and incentives than you realize. That may be why the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says the share of buyers looking for new construction is increasing: Read More

With all the headlines and talk in the media about the shift in the housing market, you might be thinking this is a housing bubble. It’s only natural for those thoughts to creep in that make you think it could be a repeat of what took place in 2008. But the good news is, there’s concrete data to show why this is nothing like the last time.With all the headlines and talk in the media about the shift in the housing market, you might be thinking this is a housing bubble. Read More

If you’re thinking about selling your house but wondering if buyers are still out there, know that there are still people who are searching for a home to buy today. And your house may be exactly what they’re looking for. While the millennial generation has been dubbed the renter generation, that namesake may not be appropriate anymore. Millennials, the largest generation, are actually a significant driving force for buyer demand in the housing market today. Here’s why. Read More

As you look ahead to the winter season, you’re likely making plans and thinking about what you want to achieve before the year ends. One of those key decision points could be whether or not you want to move this year. If the location or size of your current home no longer meets your needs, finding a house that better suits your lifestyle may be a top priority for you. But with today’s cooling housing market, is it really a good time to sell your house, or should you wait? Read More

As you set out to buy a home, saving for a down payment is likely top of mind. But you may still have questions about the process, including how much to save and where to start. If that sounds like you, your down payment could be more in reach than you originally thought. Here’s why. The 20% Down Payment Myth If you believe you have to put 20% down on a home, you may have based your goal on a common misconception. Freddie Mac explains: Read More

Giving your bathroom a facelift doesn’t mean shelling out the big bucks. There are tons of ways to upgrade without breaking the bank! So if you’re toying around with a bit of transformation, here are a few ideas for a budget-friendly bathroom refresh. - Repaint the vanity, and consider a bold, on-trend color. - Switch up the textiles. Nothing says, 'I feel pretty!' like fresh towels, new hardware, updated window coverings, and a plush new bath mat. - Get a new shower head. Three words: Rain shower head. - Upgrade light fixtures. A careful swap will make a huge impact. - Add funky artwork — an instant mood enhancer. Are you an expert at the low-cost bathroom refresh? Share your best tip or hack in the comments below. Read More

The real estate market is on just about everyone’s mind these days. That’s because the unsustainable market of the past two years is behind us, and the difference is being felt. The question now is, just how financially strong are homeowners throughout the country? Mortgage debt grew beyond 10 trillion dollars over the past year, and many called that a troubling sign when it happened for the first time in history. Read More

Your house fit like a glove when you moved in several years ago. Now? Not so much. Life has changed. YOU have changed. Maybe now you: - Work from home and seriously need a dedicated office.- Have a few little ones in the fam, human or four-legged!- Need a bigger living room for your teens and their herd of friends.- See your parents aging and so want them to have a comfortable space to visit or stay.- Have tried rearranging until you’re blue in the face, and you still feel like the walls are closing in. The truth is you grow and change — and so does what you need from your home. If you think you might want to upsize, but you’re still on the fence, let’s connect. I’d love to show you a few homes with a little more wiggle room so you can see firsthand how they fit! Read More

Investors, new and experienced, always ask me the same thing: What return can I expect on my investment? Answer: The median return on investment in the US property market is 8.6%, according to the S&P 500 Index. The truth is return on investment (ROI) fluctuates every year, so it’s good to check in with an agent periodically for an up-to-date answer. They can look into the cap rate, cost of capital, and average ROI for your specific market or neighborhood. If you're planning to buy, sell, or invest, DM me or give me a call. I’d love to share what's happening right now and answer any questions you might have. Read More

There’s no doubt about the fact that the housing market is slowing from the frenzy we saw over the past two years. But what does that mean for you if you’re thinking of selling your house? While home prices are still appreciating in most markets and experts say that will continue, they’re climbing at a slower pace because rising mortgage rates are creating less buyer demand. Because of this, there are more homes on the market. And in a shift like this one, the way you price your home matters more than ever. Read More

on misconception about the home-buying process is that speaking to a lender costs money. So when you first start the home-buying process you can talk to a lender to understand what your purchasing power is going to look like and that conversation that you have with the lender isn't going to cost you anything. After you have a conversation you can get a pre-approval letter and be significantly better prepared and positioned when you begin to look at homes. Read More

We're in a seller's market and homes are selling very quickly. It's sometimes hard to find what you may think is a great deal. I always recommend to clients to take a look at not just what recently came to the market but homes that have been on the market for 30 or 60 more days cause sometimes there may something wrong with the property, but sometimes there’s not and they have just been sitting on the market for awhile and that can be an opportunity for you to get a good deal. Read More

One piece of advice I have for buyers if they're thinking about moving to a new neighborhood is exploring that neighborhood. Going and hanging out on an afternoon, in the evening, and on the weekend to see what the general fee and vibe is of the neighborhood. One thing that a lot of people also don't do is try out your commute. If you drive to an office, go to your potential neighborhood in the morning or in the afternoon and try the commute from your place of employment to see if it's something that you can put up with every single day. Read More

If rising home prices leave you wondering if it makes more sense to rent or buy a home in today’s housing market, consider this. It’s not just home prices that have risen in recent years – rental prices have skyrocketed as well. As a recent article from realtor.com says: “The median rent across the 50 largest US metropolitan areas reached $1,876 in June, a new record level for Realtor.com data for the 16th consecutive month.” Read More

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, you might have heard that pre-approval is a necessary step to take before starting out on your journey. But why is that? And is it still important in today’s shifting market? The truth is, getting a pre-approval letter from your lender is critical, and when it comes to your home search, it can be a game changer in so many ways. To better understand why, it’s important to know what pre-approval is. Freddie Mac defines the process like this: Read More

We all love our first home, however, as time goes on, you may find yourself ready to move on to bigger and better things. Whether you need more space, want to move to a new area, or are just looking to upgrade, it might be time to find a new home. But when you find a new place, what happens to your first home? Rather than selling, many homeowners are discovering the benefits of renting out their first home when they move on to the next. Read More

Attending an open house is the exciting first step most prospective homeowners take in their journey to find their dream home. It can be filled with many fun first experiences like talking with a Realtor or formulating ideas of what you want in your home, however, it can also be a little overwhelming. The key to locating the perfect home is attending as many open houses as you can and taking in all the information you can about purchasing a home. You must have a good strategy for attending each open house. Read More

Are you selling your home? If you're parting ways with your home in the near future or thinking about selling later on down the road, there's a number of things you must disclose to the potential buyer depending on the state in which you reside. Some of the suggestions on the list might surprise you, so it's best to do your research and know everything you need to reveal before diving into a deal. With your legal requirements and civil duties as a seller in mind, don’t sell your home without disclosing these seven things. Read More

If you’re planning to sell this year, you’re probably thinking about what you’ll need to do to get your house ready to appeal to the most buyers. It’s crucial to work with a trusted real estate professional who knows your local market to get your home ready to sell. But there are a few things you should consider when deciding what to renovate and update before listing this season. Here are three things to keep top of mind as you’re making your list of projects to tackle this year... Read More

Everyone talks about the steep learning curve of buying your first home, and they're right to. But your first purchase is also the easiest home purchase you'll ever make. After that, you need to not only find a new home but also find a buyer for your current home. Most confusingly of all, if you're like many people, most of your wealth is tied up in your home. Does that mean you can't get preapproved for a mortgage until you've sold your home? Where do you live in the meantime? Read More

When you've lived in a property for years, you seldom think about how it looks to outsiders. After all, you know your home from the inside out, and when you have concerns about it, they're often about something invisible or out of sight, whether it's the plumbing in the bathroom or the storage space in the attic. But when you're selling the house, the most important thing is the exterior. That's what will give a potential buyer a first impression that will shape the rest of the tour. So how do you make sure your house wows buyers from the first glance? Read More

Mortgage rates have increased significantly since the beginning of the year. Each Thursday, Freddie Mac releases its Primary Mortgage Market Survey. According to the latest survey, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has risen from 3.22% at the start of the year to 3.55% as of last week. This is important to note because any increase in mortgage rates changes what a purchaser can afford. To give you an idea of how rising mortgage rates impact your purchasing power... Read More

12 Ways to Invest Less Than $1,000 in Your Home and Sell It for More

Leave a Reply

About our blog

Blogs & Headlines