Easy upgrades you can do now to sell your existing home faster.
Oregon is known for its luxurious late summers with warm days and golden sunsets. It’s one of the showstopper seasons for us, and it makes homes more appealing to buyers. If you are looking to sell your house and get settled into a new home before the school year starts, or if you are looking to upgrade to your new home before you move in, we’ve compiled a list of optional upgrades that are perfect for these dog days of summer.
Replace the Garage Door
Replacing the garage door is the perfect place to start, especially since it’s a top five remodeling project that will get you the biggest return on investment at resale. Upgrades to your garage door can expect a 91.5% return on investment, making it a financial no-brainer.
Photo: marchello74
The garage door boosts curb appeal and will brighten up a home that looks uninviting from a distance. For safety purposes, replacing the garage door is an added measure of protection. During the winter and summer months, upgrades to the garage door adds insulation to save money on energy bills.
Replace the Front Door
It’s obvious that replacing the home’s front door improves curb appeal, as the initial focal point, but deciding on door upgrades can be a challenge. Look at it this way: If the front door is letting the weather in, rather than keep it out, it’s time to replace it.
photo: EvgeniiAnd
The new door will improve the insulation and shut out ill weather, especially with weather-stripping systems in place. The end of spring/summer is the perfect time to change that front door out, and you may earn a tax break on qualifying products for energy-efficiency, including front doors and windows.
Color is also important when replacing the front door. Natural or reclaimed wood adds instant warmth, but red or yellow is also cheery and eye-catching.
Improve Outdoor Spaces
Improving outdoor spaces is a simple end of summer renovation that adds extra entertainment area and provides a sanctuary to relax in once completed. Whether you plan to sell your home or just yearn for a big end of summer cookout, a backyard renovation offers a canvas to build gardens, a perfect patio, or an outdoor lounge area.
photo: coralimages
Simple upgrades you can do to improve your home’s outdoor spaces include:
- Emerald Grass: A happy, thriving green lawn is attractive and dresses the home to impress. This is easy to achieve with a simple outdoor maintenance routine, including edging, mowing, fertilizing, watering, and aerating.
- Professional Landscaping: Consider investing in professional landscaping to cultivate outdoor areas where you and your guests will want to spend time.
- A Lounge Area: Having a space to relax and enjoy all of your landscape efforts is a great way to share your home with guests. Now is the time to take advantage of the many end of season sales on outdoor furniture and soft goods.
These small changes give a major face lift to the home while providing excellent returns on investment. Sometimes, the best changes are small ones, carefully investing in the beauty and maintenance of the home will make a house a real home.