Selling your house and relocating is a big step and a long process. Because such a big change can become expensive, you might be thinking about simple ways to increase the value of your current home before selling. This is a great idea, and there are plenty of easy DIY projects that you can tackle. However, there are also a few home improvement that are better off left to professionals. Here is your guide to the dos and don’ts of DIY projects to help you while selling your house and relocating.
DO – Increase curb appeal
The easiest DIY project to complete before selling your house is yardwork. Relocating can often be a time-sensitive process, but all you need for this step is a productive weekend of mowing the lawn, trimming bushes, and tidying plant beds. This can increase your property value anywhere from 5-10% and make selling your house much easier. Remember that buyers will always be attracted to a tidy yard!
You can also be cost-effective with this step. You can choose to invest in supplies like fresh mulch, pine straw, or potted plants if you want a larger value increase, but you can also avoid buying supplies and simply tidy what is already there. Either way, cleaning up your yard can drastically change the look of your property’s exterior and increase home value.
DON’T – Install new flooring
Because of how popular hardwood flooring has become as opposed to carpet, homeowners frequently attempt to replace any carpet in their houses with their own DIY hardwood flooring. You might think of doing this in order to make your property more desirable when selling your house, but keep in mind that a DIY hardwood floor doesn’t always have the best effect. Rookie mistakes like unstaggered floor joints or spaces between flooring and the base molding will be noted by real estate agents, appraisers, and inspectors, and this has the potential to drag the value of your property down.
Also, keep in mind that relocating can be time-consuming and expensive. Because DIY hardwood floors are a bit of a gamble, we would recommend against investing a large amount of your time and attention to a DIY project that may not pay off.
DO – Put up a fresh coat of paint
Fresh interior paint can spruce up any living space, and anyone can do it. (If you have never painted before, we have an step-by-step guide that you can reference.) All you have to do is select a welcoming, neutral color and paint the walls. We would also recommend freshening up the paint on the doors and trim, which can sometimes have an even bigger effect than wall paint.
Repainting can make your home feel cleaner and fresher, but remember that it’s important to make sure that your paint job looks good. Fresh paint won’t matter if it looks messy! Keep in mind that painting requires you to take your time, and it may not be manageable if you are focused on relocating quickly.
DON’T – Install a DIY deck
A well-done deck should, in theory, increase property value, but it can also be a dangerous project that creates problems while selling your house. Building a deck is, first of all, a difficult job: there are a lot of large, heavy materials and power tools involved, and the deck has to be precisely measured and assembled to ensure it is sturdy enough to bear weight. Additionally, not only does the deck have to be built well, it has to pass inspection. The last thing you want while you are in the process of selling your house and relocating is for a DIY project to fail inspection and stall the sale.
DO – Replace Doorknobs and Hinges
As long as you have a drill (or even just a screwdriver and a bit of patience), one easy DIY project that you can complete before selling your house is replacing the doorknobs, hinges, and handles. New hardware is a small detail can make doors and drawers look new, freshen up your home’s interior, and give your property a sleeker finish. This is also one of the quickest DIY projects for you to do, which is great if you are focused on relocating.
DON’T – Finish drywall
Avoid finishing your own drywall when you are selling your house and relocating. The task of finishing drywall is actually difficult, detail-oriented, and very important to the listing value of the house. A poor drywall finish leads to cracks, bubbles, and ridges of drywall mud, among many other issues. These aesthetic problems can lead to decreased property value and interest when selling your house, which isn’t something you can afford when you are relocating.
DO – Update light fixtures
You can very easily update outdated light fixtures throughout your home, such as brass fixtures or old fixtures that are in poor condition. These updates will make your home look fresher and more modern, which helps increase home value for potential buyers. You can also look for bargain stores or big box stores online that sell fixtures and hardware for discounted prices, which is a great way to save money that can be better spent elsewhere in your plans for relocating.
DON’T – Remove walls
As open-concept homes have become more popular on the housing market, removing walls to create more open living spaces is another DIY project that has gained popularity. While this idea seems great in theory, removing walls without first ensuring that they are not load-bearing creates problems exactly like a DIY deck might: a botched project can cause issues during the home’s inspection, and it has to potential to stall the sale and your plans for relocating. If you’re hoping to remove walls before selling your house, it is always best to consult with a professional first.
DO – Deep clean flooring
Our last recommendation is to deep clean or even refinish old flooring. Dirty carpet, broken tile, or stained hardwood floors can make a house look dingy, so thorough cleaning is a must before selling your house. You can invest in store-bought floor cleaner for hardwood, carpet, or tile and simply start scrubbing. It might be time-consuming, but it is a great way to freshen up your property. If your relocating plans prevent you from committing to this kind of project, then you can always invest in hiring professional floor cleaners, especially if you think the floor needs refinishing.
Here’s How We Can Help!
If you are selling your house in Georgia and relocating, you can sell to We Buy Houses In West Georgia today without worrying about any DIY projects. We make fair cash offers on local houses in the West Georgia area. When we buy your house, you don’t have to worry about the traditional delays of selling. Our buying process is designed to help Georgia homeowners sell burdensome properties fast.
- Don’t worry about making repairs, decluttering, or even cleaning
- Avoid commissioning a Georgia realtor to list your property
- Bypass paying closing costs or any additional fees
- Quickly collect the proceeds from the sale and move on
If you want to learn more about how we can help with selling your house and relocating, we invite you to visit our How It Works page. Here, we offer full transparency about our homebuying process, including details about exactly how we calculate our offers. You can also check out Our Company page to get to know our team, our credentials, and our experience. Fill out the form below to get a no-obligation cash offer started now!