When you are trying to sell your home, nothing will turn away visitors from a showing more than an ugly, outdated, and damaged home. Prospective buyers want to feel confident that the property has been well maintained and cared for, and these five repairs will help you give the right impression.

Screens and Entry Areas

The first thing visitors see when approaching the home is the outside. In addition to landscaping, your doors and windows are a big factor in the home’s curb appeal.

If you have sagging screens, you can easily make a do-it-yourself repair and re-screen your windows on a very low budget. Replacing your screens gives a fresh look to your windows and entries. A roll of screen costs between $5-$20 depending on size and quality, and spline, the plastic that holds the screen in the frame, starts at $5.

Paint Walls and Ceilings

Almost every landlord paints an apartment before a new tenant moves in and for very good reason. You probably have nicks and scratches all over your walls that you have become blind to over the years. You have put nail holes in the walls. Your colors might be faded or outdated. If you want your place to look great, start painting.

Neutral tan and beige tones are very popular right now and work great in homes for sale. Very bright or dark colors can discourage a potential buyer, so keep it plain and neutral to attract more bids and value for your home.

Upgrade the Bathrooms

One of the places in a home where every dollar spent on upgrades generally produces a good return is the bathroom. If you have old sinks, tubs, showers, toilets, and decorations, it is probably worth the cost to completely remodel the bathroom, or if you’re on a budget, upgrade the vanity, faucets, knobs, towel racks, etc.

If your bathroom has modern amenities, it is still possibly worth the cost to paint or update the walls, update the flooring, and spiff the place up to modern standards. A nice, new shower head, some of which can be found at the hardware store for less than $40, is a great touch too.

Fix Up the Kitchen

Kitchen remodels are expense. There is no way around that. However, if your kitchen is dated, this is another room where your return on investment is usually pretty good.

It is possible to make good upgrades without the full cost of a remodel. The best places to focus today are surfaces and countertops, a modern sink, and a very clean look. Consider granite countertops, painting the cupboards, and adding hardwood floors for very noticeable improvements.  Upgrading the cabinet’s knobs and hinges also refresh the look.

Replace Electrical Outlets and Light Switches

Light switches and electrical outlets get dirty from use and tend to look dated after awhile.  They may also be covered in paint.  Fresh outlets and switches will make the house look fresh.  Upgrading light fixtures also makes the house look new too.  Don’t do this yourself, call in a professional because you’re dealing with electricity.

Clean and Repair the Floors

Ugly, ratty, old carpet is a big turn off for home buyers. If you had pets, it is even worse. Take a look at your floors and decide if your carpets need a deep clean, or maybe a full replacement.

Replacing carpet is not all that expensive in the scheme of things. Upgrading from carpet to hardwood can be expensive, but it might make your home look more desirable and valuable.

Don’t go over the top on the most expensive flooring, but do take care to choose flooring that looks nice and fits well with the rest of the home.

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