Now that we're into the heart of the busy season in the real estate market, it's important to differentiate your house from the competition. Boost your home's value and appeal to buyers by making some improvements and upgrades. Here are 10 tips from This Old House to help you on your way

 

1. Create Space

Make rooms bigger and improve the flow of the house from room to room

2. Prune, Limb, & Landscape

An investment in the yard & creating curb appeal can boost property value and make it more appealing to buyers

3. Let in the Light

To enhance your spaces, use natural light whenever possible; use bright light to make rooms feel bigger and soft light to add warmth

4. Don't put off Care & Maintenance

Get back to basics and make sure minor repairs are done; focus on things such as plumbing, gutters, the furnace, and windows

5. Go Green

Consider replacing aging heating & air cooling systems to improve efficiencies and decrease the cost of running the house and take advantage of tax benefits

6. Home Begins at the Front Door

Make a good first impression & make sure your front door & entry are tidy and welcoming (Think: Is the doorbell working? Is there an overhang to shelter from the elements?)

7. What's Under Your Feet?

Spending some money on quality flooring and/ or addressing minor fixes such as squeaky floor boards & broken tiles can impress buyers and equal a good ROI

8. Easy Bath Upgrades

Make inexpensive upgrades & improvements to freshen bathrooms, such as removing rust stains, replacing chaulking, replacing door knobs & pulls, and update faucets

9. Neutral Wall Colours

Depersonalize & freshen rooms with a coat of fresh paint in neutral tones that will appeal to a broad range of buyers

10. Remove the Question Marks from Your House

Remove/ replace dated decor such as '50s wallpaper, shag carpeting, and other items that may discourage buyers (think of cracks in concrete steps, peeling paint, etc.)

Image Source: Real Simple