🏡 Planning on selling your home in 2024? Let your friends at Kenyon Noble help you get the most out of your home’s sale and keep reading for a list of updates you should consider before listing.
1. Curb appeal
Go outside and look at your house. Really look at it. What’s your eye drawn to? Take note of anything that needs addressed — flaking paint, sagging gutters, overgrown flower beds. Make a list and dedicate a dry and sunshiney weekend to get outside and handle everything. Pro-tip: Recruit your friends to help with the promise of good music, a few pizzas, and a cooler of beverages and you’ll not only be done before you know it, you’ll have way more fun.
2. Go neutral with paint
We know you love your sunset-colored ombre accent wall, but a potential buyer is likely to view this as a “must-change” project right off the bat and could be a deal breaker on whether or not to put an offer in on your beautiful home. Stop in at your local Kenyon Noble’s paint department and let our helpful staff find the perfect neutral for your space, as well as the right primer, rollers, brushes, and painter’s tape for your current wall surface.
If a standard neutral is just way too boring for you, check out this awesome selection of color alternatives from Benjamin Moore to keep your home interesting but sell-able while you still have to live there.
3. Lighting
The first thing I notice when I walk into a room (besides the ombre sunset wall) is the lighting. Is it too dark? Too bright? Are the light bulbs that unsettling shade of blue-ish white that you only expect to see in an operating room? Before you list your home, swap out any mis-matched, dim, or dead light bulbs to create consistent and appropriate lighting throughout your home. Warm light tends to be in the 2000 K to 3000 K range (best for living spaces and bedrooms), neutral light is in the 3100 K and 4500 K range (good for kitchens and bathrooms), and cool light is anything above 4600 (good for workspaces like garages or shops).
While we’re on the subject of lighting, updating a light fixture altogether is a cost-effective way to bring your home into the 21st century and increase resale value. Stop in at your local Kenyon Noble to view all available and special-order lighting today!
4. Deep clean the floors & baseboards
Put yourself in the shoes of a buyer in this market. If they’re willing to move forward with above-average pricing, they want to feel like they’re getting the most of their money with a turn-key property. Take a weekend to deep clean the carpets and wipe down all your baseboards. Consider investing in your own carpet cleaner if you plan to have carpeting in your next home. Thoroughly sweep, vacuum, and mop your hard floors twice (don’t forget to clean behind appliances and furniture). If you have tile, get in there with a grout cleaner and scrub brush. A little elbow grease can go a long way with making a home look move-in ready!
5. Remove popcorn ceilings
If you’re feeling adventurous and have the time (and willpower), consider removing your popcorn ceilings. It’s a project that will take a while and will make a mess, but considering popcorn ceilings can be a deal-breaker with potential buyers (thanks HGTV), it may be worth your time and energy. There are a few different ways to remove them, so you’ll have to do your research to figure out what method will work best for you, but once the job is done, your room will be completely transformed!
6. Upgrade the master closet
What’s better than a big closet? A big closet with an awesome storage solution. Now through 1/21/24, you can save 25% on your custom Organized Living system when you order with Kenyon Noble! Simply go to OrganizedLiving.com, build your custom organizational system, and bring the product list to your local Kenyon Noble to place your order.
7. Purge all the things
It’s hard for a potential buyer to envision themselves in a home when it’s stuffed to the gills with someone else’s belongings. Pack up family photos, knick knacks, and additional clutter into storage bins for safe keeping. Go through your closet and get rid of anything you haven’t worn in 90 days, and won’t wear in the next 90 days to create some breathing room (special occasion clothing excluded, i.e. outdoor gear, formalwear). Go through kitchen cabinets and get rid of useless kitchen gadgets, unused serving platters, along with chipped coffee mugs or extra plates you’ve acquired over the years.
8. Replace outdated cabinet hardware
Cabinet hardware is something that has a big return on investment, and is one of the easiest things to update in a home. Look at your existing cabinetry and take a tally of the different kinds of drawer pulls and cabinet knobs you need. Don’t forget to measure the hole spacing and take a measuring tape with you to make sure you’re getting the right size replacements. Then, once you’re home and you’ve removed all your existing hardware, give all your cabinets a good wipe-down with a mild solution (we love this Tide recipe). Once dry, go ahead and install your new hardware and toss or donate the old set.
9. Replace the front door
First impressions are everything. If your front door has seen better days, consider replacing it altogether for an easy update to your home’s exterior. While you’re at it, replace the storm door as well to let that beautiful Montana sunshine into your home while keeping the cold out. We love this hidden screen option for any home.
If replacing is out of the question, consider at the very least giving your front door a fresh coat of paint or stain. Stop in at your local Kenyon Noble and visit our friendly staff in the Paint Department for whatever you need to get the job done right — paint stripper, putty knives, sandpaper, stain or exterior paint/primer.
10. Organize the garage
Organized Living to the rescue yet again! Get your bikes off the floor, sports gear into bins, and tools in the correct drawers with the help of your friends at Kenyon Noble. Go to OrganizedLiving.com and build your custom organizational system, then print the product list and bring it to your local Kenyon Noble now through 1/21/24 to save 25%.
While do-it-yourself projects can be fun and fulfilling, there is always a potential for personal injury or property damage. We strongly suggest that any project beyond your abilities be left to licensed professionals such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. Any action you take upon the information on this website is strictly at your own risk, and we assume no responsibility or liability for the contents of this article.