Home, may it ever be so humble. No doubt, stay- at-home orders have driven us all to the home improvement stores to spruce our homes up a bit. If you’re still trying to decide which projects you can do in a weekend that will bring a high return when it’s time to sell, consider these:
1. Repaint Your Kitchen Cabinets
When it comes to smart investment in your home, the kitchen is one of the best places to start. Not just for potential buyers but for you to enjoy! Don’t wait to sell your home to make small updates. Painting cabinets is something you can do yourself but just be sure you really understand prep and the right products and tools for a pro looking finish. Add new hardware to freshly painted cabinets and you’ll feel like you’ve got a whole new kitchen.
Yes, white kitchens will be with us for a while but a bold color on an island or on the base cabinets is definitely a designer touch. If you’re not sure which way to go with color, we’re glad to give you some direction or check the Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore blogs to see what’s on trend.
Stone countertops and backsplashes, stainless appliances and sleek flooring all make a space feel modern. Obviously, these changes require a lot of money and, sometimes, a lot of time. That’s why you can tackle it in bits and start first with your cabinets.
2. Create some architectural features
When you’re in as many homes as we are, it’s easy to see which ones stand out. Millwork in general can really elevate and customize a space but how about adding some crown molding or an accent wall to your living spaces?
Accent walls are really making dramatic appearances in what can be an ordinary space and we’re not talking grandma’s dining room chair rail. A quick search on Pinterest for wall panel ideas and you’ll find a variety of bold and subtle patterns that can easily be accomplished with few tools and some math.
Crown molding and other architectural details add a feeling of luxury that’ll certainly add to the bottom line.
3. Create a work / office space
If we’ve learned anything during this pandemic, it’s that we need functional workspace at home. It doesn’t matter if you have limited space.
Most creativity comes out of constraint so whether you convert a closet or that space under the steps, any potential buyer would appreciate a functional space that is well organized, well lit, and has a nod to style.
4. Backyard Bonuses
Staying at home in the Midwest has allowed us to enjoy what we can often take for granted – our backyards. The old adage was always boost curb appeal and while I believe that we need to keep our landscape appealing from the curb, people are reaping the benefit of having backyard spaces more than ever before. If you want to get a pool installed in Kansas City, you’ll have to wait until 2022! The demand has never been so high.
Before you think you need to convert the entire yard to an outdoor kitchen with an in-ground pool, remember this is a weekend project list not intended to break the bank. Buyers today are looking for spaces outside that are beyond a patio or deck. Think raised garden bed, a greenhouse, meditation garden, water fountain, koi pond, a pergola or awning to provide needed shade so you can actually sit outside longer. You can pick any one of these as a weekend project.
You don’t have to rebuild your deck or patio but maybe you do need to fix the pavers or re-stain the deck. Maybe you can mount an outdoor TV and add a beverage fridge to your screened in porch or perhaps upgrade your outdoor furniture with a nice outdoor rug, firepit on the patio, stringed lights… you get the idea. All of these touches create an experience beyond just passing time outside. When you have spaces staged this way, buyers flip out because of the perceived extra value. These kinds of bonuses create safe places of connection with the family, your neighbors or yourself.
5. Beautify the Bathrooms
Bathrooms have a big effect on buyers. They expect clean, modern updates, just like in the kitchen. Overhauling your powder room is an easy weekend task that might require small swaps, such as a new modern light fixture over the vanity or a new vanity altogether. Vanities with tops are readily available on-line or at your home improvement store, in every price range. Other easy weekend projects for the bathroom:
- Lighting fixtures
- Hardware
- Tile
- Paint
You don’t have to shell out a ton of money to have someone else re-tile a wall or backsplash in your bathroom, either, if you have the patience to demo and tile the space yourself.
6. Way out retro
Some accents once considered fresh and fashionable now give your home a dated appearance. You probably already know what in your home screams 70s, 80s or 90s. Whatever it is should go in due course.
The list of outdated design elements is truly endless, but some of the biggest offenders are
- old-school wallpaper
- faux painted walls
- floor-to-ceiling wood paneling (that may or not be actual wood)
- and, of course, popcorn ceilings
By removing these offenders alone your home can snap right back to the future!
Do the work for you to enjoy – but prioritize knowing what buyers will pay a premium for.
You go, weekend warrior.
