The 7 Home Improvements that Matter Most to Buyers

The 7 Home Improvements that Matter Most to Buyers

If you’re thinking of selling your home, it’s a good time to tackle home improvements. But not all upgrades are created equal. There are the projects that might be important to you, and then there are the ones designed specifically to appeal to prospective buyers. It’s important to understand the differences and prioritize what matters most to buyers first. 

Before you begin, it’s good to know which projects will have the best return on investment for your time, effort, and budget. Talk to your realtor about buyer preferences in your area and trends they’re seeing in your local market before spending any money. Then get the expert opinion of a home design and renovation service, like NurtureSource, about which specific improvements will deliver the best ROI on the home you plan to sell. 

Below are the 7 home improvements we believe matter most to buyers. 

1. A Fresh Coat of Paint

A fresh coat of paint throughout the home (both interior and exterior) is a quick-and-easy upgrade that makes the biggest impact with potential buyers. Simple touches like this, in addition to other transformations, can result in returns that are 2 to 3 times your renovation cost. It’s important to note that there’s a science to choosing the right color. Trends and color preferences change over time and you want to choose a hue that feels contemporary. At NurtureSource, we track the Benjamin Moore “Color of the Year” and really educate ourselves around the marketing and science of color choices. In general, neutral paint colors tend to work best by highlighting the natural light and layout of your home without distracting the eye, while also allowing the potential buyer to visualize their own furnishings in the space. But that doesn’t mean things have to be drab. Home stagers are skilled at using accent pieces or colorful throw pillows to add strategic pops of color to your freshly painted walls.

2. Flooring Updates

Over the years, floors take a beating, and sellers risk giving the impression of a poorly maintained home if flooring upgrades are ignored. Refinishing or replacing flooring is second in line to a fresh coat of paint, and it’s essential to what we do at NurtureSource. From a design point of view, these updates make a big difference and directly translate to higher returns. It’s as simple as replacing vinyl flooring in kitchens with wood flooring and swapping out old bathroom tiles with ceramic flooring in interesting or colorful designs.

3. Modern Lighting

You’d be surprised how much outdated lighting fixtures can influence a buyer’s perception of the entire home. Tastes change quickly, and what was the latest in lighting five years ago could now look horribly dated. Replacing fixtures not only modernizes and brightens a home, but it also makes rooms look and feel more spacious – and cleaner. Focus first on updating the lighting in kitchens, living rooms, and master bathrooms since these areas are key for setting the overall aesthetic of the home. For the greatest versatility, consider “style agnostic” fixtures that are neutral in appearance rather than trend-forward. Not every room needs a complete lighting overhaul. Spare bedrooms, laundry rooms, play rooms, and basements can benefit from a good dusting and cleaning or swapping out glass fitters if the existing fixtures are in good shape and not terribly out of style.  

Did you know that 5% of the average household’s energy budget goes to lighting? Older light bulbs waste energy, so even if you do nothing else, replace older bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs.

“Lighting is the jewelry of the home.”

Gary Faber, NurtureSource Founder

4. The Essentials: Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC & Foundation Repairs

Prospective buyers want to know that a home’s basic functions are in good working order. This means essentials such as electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and foundations that home inspectors will notice right away. At NurtureSource, we think of these as health and safety issues. Repairing or replacing these essentials shows buyers that you’ve invested in the maintenance of your home, giving them the confidence to make an offer. In the San Francisco Bay Area, solid foundations are critical because of earthquake exposure, and repairing cracks in foundations is a surefire way to sell your home for more. With climate change, it’s also becoming more common for sellers to request air conditioning, which historically hasn’t been a necessity in Northern California. Since these essentials can come with a hefty price tag, home design and renovation services like NurtureSource can help you make the right call about which essentials should be fixed by weighing cost, risk, and ROI. Bonus: As general contractors, NurtureSource can handle this kind of work along with more cosmetic fixes.

5. Kitchen Remodel

Kitchens matter a lot to buyers, and while a full kitchen remodel can be costly, there are some smaller, more manageable updates that can make a big difference. Think about repainting cabinets rather than replacing entire cupboards. Depending on the overall value of your home, updating kitchen countertops with quartz or granite can deliver huge boosts to your resale value. Sellers should also strongly consider replacing outdated appliances with high-quality, energy-efficient ones, which can be a key selling point to environmentally conscious buyers, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. In fact, 94% of home buyers value energy-efficient appliances according to a study by the National Association of Home Builders.

6. Bathroom Upgrades

Right up there with kitchens, bathrooms make the list of improvements that matter to prospective home buyers. And while bathroom remodels don’t tend to deliver the same ROI as kitchen remodels, it’s worth doing what you can to make your bathrooms feel more modern. For example, an updated tile floor and fresh coat of paint can do a lot for resale value. But before removing that tub, consider that many buyers with children prefer a bathtub to a walk-in shower. Remember to always think about buyer preferences in your area before spending money.

7. Entryway Enhancements

Your home’s entry is the first touchpoint for potential buyers, and most people decide if they want to buy within the first 60 seconds of entering a home. So, when you’re deciding how to make the best first impression with potential buyers, take a long look at your entryway and front door. The entryway is one of the first tactile experiences of a home, and visceral reactions to things like warped steps, unstable railings, or flimsy front doors have financial consequences that can result in less buyer interest and lower offers. Removing an old awning may give your doorway a more updated look, making your property more eye-catching from the street. And many homes stand to benefit from a brightly painted front door – especially the Mid-Century Modern or Craftsman-style homes found all over the San Francisco Bay Area.

Getting Started with Key Home Improvements

With professional support, you can strategize and prioritize home improvement projects based on what’s been proven to work in your local market. 

Need a little guidance? At NurtureSource, we’re here to help you prepare your home for a stress-free, turnkey sale. With decades of experience in the industry, we know how to maximize sales price, and we make smart decisions that consider your time, budget, and goals. Schedule a call with our team and we can help you determine which home improvements will have the biggest impact on buyers.