Eight Home Improvement Projects to Tackle This Summer

6.10.2022 | Category: Homebuying

Making improvements to your home can be a lot of fun, but where to start? If you're looking to sell soon, it’s best to start with the outside and work your way in. The outside of your home is the first thing people are going to look at when they are deciding to take an interest, and you want to make a good first impression. Exterior certainly isn’t everything. There are many projects you can take on now and get done before fall that will make your home feel like new. 

1. Get rid of the clutter

This applies to the whole home but begins with the front and back of the house. If you are one of those people who use their backyard as storage, then this tip is for you. When starting new projects, you want to start with a clean slate. It might be time to replace some patio furniture, throw out any tools or children's toys that aren’t being used, and take inventory of what you truly need in your garage space. So, sweep away that dust and wash down those walls. Clean out the gutters and take care of any foliage that is hiding the beauty of your home. Afterward, you might already see a huge improvement. Now you're ready to dig into the fun stuff.

2. Find, fix, and beautify

Now that you’ve removed anything that could be standing in your way, it’s time to go around the home and look for anything that might need patching up. This includes walls, doors, floors, and rooftops. If your porch has stairs, make sure they are safe. Fix any outside fences or replace them if they're falling apart. Does your front door need to be replaced, or just a fresh coat of paint? What about your faucets and showerheads? Check to be sure everything is working as it should as many buyers will take these needed fixes as opportunities to negotiate.

3. Give your home a fresh coat of paint

Using neutral colors, give your home walls a makeover. Nothing makes something old look new like a fresh coat of paint. Remember, start outside and work your way in. Neutral colors will help make your spaces look bigger, and it helps any potential buyers imagine their own choice of color when they are looking around.

4. Take care of your flooring

Deep clean your flooring. In today's market, you likely don't need to replace flooring in preparation for a home sale unless it's not safe (i.e. you have a broken board or uneven flooring). However, if you have pets or kids, it's imperative to deep clean your floors before showing your home. If you have hardwood floors, give them a shine. If you have carpet, have it professionally cleaned. And even if you don't have kids or pets, taking care of your floors will be an easy item to take care of that could increase your marketability.

5. Check on your heating and air conditioning

If you experience hot summers, you likely know whether or not your air conditioner is working. But if you haven’t run your heater all season, you may not know it needs maintenance. Be sure your heater and gas are working properly so your home is nice and cozy during a showing if needed. You would also get ahead of any delays in inspection and escrow by ensuring your HVAC is in good working order.

6. Make some improvements in the bathroom and kitchen

Fix up your bathroom. A good paint job goes a long way. You may consider replacing your sink, getting new linens, and sprucing the place up a bit with a new showerhead and faucet. Depending on the size of the bathroom you may need to call in for reinforcement. Contractors are great for this job, and they will let you know if certain things need to be replaced

When getting ready to sell you don't necessarily need to create your dream kitchen. You can leave that to the buyer and their imagination. Deep clean your kitchen, recaulk tile and replace dated fixtures. You don’t have to completely remodel the kitchen - a little elbow grease can go a long way in helping your kitchen stand out. 

There are many things you can get done in a short amount of time to spruce up your home. Start with smaller projects to ease into it. Getting the home organized first, will help you see the things that really stand out in your home. These can be from things that need fixing or deep cleaning, or things that really add to the charm of your home, but just need a little fixing up. 

Remember, you might need help and that’s perfectly okay. If there is a project that your heart desires and it seems too expensive, consider applying for a home equity loan with Mutual of Omaha Mortgage. Our mortgage specialists are here to help you tackle your next big project.