How Do You Prioritize Updates to Your Home?

Purchasing a property that needs cosmetic updates can be a great opportunity for you as a home owner. First of all it often provides you more inventory to look at during your home search but also allows you to build equity faster after you purchase. But where do you start? The answer is of course going to depend on your personal budget, timeline and goals. But here are my recommendations for interior cosmetic items.

Do the flooring and paint before you even more in, if possible. These two items are game changers for how the home feels and presents itself. As you can imagine they are also pretty big projects that are much harder to do once you and all your furniture have moved in. It will save you time and money in the long run to get these two projects done right away. Consistent, neutral colors and materials throughout is what I’m recommending to my clients. This is what you’re seeing most often in new construction and what buyers expect.

Now that the paint and flooring is done, have you taken a look at your appliances? If they aren’t matching or from this century I would recommend upgrading. Stainless steel is still a safe way to go. Keep in mind your space and consider getting a counter depth fridge if you don’t have much room to walk around in the kitchen.

Next, what about window coverings? Are there slated metal blinds that are half falling down? Or dark, heavy curtains that look almost medieval? Updating these can be hugely impactful to the space. Depending on what’s there now changing them will either brighten the space, create more elegance or just simply be useful. My absolute favorite, especially for homes in tighter packed subdivisions, is top-down bottom-up cellular shades. These allow you to have privacy from your neighbors while still letting in natural light.

Next, if you didn’t address it when the home was painted, what do the trim and doors look like? I personally love seeing wider, flat trim with doors that match the paint color. Similarly to the paint and flooring, this is what seen most often in new construction.  Don’t forget the door hardware either! Updating the door knobs is such a small item in the scheme of a remodel but it’s impact is great.

At this point the home is looking like a totally new place. It’s bright and fresh, you’ve already added some value! Here is where I would start budgeting for any larger items. For instance, if you need to re-do cabinets and countertops. If your budget allows, these are also great items to take care of before you move in. However, for many people these items will have to be taken care of over time.

All of this said, if the home needs any updates that fall outside of the cosmetic category I would recommend taking care of them first. You need to make sure all the systems are working properly. These should be items that are noted (and perhaps addressed) during your inspection period.

Another thing to keep in mind is the balance between cost and results. I would caution against too much DIY unless you are a professional. While updating the property can add value, updating it in a way that is either too customized or not done well will deter future buyers from purchasing the property. While your intention might be to live in the house for quite a while, I do always recommend keeping resale value in mind since you never know how life will change!

Do you have any questions or suggestions for updating your home? I’d love to hear them!