4 Top Home Renovations To Tackle Before Selling in Manhattan
Your expired listing clients in Manhattan might be feeling overwhelmed with the thought of listing again. It might seem like a lot to put their house back on the market. What if it doesn’t sell again? What went wrong the first time around? You are here to help them navigate those questions and those feelings of being overwhelmed.
There may very well be legitimate reasons the home didn’t sell the first time. But that’s where you come in. You can utilize your skills and resources as a real estate agent to come up with a plan to help them sell. Part of your plan might include renovations the sellers should tackle before selling. If you see some major issues with the home, let the sellers know what they can do to improve those aspects. Assess what their budget is and go from there.
Here are a 4 top home renovation ideas that lead to a higher return when selling that you can start with.
1. Bathroom Updates
It can cost quite a bit to do a complete bathroom remodel. But if your expired listing clients have real bathroom issues, they might need to do something. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, though. Instead of replacing the tub altogether, what about recaulking it? If it needs a little more, what about reglazing it to freshen it up? Replace hardware and accents to refresh the whole room. Think about faucets, doorknobs, shower rods and curtains, towels and rugs. And what about a fresh coat of paint or some inexpensive wall paper to brighten the walls?
2. Curb Appeal
If the front of the home is really struggling, it can be overwhelming to think about how to change everything. Start with a fresh coat of paint on the door. Pick a lovely pop of color if the rest of the exterior of the building is drab and dark. Or choose a neutral hue to complement existing colors. You could always encourage sellers to power wash the siding or exterior as well as clean windows to add instant shine and refresh the property. Spruce up the entryway for next to nothing by adding potted plants, a wreath, or a lovely welcome mat.
3. Window Replacements
This is a great one for city living. Many people in city apartments or homes with older windows may find their utility bills skyrocketing. The more air the windows let in or out, the harder it will be to effectively heat or cool the space. If the windows are getting old and the home is drafty, consider this renovation. You can then advertise the brand new windows when you list. Buyers will be thrilled to know they might have more reasonable utility bills and their home will be better insulated.
4. Staging
The last minor update we’ll cover here is staging. How you stage the home matters tremendously. If your clients are keeping all their furnishings in the home while listing, do a walk through to help evaluate what might have hurt the sale the first time. Then work with your sellers to update whatever is needed.
For instance, one great thing to consider is how to stage a bonus room as a home office space. If the clients have a multipurpose room that’s functioning as a catch all for clutter or other miscellaneous items, it might be worth it to streamline the room and show off its potential for a home office. Or even a dual functioning office/guest room with a futon or pull out sofa in there.
Replace throws, pillows, rugs and other accents to highlight the beauty of the space. Change out old or mismatched lamps too for an instant face-lift that won’t break the bank.
Think about these lower cost renovations that provide larger ROIs. Then help your expired listing clients decide which ones they can best manage and afford. Doing one or more of these renovations will greatly improve the home and help it sell in Manhattan this fall!
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