For Hawaiian Islands homeowners thinking of upgrading, getting the top price when selling an existing home is essential. Therefore, you may be asking yourself whether to make any renovations before listing it. If you've looked at the mortgage calculator, Hawaii offers and wish your maximum loan amount was higher, selling your current home for more can bridge the gap. The conventional wisdom is that kitchen and bathroom renovations increase the home value more than other projects. If you can make upgrades yourself, they may be one way to get more for your home and be on the way to a larger one.

 

Sometimes even singular upgrades such as adding granite countertops to a kitchen or power washing a home's exterior can significantly improve its marketability. Yard and landscaping improvements, many of which aren't complicated to do yourself, also are a benefit. Buyers are motivated by homes they can buy and move into without additional expense or complication. Although you may not realize it, most interior paint is washable. If you have dirty spots that can be gently washed to look new, it's much less time-consuming and costly than repainting. Shortcuts like these can improve marketability.

 

Homebuyers do not like to see rotted wood on your home's exterior, and even if they don't notice, a pre-purchase home inspection will point it out. If it's as simple as replacing a rotted deck board requiring no more than a hammer and a saw, make the fix yourself to save money and eliminate a problem. If your house has carpeted floors that have spots, a rental carper steam cleaner can be the answer. It costs hundreds of dollars to pay for professional in-home carpet cleaning, and you can do it yourself for a fraction of the cost. Power washer rental work well for driveways and walkways stained by algae.

 

Most brokers will remind you to make a list of the home improvement you've made, but if yours doesn't, make sure to prepare one yourself. Calling buyers' attention to the favorable aspects of your home will help them focus more on its advantages than its drawbacks. Each house is unique, and what works for one may not be as effective as it is for another. But it's always worth sprucing up what you can and considering some pre-sale renovations to kitchens and bathrooms if you can make them cost-effective. With all the DIY information available today, you may be handier than you think.