The hardest part for home sellers is removing their personality from the home and preparing it to be sold. For me it was like mourning the loss of a child (well, not really but I did put my heart and soul into making my home perfect and it was hard to let go).
I was recently asked to take a look at a home that had not sold in 6 months on the market. I took a look around, submitted my recommendations (things that could be done to make it appeal to a wider audience), and I was asked to do some of the projects. Items ranged from painting a bathroom to removing a dated partition and painting the wood trim. The pictures below speak for themselves. I think the changes came out great!
Before: bathroom color is too taste specific and does not appeal to a lot of people.
After: bathroom painted a soft gray is more neutral and on trend in today’s market.
Before: dining room/living room partition and wood chair rail, crown moulding, and baseboards really dated this home.
After: partition removed and all trim painted a bright white lightens the rooms up and updates the space for current market.
These changes were cost effective as the owners will probably get back more in the sale than it cost to do the updates. You must weigh whether it will get you more money in the end, but do your homework and consult a professional. They know the market and they also know the cost of certain projects and can steer you in the right direction.