10 Quick & Easy Home Improvement Ideas That Will Attract Buyers

1. Paint, Paint, Paint

Chances are a few years have passed since you bought your home, and that means you likely have plenty of scuff marks on the walls from moving furniture, large dogs, or rambunctious kids. When you’re looking to put your home on the market, give important rooms a fresh coat of paint -- think common areas like the living room, family room, and kitchen. Bedrooms and bathrooms can be re-painted later, but it might be worth it to get everything out of the way at once. Don’t forget about ceilings and baseboards that could use a refresher, too.

2. Update the Kitchen Backsplash

A stylish backsplash can act as a focal point that can really tie a kitchen together. Whether you want to keep it simple and monochromatic, or add a pop of color, a fresh backsplash is not an overly complicated project. There are tons of tutorials online that will walk you through how the steps.

3. Landscape Your Green Space

Your potential buyers are looking for a home -- not a jungle! If you have let your outdoor space completely wild, now is the time to reel it in. You might want to hire some professional landscapers or gardeners if your greenery has become totally unruly, but weeding flower beds, trimming trees, and raking up dead leaves is a good start. You want your buyers to be able to envision themselves lounging and relaxing.

4. Install Dimmer Switches

It sounds like a simple fix -- and it is. Dimmer switches allow you to set a mood in any given room and can also help your buyers save on their electricity bills. Swapping out your regular light switches for dimmer switches does not require calling in an electrician either; see here for a tutorial.

5. Spruce Up the Grout in the Bathroom

There is nothing worse than a bathroom with all the right finishes...and dirty grout. It is so easy to do with just a few things you probably have on hand. Having a  super clean bathroom will not only impress potential buyers, but will help them see that you have taken care in keeping your home in great shape.

6. Ditch the Popcorn Ceilings

This one might be a weekend-long project, but it is so worth it. Buyers in the market these days are likely not expecting to see popcorn ceilings, so it really could be a deal breaker. Depending on how big your home is, it might be worth bringing in a professional, but if it’s only a few relatively small rooms, you may be able to handle the project yourself.

7. Update Drawer Pulls and Door Knobs

If you’re looking to bring a modern touch or a little bit of personality into your home to attract buyers, consider swapping out drawer pulls, handles, and door knobs. A few tile-inspired knobs in a spanish-style home, or sleek metal handles on dark kitchen cabinets can tie a room together. This is an inexpensive and simple way to spruce up a room with nothing more an a few pieces of new hardware and a screw driver.

8. Update Light Fixtures

In addition to modernizing your cabinets, drawers, and doors with new hardware, updated light fixtures are another easy focal point that can attract the right buyers. Adding a stylish chandelier or understated pendant light to the kitchen is a personal touch that a potential buyer would appreciate. It’s one less thing they’ll have to change out after move-in!

9. Install Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

A great and easy selling point to attract buyers is energy-efficiency, and if you don’t want to install all new, energy-conscious appliances, changing out all your light bulbs is an easier option. We know that it’s important to conserve energy, and you buyers will think so, too.

10. Steam Clean Carpets

Since we’re not always looking down, it’s easy to forget about the condition of carpets, but dirty carpets are something buyers will notice. You could hire a professional cleaning company to come in and steam clean, but alternatively, many grocery stores have steam cleaners you can rent for a daily fee. Clean carpets is not only an aesthetic update that buyers will appreciate, but it also helps to remove pollens and allergens like pet dander. Remember -- you want to offer a fresh home to a fresh buyer.

These 10 home improvement ideas are small, but mighty. They won’t cost you a ton of time or money, but they will come together to get your home in its best possible shape for a quick and easy sale.