Whether you have lived in your home for 3 years or 30 years, chances are, you have made some changes to it since purchasing it originally. Maybe you had the kitchen painted, maybe you resealed the driveway. 

So now that you are thinking about selling the home, you might be wondering if there’s anything you should do to update the property before putting it on the market. 

This can be a slippery slope for many homeowners. Minor updates can quickly turn into massive renovations, which are overwhelming, and to be quite honest, not always a good idea when selling your home. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key updates you can make before selling your Park City home. 

We’re Talking Updates, Not Remodeling 

Undertaking a home renovation is stressful as is. When you layer on selling the home, it can be a recipe for disaster. Major home renovations are also expensive, and the ROI you may get from tearing down walls or completely gutting rooms will likely not make the reno worth it for you in the long run. 

However, with that said, there are always exceptions, and if you are trying to sell a home that has fallen into disrepair, you may need to consider more extensive updates to get top dollar on your sale. 

As expert Park City real estate agents, we assess this on a case-by-case basis. However, there are still some tried and true things you can do to help maximize your sale. 

Looking for some quick updates to make to your home before selling it? Read our top 10 quick tips for preparing your Park City home for sale right here.

Put Yourself in the Shoes of a Buyer

Think about it, when you’re touring a property to purchase, you want to envision yourself living in that space. You want to imagine taking your morning coffee in the charming breakfast nook, enjoying a family barbecue on the back deck, or unwinding after a long day in the spa-inspired primary bathroom. 

You don’t want to imagine moving in and having to repaint everything. No one wants to picture themselves performing physical labor to get their new home to a livable condition. 

Buyers are attracted to finished properties. They seek the convenience of a move-in ready home. A complete home with some key new touches will sell faster, even if it’s not to the buyer’s taste. So even if your property doesn’t check all of these boxes, there are a few things you can do to make your home appeal to more buyers. 

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Are you thinking about selling soon? Read these posts next for more expert insights:

• When is the Best Time to Sell Your Home in Park City?
• How to Sell Your Park City Vacation Home When You Can’t Be There
• Six Signs It’s Time to Sell Your Park City Vacation Home

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Minimize the Interior

No, we don’t mean ‘minimize’ by making it smaller. It’s more about creating a minimalist-looking space where the buyer can absolutely picture themselves living in your home. There are four key ways you can do this: 

1. Declutter: Start with your bookshelves, side tables, and any other surface in the home that tends to collect clutter. Then move onto cupboards, cabinets, closets, and beyond. Decluttering before listing your home for sale has two purposes. First, it will ensure your home shows better in pictures and at showings, and second, it will help give you a head start on packing. Win, win!
2. Deep Clean: Even the cleanest home can benefit from a deep clean. Whether you take this task on yourself, or you hire a professional, deep cleaning can make an older home look newer, it can also be immensely helpful if you live with children and animals, who are not always known for contributing to a spotless home! 
3. Clean Windows: Yes, this could be part of your deep clean, but we find the windows are one major element that is often overlooked! We don’t always remember to clean the inside and outside of our windows, and especially in a city like Park City with varied weather conditions and nature all around, they are bound to be a little dusty. A deep clean on the windows will make your home look brand-new from the outside while also helping to let in more natural light, improving the overall appearance of the interior of the home! 
4. Depersonalize: It’s totally normal to feel proud and sentimental about family photos and trinkets, but when you’re selling a home, you should remove these items from view. The reason? As we mentioned above, the main goal is to get potential buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. Family photos or kid’s drawings on the fridge might make it more difficult for them to do so. 

Do you still have questions about selling your home in Park City? Read our home selling FAQ right here.

Park City Home Updates that Usually Pay for Themselves 

If you’re looking to really maximize your sale, and you have the time and means to make a few extra improvements. There are two areas of the home that typically pay for themselves in terms of the cost to undertake the update vs. the increase you might see in the final sales price. They are:

• Kitchen: For many buyers, the kitchen is the hub of the home. A nice, modern kitchen will always appeal to buyers. Consider upgrading to stainless steel or hidden appliances if your current appliances are outdated. Reface your cabinetry if the current ones look a little shabby, or update the backsplash for a quick kitchen facelift.
• Primary Bathroom: Who doesn’t love a “spa-inspired” bathroom? Quick updates to your master bath could include installing a new toilet or vanity. Replacing cracked or old tiles with new flooring, upgrading light fixtures, or even giving the room a fresh coat of paint. 

Before taking on any minor updates like this, we still recommend discussing your plans with your real estate agent. They can help you decide what items to prioritize and how they might impact the final sale of your home. 

Affordable Home Improvements to Do Before Selling 

Beyond the kitchen and primary bathroom, there are a few other things you can do around the house that are both affordable and could potentially result in a higher sales price when all is said and done. 

• Paint: Give the home a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color. Some buyers might be deterred by wild color schemes throughout the home. Consider this an extension of ‘minimizing’ the property and turning it into a blank canvas for a buyer. Additionally, a neutral color of paint is easier to paint over, so if the buyer is dreaming about an accent wall in the latest Pantone color, they can do so with less work involved, since the base is already neutral.
• Flooring: This one can be tricky, for example, original hardwood flooring is good, but shag carpet from the 70s or faded linoleum? Not so good. Today there are numerous affordable options for flooring, from high-quality laminate to engineered hardwood that combines the look and feel of hardwood with the cost-effectiveness and durability of laminate. A neutral ceramic tile can also improve the look and feel of kitchens, bathrooms, and mudrooms too.
• Knobs and Handles: While it might seem like a minuscule detail, changing door knobs and drawer handles/knobs can make a big difference in updating the look and feel of the home. 

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Learn more about selling your home with CMFH here:

• Why Sell Your Home with Us
• What’s Your Home Worth?
• Our Sold Properties

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Don’t Forget About the Exterior Curb Appeal

Yes, curb appeal is very important in real estate! Especially in a resort town like Park City with beautiful homes on all sides. It’s essential that your home looks well-kept and tidy from the outside to draw buyers in. 

In addition to regular maintenance like keeping your grass mowed, consider investing in some professional landscaping, or at the very least, adding some new mulch to your flower beds. If you’re selling in the winter, ensure proper snow removal too.

Ask For Help 

Selling your home in Park City isn’t something you have to do on your own. When you work with an experienced Park City real estate team like CMFH, you get decades of expertise and knowledge. Having worked with countless sellers in the area, we know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to updating your home. 

Do you have questions about selling your home in Park City? Contact CMFH today directly at 435-647-8035 or email us directly at info@CFHparkcity.com.