The Best Money You Can Spend to Sell Your Home By Spring 2025
According to a recent report from Reuters, the existing home sales in the last year reached the lowest level since 1995. With a total of 4.06 million previously owned properties sold nationwide in 2024, this was the lowest figure since the mid-90s. The combination of higher mortgage rates and increased housing prices kept many potential buyers out of the market.
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For anyone looking to sell their home this year, it will be important to ensure the space is updated and ready for potential buyers. If the goal is to sell by the spring, consider making certain investments right now.
Here’s what to spend money on now to sell your home by springtime this year.
Curb Appeal Investments
“In my experience, selling homes in all sorts of market conditions, professional landscaping and a well-managed front yard can add 5-10% to the sale price,” remarked Gagan Saini, a real estate expert and CEO of We Buy Houses in Central Valley. “One of my recent sellers invested $2,500 in new sod, flowering plants and fresh mulch. Their home sold in three days for $25,000 over asking, while similar homes in the area sat on the market for weeks.”
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According to experts, curb appeal investments pay off big in spring sales because the exterior of your home gives the first impression to a prospective buyer. You’ll want to spend money on landscaping to refresh your yard and consider some colorful seasonal plants to brighten up the mood in the spring months as the snow melts and potential buyers can see all your property has to offer. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) backs this up, as investing in lawn service had a 217% return on investment.
A few other curb appeal investments include:
Power wash the siding, driveway and walkways around your home to make it look well-maintained.
A fresh coat of paint on the front door or a modernized mailbox can go a long way. The Journal of Light Construction shared that a $2,355 investment in a new steel front door provided a return of $4,430 in 2024.
Upgrade the lighting around your home so that it looks better in the evening.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
“Neutralizing dramatic or bold colors with soft white or warm neutral tones creates a blank canvas that appeals to a broader range of buyers,” shared Cindy Raney, a global luxury property specialist and founder of Cindy Raney & Team. “Freshly painted spaces convey cleanliness and move-in readiness.”
According to research from HomeGuide, depending on the size of your home, you can expect to spend between $3,500 and $10,000 to paint its interior. Another report from Angi noted that an interior paint job has an average ROI of 107% and could increase your selling price by anywhere from $2,140 to $16,050.
Update Your Kitchen
The experts agreed that kitchens are a focal point for buyers. If you don’t have the funds for a complete renovation, you can make minor updates instead. A few kitchen update options include replacing outdated hardware, painting cabinets, installing new light fixtures, and modernizing the space.
Saini shared the following client success story:
“For $8,000 last month, I had a client forgo a full remodel and instead get new stainless steel appliances, paint the cabinets white and add modern hardware. Those types of tweaks helped them sell their home for $30,000 over similar properties in their neighborhood.”
It’s worth mentioning that small changes in the next few months can freshen the kitchen’s appearance and give the buyer confidence that they won’t have to spend money on renovations right away for those looking to move in before the spring.
Handle Any HVAC Issues
Handling any possible maintenance issues is crucial to reassure buyers that the home is well cared for. You should have your HVAC system serviced, fix leaky faucets and review all windows and doors to ensure they function correctly. You don’t want to lose out on a deal at the last minute because the prospective buyer found out you didn’t mention an issue with the HVAC system.
Based on data collected from Angi, the average cost of HVAC repairs is anywhere from $130 to $2,000. The amount you spend will depend on your system and what kind of work needs to be done. However, if you want to sell your home in the next few months, you’ll want to ensure it’s ready because you don’t want an inspection report to find HVAC problems that could derail the sale. These simple repairs could prevent issues during an inspection that could hurt the sale.
Home Staging
Another wise investment is in staging and decluttering. Raney noted, “When you’re truly ready to sell, investing in professional staging is non-negotiable. Staging highlights your home’s best features, creates a lifestyle buyers can envision and has been proven to reduce time on the market and increase sale prices.”
According to a report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 81% of buyer’s agents noted that home staging made it easier for the buyer to imagine life in that property with the medium price for a staging service at $600.
Proper Marketing Materials
You want to invest in professional marketing materials like excellent photography and social media content. A compelling online listing can help you sell your home faster so it doesn’t sit on the market for months. The amount you spend here will vary, but the best way to invest in this aspect is to hire an exceptional realtor to handle everything for you.
According to research from Clever Real Estate, 73% of Americans surveyed who sold their homes believe that using a real estate agent was the best way to do so. The research also found that those who opted out of using a realtor earned an average profit of less than $79,000 than those who did. This means that you’ll want to spend the money on the right realtor to sell your home by this spring.
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