For years, you’ve loved your home. At the very least, you’ve become accustomed to it. You’re familiar with its nooks and crannies, and you have memories attached to all of them. Yet the time has come for you to move on. As odd as it may be, you have to view the space where you spent the past several years of your life — or even more — with an air of detachment. You have to anticipate what the people who will be moving into your home might want to see.
Find Out: 7 Essential Home Updates To Make Now Before Prices Rise in 2025
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Determining exactly what to change, and what to add, to your home can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, GOBankingRates connected with Steve Booz, vice president of marketing and product management at Westlake Royal Building Products, and Cindy Raney, global luxury property specialist at Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Properties, to learn more about what you’ll need to do to sell your home next year.
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Update Your Kitchen
Raney’s first piece of advice to anyone who wants to put up a For Sale sign in their yard — and take it down with an equal swiftness — is to update their kitchen. She said that a kitchen upgrade will yield significant returns.
Specifically, she advised you to look into quartz countertops, smart appliances and custom cabinetry, since they are highly sought after by today’s buyers.
Adopt a Neutral Palette
While you’ve come to love that shade of orange in your bedroom or that wild red accent wall, Raney suggested that you freshen up your space with a neutral color palette for walls and flooring. This look will help your home feel more updated and universally appealing in a way that allows buyers to truly envision themselves and their own style in each room.
Read Next: 6 Trending Home Renovations Buyers Want the Most
Modernize Your Bathroom
Realistically, you spend more time in the bathroom than you’d like to admit, from reading the morning paper on your phone to luxuriating in the bath. Your potential homebuyers will, too.
Raney suggested that your home upgrade include a modernized bathroom, which can include adding double sinks, luxury finishes and good lighting.
Build Composite Decking
For Booz, one of the best things you can do to boost your home’s resale value is update your deck, or even build one outright.
“A low-maintenance option like composite decking isn’t susceptible to cracking, warping or weather damage, and offers a 68.2% return on investment (ROI),” he said.
Add New Windows
If the eyes are the window to the soul, then your home’s windows can convey the charm and soulfulness of your home. Booz advised replacing drafty or outdated windows with modern models to enhance your energy efficiency and value.
“Along with reduced heating and cooling bills, a vinyl window replacement typically brings in a 67.1% ROI,” he said.
Add Stone Veneer
With the trends in home design leaning toward a more natural and textured look, Booz said that homeowners and buyers are looking toward stone veneer, or manufactured stone.
“Ideal for its ability to add texture and dimension throughout both home interior (accent walls and fireplaces) and exterior applications (siding, entryways and walkways), stone veneer can influence mood, emotion and energy levels while serving as a focal point of a home’s design,” he added.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I’m a Real Estate Expert: 6 Features Your House Should Have If You Want To Sell in 2025