With its strong sense of community, award-winning schools, and highly regarded health care facilities, Ambler, PA is a wonderful place for families, active young couples, and all those seeking an affordable and safe place to live. Located close to Philadelphia, its short commute to the metropolitan center makes it ideal for those with careers in the city. 

If you currently own a home in Ambler and are planning to sell, you’re in luck. Not only is the market saturated with buyers attracted to the area’s numerous benefits, but the market trends are in your favor as well. Recent data indicates the Wissahickon real estate market is still favoring sellers with rising prices and low inventory. 

If it’s been a few years since you last made any upgrades to your home, you may need to consider investing a little time and resources to make sure it can compete with other Wissahickon homes for sale. Here are some tips to help attract higher offers on your home.

#1.  Address Any Major Repairs

Before listing your home, you need to fix serious issues like a leaking roof, failing HVAC system, or plumbing problems. Not only will these turn up when buyers of Wissahickon homes for sale get necessary inspections done prior to closing, but they’ll also reduce the overall appeal, and selling price, of your property. Fortunately, most big fixes have a high ROI. For example, a new roof may cost you a hefty $7500, but it will likely return more than 100% of your investment when you sell.

One of the best ways to identify these projects is to get a pre-listing inspection done. This inspection will evaluate the main structural parts of your home such as the siding, foundation, and roof, as well as a look at interior electrical, plumbing, and HVAC units. While you’ll have to pay for the inspection out-of-pocket, eradicating unwanted surprises when selling makes it worth it. You can also specify your home has been pre-inspected in your listening to give prospective buyers peace of mind.

#2.  Focus on Renovations Which Add Livable Space 

With homeowners still spending more time at home than they did prior to the pandemic, prospective buyers of Wissahickon homes for sale are willing to pay more for houses with extra space. Renovations such as finishing a basement, converting an attic to a bedroom or designated home office, and adding coverings and heating elements to outdoor spaces are highly recommended because of the positive influence they’ll have on your final selling price. 

A basement refinish costs an average of $18,400, but you can recoup as much as 70% of your investment when you sell. If you focus on these types of projects, you’ll also be able to promote more interior square footage in your listing and attract buyers looking for larger homes.

#3.  Anything Adding to Curb Appeal is a Solid Investment

Any experienced Wissahickon real estate professional will tell you most prospective buyers form a first impression of a home before they step foot inside. Their initial thoughts on a property are formed by the front exterior areas, and this “curb appeal” can mean the difference between a high offer and a buyer looking elsewhere. 

At the minimum, those planning to list Wissahickon homes for sale should ensure their front yards, bushes, and trees are trimmed and tidy. Once this is taken care of, you can focus on high ROI projects like adding an outdoor fire pit (67% return on investment), replacing your garage door (98% return on investment), or adding manufactured stone veneer to the exterior of your home (95% return on investment).

Of course, small touches matter as well. Some inexpensive curb appeal-boosting projects include placing some potted plants or flowers along the walkway, hanging a festive wreath on the front door, and replacing the street number on the front of your home.

#4.  Touch Up Where Needed

Though small repairs like cracks in the sidewalk, a loose board on the front porch, or peeling paint on your railing won’t come up in the pre-listing inspection, they could still make prospective buyers of Wissahickon homes for sale think twice about buying your property. Small repairs on the interior of your home such as holes in drywall, leaking faucets, and cracked tiles also need to be addressed before listing. Walk through your home with your Abington real estate agent and a contractor to identify problem areas. Decide which projects you can handle on your own and which you want to delegate to the professional.

#5.  Repaint Interior Walls

Rooms repainted in light, neutral colors create a blank slate for prospective buyers of Wissahickon homes for sale to help them visualize their own décor and style preferences. Fresh paint can also make rooms appear brighter, newer, and well-maintained. Though you can’t go wrong repainting every room in the house, focus first on those walls with trendy or bold colors and others which are scuffed or faded. With a 107% return on investment, painting is one of the least expensive yet most impactful renovations you can make prior to selling.

The best approach for those planning to list Wissahickon homes for sale is to work with an experienced agent. They’ll help you choose high ROI updates and remodeling projects to make your home as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. 

Ready to get started? Reach out to one of the trusted Wissahickon real estate agents on the Powerhouse Real Estate team for expert guidance on all your pre-listing, selling, and closing needs.