4 Low-Cost Upgrades Buyers Notice Before You Sell

Brooke (my wife and co-owner of Huerkamp Home Group) and I walk through the inexpensive things you can do inside your home that make the biggest difference to buyers.

Costs are as discussed in my video above (2025).

Why not just offer a credit?

Sellers often tell us, “I don’t want to paint or replace the carpet; I’ll just give a credit.” The problem is first impressions. Buyers want to feel a home is move-in ready.

Picture two identical new pickup trucks at the same price. One is spotless; the other is dirty but comes with a free car wash. You’ll buy the clean one. And if you do consider the dirty one, you’ll discount it in your head, wondering what else is wrong. Homes work the same way.

1. Declutter and depersonalize

You’re packing anyway, so start early. Box up anything you don’t use daily, and take down family photos so buyers can picture the space as theirs. A good rule: remove about half of what’s in every closet, pantry and cupboard, even if you’re already tidy.

Put the boxes in the garage (as long as buyers can still see it fits a car), a storage unit or a portable storage container. Less is more.

2. Fresh, neutral paint

Patch the nicks and repaint in popular neutral colors; any paint store can tell you what’s in demand, and so can we. Paint can change how a home looks, smells and feels, and it’s arguably as high-impact as decluttering.

• DIY: materials for a roughly 3,000-square-foot home typically run under $1,000. Take your time; rushed painting can do more harm than good.
• Professional: on that same home, about $6,000 to $7,500 including materials.

If the house needs it, you’ll typically get every dollar back. Our clients get access to our interior design consultations and preferred painters.

3. Focus on kitchens and bathrooms

Buyers are drawn to kitchens and baths. Deep clean them and replace dated fixtures, even cabinet pulls.

Also, treat yourself a little early: if you’d buy new towels, shower curtains, pillows and bedding for your next home anyway, buy them now. They make staging look fresh and even make the house smell new.

4. Flooring

• Stretch carpet that’s in good shape but rippling. It shows in photos. We recently had seven areas in our own home stretched for about $400.
• Replace worn flooring. Through our vendors, we can often get luxury vinyl plank, carpet or sheet vinyl installed within about a week.
• Refinish hardwoods. If you have original hardwood floors, bringing them back to life is a big win; our refinisher was charging clients around $4 per square foot.

The bottom line

Do these four things and your home will typically sell faster and for more. Skip the big-ticket projects that rarely pay back; see renovations with the worst ROI. Want advice on getting your home ready? Reach out. Consultations are free, and you can estimate your net proceeds or start with our seller’s guide.