How to Bring Your Dated House into the Modern Age

When it comes to selling a home, the last thing you want is for your space to feel old and outdated. A dated appearance can dramatically decrease a home’s resale value, and yet it’s a common problem for many homes across the United States. About 85% of the nation’s homes were built prior to 1980 and are in need of home improvement. If you’re noticing that the home you’re trying to sell could be updated to improve its value, use these tips to help you pick a place to start.

Make The Most Of The Space

Not every older home has been designed with modern needs in mind, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the home’s original layout. For those willing to take on a renovation project, taking down a wall can help you create a beautiful open-plan layout. If a larger project isn’t in your budget, try to at least stage the space in a way that takes into account most modern home buyers’ expectations, like a laundry setup or a dishwasher. This will help your buyers see the space for its full potential.

Keep It Clean

One of the easiest ways to make a potentially cute and quaint home feel dated and old is by skipping out on cleaning. If possible, hire professional cleaners before you take photos for your listing and before you show the home to anyone in person, particularly any carpets in the home. The latest technology to come on to the carpet cleaning scene is dry foam carpet cleaning. Dry foam carpet cleaning works by applying a biodegradable powder cleaner to the carpet which is then pushed down deep into the fibers using a motorized machine and brush. The powder then absorbs dirt before being removed. Keep in mind that even a carpet that looks clean can still hold up to one pound of dirt per square yard! Fortunately, this method of carpet cleaning involves no drying time, making great for a last-minute clean if you’ve got a showing scheduled for that day.

If you want to make your home even cleaner, invest in glass tile surfaces around your pool, in your kitchen, and surrounding your tub in the bathroom. These easy-to-clean surfaces last almost indefinitely compared to the typical fiberglass finishes. Finding easy ways to improve your home in the long-run is a savvy investment.

Brighten The Room

Similar to keeping a home clean, adding more light to a space is a quick fix to improve the appearance of an otherwise outdated room. A well-lit room tends to feel larger and more open, which is often a valuable trait in an older home. Regardless, it’s important to cover and repair water stains from leaking pipes, clean windows, and ensure that your lighting is up to par.

Just be sure to purchase energy-efficient light bulbs for your home to avoid high costs. Unlike incandescent bulbs – which release 90% of their energy as heat – LEDs use energy far more efficiently with little wasted heat. LED lights also tend to shine brighter than their incandescent counterparts, making them a worthwhile investment for good staging.

Modernize Staging

Finally, if you want your home to look more modern, you’ll want to fill it with more modern furniture. Be careful to select furniture that still works with the space while also being modern enough to avoid a dated appearance. Make sure your modern furniture still looks sturdy. In a survey of over 2,000 consumers, 95.1% said that they “expect furniture to last for many years,” so it’s best to play into that expectation with your staging as well. If possible, rent your furniture for high-quality furniture at a lower price point.

Making an outdated home feel modern is an easy way to increase your home’s resale value. While older homes can often have a degree of charm that brings in a seller, modern homes tend to be more appealing to a larger market. If you’re not sure where to start, use these tips as inspiration to give your home a modern makeover that’s well worth the investment.