The beginning of the year can be a smart time to sell, if only because of supply and demand. Fewer houses for sale means less competition, and, if you need a contractor or a home equity loan, one should be more readily available—potentially at a winter discount. If you prefer to wait until March or April to sell, your home will be open-house-ready.

Granted, depending on where you live, not all renovations are feasible this time of year, so focusing on your interior may be your best bet. By tackling these interior projects, you can wow potential buyers and maximize your return on investment (ROI).

Simple Solutions for Selling

• Touch up heavy wear-and-tear areas, such as walls and doors, with fresh coats of paint. Make sure to fill holes and sand them smooth before you begin, consider zero-VOC paint to minimize harmful chemicals and, if possible, ventilate. To make your interior stand out even more, add texture to your walls using everyday items like a broom or a rag.

• Depersonalize the living areas. Sure, a pop of color here and there, paired with various accent pieces, can breathe life into your space, but too much of this can turn people away. Try to keep things neutral, using colors that would be appealing to most prospective buyers.

• Tighten up all handles, and fix leaky faucets. Nobody likes a broken or damaged appliance, and these fixes can be easily done as a weekend project.

• Clean the oven, stovetop, and dishwasher so they shine like new. Sprucing up these areas can instantly take your kitchen to the next level—especially if more extensive renovations are out of reach for the time being.




Larger-Scale Projects






• Opportunity’s knocking at your door. First impressions matter, so having your front door replaced (possibly with a steel door), adding a wow factor to your entryway (perhaps with a new light fixture, flooring, or trim), and upgrading your garage door are all wise investments. Plus, your door replacements can save money on heating and cooling costs.

• Update your kitchen. Ask homeowners which room they’d love to put money into, and most would say the kitchen. However, people also love putting their own personal touches on their kitchens, so you’re actually more likely to land better return on this investment through strategic kitchen renovations (such as refacing cabinets or replacing flooring) rather than a complete overhaul—and at a fraction of the cost, especially if you’re handy enough to do them yourself.

• Warmer-weather ROI gold mines. If you live in a part of the US that experiences milder winters, other savvy options include having an expert build a deck, replace your siding, or add manufactured stone veneer to the front of your home.