We’re willing to bet that your single-family-home-owning friends are a bit envious of your condo-living lifestyle. After all, owning a house comes with an almost never-ending list of maintenance expenses.
You, on the other hand, can use what you would’ve spent on lawn service, pool cleaning and roof repairs for the more enjoyable stuff – like cosmetic upgrades for your home.
The good news is that you don’t need to save up big bucks to breathe new life into your condo before you put it on the market or just for your own enjoyment. These three upgrades are quick, easy, inexpensive and most of all, potential buyers will notice them.
1. Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets
As tempting as it is to entertain notions of replacing the facings on your cabinets, it isn’t easy and it’s far from cheap. There are other ways to refresh them, though, that won’t break the bank.
New pulls, knobs, and handles on those cabinets will completely transform their appearance. Plus, they’re typically inexpensive, although you can buy ultra-high-end pieces. Best of all, installing them is a suitable task for homeowners without too much DIY experience.
Just be sure to unscrew one handle to see what’s underneath it before heading off to the store. And, watch Better Home & Garden’s handy video on how to change cabinetry hardware. You’ll find the video at BHG.com.
Cabinet hardware is available from a variety of sources including the big home improvement stores and online retailers, such as Wayfair.com and Rejuvenation.com. If you’re short on cash, try visiting your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
2. Window Treatments
Curtains and blinds tend to be one of those things that you handle once and then forget about forever. After all, once they’ve proven themselves to regulate the light (and your privacy) efficiently, why change them?
Except, that means your window treatments may give your rooms an outdated appearance. And, they may not work as effectively as you think.
Take time to browse alternatives and you may just find some that will transform the mood of every room in your house. You’ll find inspiration online at HouseBeautiful.com and HGTV.com.
3. Lighting
New lighting will always make a room feel newer and brighter. If you can afford to replace outdated fixtures completely, you should consider it now.
Since the rooms in condos tend to be a bit smaller than those in a single-family home, you’ll need to keep scale in mind when buying new lighting.
Before you shop for new lamps and fixtures, learn some tips on how to choose the right one for each room. Forbes.com and Lumens.com both offer up helpful information.
You’ll find a large assortment of lighting at the big home improvement stores, such as Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Online, check out the assortment at LampsPlus.com, Wayfair.com and PotteryBarn.com.
If you can’t buy new lighting, a little change in lamp shades or brighter bulbs may just do the trick.
Want to do something more drastic, like painting? It may be best to wait until later in spring so you can open the windows and doors of your condo while you do it. But fresh paint on the walls is one of the best investments you can make before putting the condo up for sale.
