Looking to spruce up your home before selling? Investing in new carpet installation or hardwood floors are both great ways to get a return on your money. The part of your home that is most “used” is certainly the floor and buyers will appreciate a new, clean surface. Check out the options you have below or spiffing up the flooring in your home.
Carpet or Wood
New carpet installation is less costly than even discount hardwood floors, but could be worth it in the long run. Think about what kind of buyers you are looking to attract. If you believe your buyers are interested in the long term, hardwood floor cost may make sense. Hardwood floors are more sought after and they improve the value of a house more than carpet might. Not to mention, wood is durable and can last hundreds of years. However, if your budget is stretched, new flooring is better than no new flooring.
Follow Trends
What are other sellers in your neighborhood doing? What do people around you value? In the pacific northwest, for example, many buyers seek not the cheapest, but the greenest option. The United States Building Council says that bamboo is the greenest material for wood floors because bamboo is rapidly renewable. You can also work with companies like EcoTimber who work to ensure that environmentally conscious materials are used. Another example: the northern part of the Midwest. In this part of the country, temperatures drop way low very often. Community members value warmth so carpet or heated floors may be your best option.
A Price for Every Budget
No matter what flooring you choose, there is a material to fit your budget. The best hardwood floors may not be in your budget, but you could always go with cheap hardwood floors like plank floors or engineered hardwood. Carpet can be similarly matched to your budget. There are fancy, expensive weaved carpet or run-of-the-mill looped carpet. No matter what choice you make, new flooring is better than none at all.
Selling a home is challenging because it is the only item that people buy where it is openly acceptable to “buy used”, if not encouraged. However, it’s important to make certain changes understand that consumers are generally accustomed to new things. By changing the floors in your home, you are headed in the right direction.
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