Bathroom Updates That Buyers Want: Design to Sell

Thanks to the current circumstances we all find ourselves in, many industries have slowed to a halt. However, this is not the case for real estate. In fact, due to low interest rates and a shortage of homes for sale, properties are being bought up at breakneck speeds. According to Lauren Austin, a 17-year real estate veteran, you can no longer “sit and wait for a week and look at 10 houses. If you see a house and it works, you buy it.” If you’re looking to sell your home, now is the time to do it. 

Many things go into selling a home. The most important is making sure the home itself is in the best condition it can be in. That means remodeling. It means modernizing and painting. According to Forbes, next to the kitchen, the bathroom is the most closely inspected and valued room in the house. For that reason, making bathroom updates for resale is among the first places your money should be going.

How Should You Plan the Bathroom Remodels for Resale?

To make the best bathroom remodels for resale, you will need to understand why bathrooms are an integral and valued area of your home. A bathroom is more than just a place to do your business. It is where we begin and end our day. It’s an intimate and sacred sanctuary where we bathe and spend time with ourselves. Remembering the emotional connection people can form with their bathroom will help create an inviting and warm space. If the bathroom is ragged, it can never fill that need people are looking for—plan on sinking some cash into making this room the highlight of your home.

Start With Fixing What is Broken

This should go without saying, but make sure everything in your bathroom works. That means replacing that cracked bathtub, fixing the leaky faucet, and filling the fist-sized hole in the wall. If the toilet runs intermittently, the buyers aren’t going to see a small, isolated issue. They will see straight past that and start questioning the home’s overall integrity. Ensuring everything works and is in good condition is a great first step to making sure the home gets sold for the price you want.

Incorporate Energy Efficient Solutions

Going green is not only a morally sound decision but a profitable one as well. A new study by American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) found that buyers would pay more for homes with higher home energy scores. In the bathroom, that means replacing the showerhead and faucet with a more water-efficient model is a must when doing a bathroom update for resale. The toilet is another one. Older toilets use so much water. The newer ones use significantly less, and they’re also relatively inexpensive. 

Paint, Paint, Paint

A new paint job does wonders to change the vibe of a room. A freshly painted room looks clean and can make a small bathroom space feel bigger than it is. This vital step in bathroom remodeling can be ruined with the wrong color. Neutral colors are by far the best to choose when remodeling for resale. This is due to a few different factors. For one, neutral colors are bright, light, and inviting. They also serve as a neutral backdrop, allowing buyers to easily picture their belongings in your home. A quick tip: warmer grays are a trendy color to choose from in 2021.

Maximize your bathroom space

To get the most out of your bathroom space, you’ll need to maximize your storage capacity. Clean out drawers, bathroom cabinets, and closets. In many cases, there still won’t be enough space. Consider upgrading to a larger vanity or adding shelves under the sink. Space is so important that if you are still lacking at this point or are limited by square feet, it may be worth investing in some out-of-the-box ideas such as shelving, wall racks, and hooks. Check out these ideas for decluttering your bathroom.

How to Properly Accessorize Your Bathroom?

You must accessorize if you want the best bathroom updates for resale. You have already done the hard work by decluttering your bathroom. Now you have an open template to work with. First up, towels. Attractive, plush towels are inviting and catch the eye. Consider keeping a uniform color for your towels. It looks neat and professional. 

Now for the accessories. Common practice is to “accessorize in threes.” For example, three glass jars filled with bathing essentials are placed next to each other. Glass jars, attractive trays, and ceramic cups used for holding bathroom items are great accessories that maximize space while adding aesthetic value to the room.

For the toilet area, there are countless ideas. Keep it clean and simple. An idea would be to place bath salts, soap, and a thin book in a wicker basket on the toilet’s tank. When accessorizing your bathroom, simple, attractive, and functional are the core principles you should keep in mind.

Ask Real Estate Agents for Advice

First, go through your checklist and make sure you’ve done everything laid out in this article. That will set you up with the best chance of success. However, it is not an easy process, and it can be easy to find yourself stuck and not sure what to do. If you find yourself in such a predicament, do not be afraid to ask for help. A great resource for you to use is your real estate agent. If your agent has been in the business for a while, they will know what sells and what does not. Asking their advice on what makes the best bathroom updates for resale will significantly increase the chance that you make solid remodeling decisions that ultimately lead to selling your home.

Conclusion

By now, you know the importance of the quality of your bathroom when selling your home. It is not something to be overlooked. Painting, accessorizing, and purchasing the right appliances are all important pieces of the puzzle. However, it is worth noting that it is a puzzle, and it will not be complete without all parts present. So do not neglect some pieces while going full boar on others. Balance is everything. With the right effort, proper guidance, and good taste, you can turn your bathroom into an enticing oasis that draws people in and leads to closing the deal on your home.