The Top 7 Pre-Listing Updates for Sacramento Homes

Pre-listing updates are pivotal for homes in Sacramento since the housing market is so competitive. The area draws homebuyers because its one of the most beautiful and affordable little-known cities in California. And when we say affordable, that’s relative to other west coast cities, because Sacramento is still the 22nd most expensive city in the country. Compared to neighboring Los Angeles and the Bay area, however, it’s a bargain!

How to update your Sacramento home for a profitable sale

Here’s the lowdown on updating your Sacramento home in ways that will add to its value, increase listing prices, and attract the most homebuyers. Our top 7 recommendations are based on local trends and our experience working in national and local U.S. markets. With over 75,000 real estate agents across the country, we’re innovating a new era of home improvement solutions.

1. Exterior refresh

Make a positive first impression by ensuring the outside of your home is clean and welcoming. Consider painting your home’s exterior, even if you opt for the same color. Fresh paint (inside and outside of homes) enhances homes’ beauty, functionality, and cleanliness. Painting the doors, porches, and window shutters a beautiful, new complimentary shade is one way to noticeably enhance your curb appeal. Make sure your garage doors have a strong presentation, too.

2. Landscaping

Because Sacramento has idyllic weather the majority of the year, the next people to own your home will likely want to spend time outdoors. Now is the time to make your backyard, front yard, and outdoor living areas comfortable and attractive – without adding too much labor or expenses to their upkeep. Water shortages are a reality in Southern California, so whatever you do, choose resilient landscaping features that can thrive in more arid conditions. Consider Lilac or Festuca Mairei as both are charming and attractive plants that require little water.

Another component of your landscape design is the outdoor structures that enable relaxation and enjoyment. Does your yard boast a deck, patio, or porch? If not, consider adding one onto your home so that it can support a healthy, happy, and leisurely lifestyle.

3. Kitchen remodel

Assess the areas of your kitchen that could use a little love; what material is your countertops and when were they installed? Countertop improvements have a great return on investment, as do flooring updates, cabinet and hardware enhancements, lighting upgrades, and new energy-efficient appliances. If your kitchen is closed off to other living spaces or is small and stuffy, it may be wise to remodel the kitchen with an open floor interior design. The sky is the limit in the room commonly referred to as “the heart of the home.”

4. Bathroom refresh

Bathrooms can be as big of a selling point as kitchens. How are your bathroom floors, vanities, showers, tubs, and toilets holding up? Do the walls sport 80’s-inspired wallpaper? Anything considered more “frumpy” than modern could hurt your listing goals, so take inventory of the bathroom features that have to go! Then replace them with crowd-pleasing amenities like glass shower doors, professional tiling, and modern vanities. Bathrooms are one of few areas that where you could add a little flare or a few personal touches appropriately, like interesting tile patterns and vanities in bold colors. Overall, your Sacramento home bathrooms should feel spa-like after completing a pre-listing refresh.

5. Flooring updates

The flooring in high traffic zones like entryways, hallways, kitchens, and dining areas is the first to wear out and begin looking unattractive. Homebuyers tend not to make offers on houses that need immediate cosmetic upgrades. Furthermore, newly refinished or new flooring appeals to a wider variety of prospective buyers. Stick to the most popular types of flooring for the most success when you list. Those include hardwood (the clear winner), tile, luxury vinyl, followed by carpet. Though new carpet is vastly prefered over old, stained carpets, its the least popular flooring option and may deter homebuyers if it’s installed in places other than bedrooms.

6. Interior wall refresh

A fresh coat of paint is one of the most strategic pre-listing updates for Sacramento homes. Light, neutral-colored walls ensure that your home presents as a “blank” canvas, and makes it appear more spacious, light-filled, and pristine. Every home needs an interior wall refresh, but this should be mandatory for homes with richer, more saturated tones that make rooms feel darker and stuffier.

7. Staging and Photography

After you make the above updates (and others that make sense for your Sacramento home), it’s time for professional staging and real estate photography services. Why hire the professionals? Because without proper staging, your digital curb appeal and actual curb appeal will spark interest in fewer potential buyers. The differences in performance between homes that utilize these services and homes that don’t is stark! Don’t miss out on listing success by missing this crucial step

Pre-listing updates for Sacramento homes

If you like our ideas, you’ll love working with us! We’re innovating home improvements, with more accessible and less stressful options available all over the country. Let us manage the strategic pre-listing updates that will make your Sacramento market-ready. Get in touch with your real estate agent about utilizing Curbio’s home improvement solutions or request a free estimate.