8 Features That Will Sell Your Home Faster

Homeowners are sometimes hesitant to upgrade when it's time to sell. After all, you won't be living there much longer, and home remodeling efforts only increase home values by 57% of the average project's costs, according to Remodeling magazine's 2018 Cost vs. Value report.

But think again, sellers. The cost of inaction can be far greater than the small loss you'll incur on any home-improvement projects. "Making small upgrades over time serves a seller immensely," says Brian Lewis, a real estate broker with reality firm Compass. These don't have to be break-the-bank alterations, either. "Even merely keeping the color palette up-to-date will go a long way. Getting stuck in time with your home isn't a smart move and is rarely rewarded financially at sale time," he adds. In fact, it may cause your house to linger on the market longer. As a result, you'll likely have to pay ongoing mortgage, maintenance and staging costs.