Replacing your carpet is one of the first things a real estate agent will tell you to do before you sell your home. Why? Buyers feel uncomfortable purchasing a home that feels "lived in." Even if your carpet is clean, they really want it to look brand new. Carpet is an affordable way to make a property feel new and clean, even if it's an older home.

 

Carpet: an Affordable Way to Improve Your Profit

Just professionally cleaning an older carpet can cost some money, and there's likely some staining or tinge that will be impossible to remove. Like painting, installing new carpet is a fast way to elevate the appearance of your property. Simply by changing the color palette of your home, you can make it look more modern and contemporary — and you leave one less thing for potential buyers to worry about.

 

Choosing the Right Carpet Before You Sell

Most people are going to replace the carpet when they buy a property. That makes it feel futile to install it, but installing it is really about making the sale in the first place. You have two options:

 

        You can find an affordable, reasonable, neutral-toned carpet that makes the property look clean. A bright, fluffy freshly-installed carpet is going to increase the perceived value of your home. For this, you shouldn't invest a lot in carpet padding or the extras.

        You can find a sophisticated, luxurious, natural fabric carpet that will really elevate the cost and look of the property. This will be less likely to be replaced: it will improve your property values and potentially become a selling point for buyers.

 

If you're carpeting a living room, you increase the chances of a buyer may want to rip it out and replace it to make their home feel like them. But for bedrooms, you can really invest in an expensive and unique carpet and pad, and make it a major feature.

 

Is Carpet Right for Your Home?

No one's suggesting that you cover hardwoods or rip out tiles in lieu of carpet: carpet should be replaced when carpet already exists. However, there are situations in which replacing carpet with a more upscale, luxurious material such as hardwood may be better. If your home is already at the low end of its price point for its neighborhood (or if you're selling a luxury property to begin with), you may want to consider ditching the carpets entirely.

 

If you're thinking about selling your home, get some renovation advice first. Contact the experts at UB Hardwoods to find out more about your flooring options.

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