When a potential buyer walks into an open house for a property listing, the first thing they imagine is whether or not they can picture themselves living there. Sometimes, it’s a little tough for these potential buyers to picture their new life in that home when it feels like the home has been well lived in. Home flooring takes a beating, no matter what type of material you select. Scuff marks from a heavy piece of furniture, scratches from an old pet, or even wine stains from one of your memorable parties. You bet, those potential buyers are walking in your property listing with beautiful images from Pottery Barn or Pinterest in the back of their mind, making comparisons. Sometimes, even unintentionally.
Here are 4 easy ways that flooring can quickly improve your listing
- Select the right type of flooring.
So, now you’re looking to upgrade your home’s value through flooring. But what type will be the best for your buck? That answer is, hardwood. There’s no surprise that hardwood has consistently been the best option and way to increase your property listing. It is timeless and original.
While property sellers can get away with having carpet in bedrooms, buyers like to see hardwood installed, especially in main rooms such as living rooms, dining rooms, hallways, etc. According to the National Wood Flooring Association, 99% of real estate agents say homes with hardwood are easier to sell, with 90% saying they sell for more money. - Refinish your existing floors.
If your home or listing already has hardwood flooring, you’re already off to a great start. Although, it’s great to assess the overall wear and tear of the existing floor. No hardwood is perfect and will keep that “like new” look forever. Your floors may need some simple TLC, especially if they’re looking a little dull and lifeless and/or in a high traffic area.
To solve this, you may consider the service of a screen and coat (also known as, buff and coat) or sand and finish. These are two very similar techniques that Floor Store & Design Center specializes in. But how do you determine which one is right for you, since they’re both so similar?
The phrase “screen and coat” is straight to the point. This would be a great technique for someone who’s floors may have minimal damage, such as surface scratches, but lacks that shiny sheen appearance that it might have originally had when installed for the first time. The process of a screen and coat service is simply buffing out the top layer of your wood floors, then re-coating it with a new layer of polyurethane.
The process of a sand and finish is quite similar, but has two main uses for the service. It is great for when your floors have scratches along the surface and you’d like to buff those out and make it shine like new again. It’s also a great option for when you want to switch up the look of your floors and decide to change the color of the stain.
Both, sand & finish as well as screen & coat services, are affordable options to update those floors of yours, making them look sparkly, new, and ready to sell! - Limit the amount of flooring types in your home
When a potential buyer walks into a property listing, it’s easy for their eye to get lost when there are multiple types of flooring. The living room is hardwood, the kitchen and bathrooms are tile, bedrooms and hallways with carpet. It begins to get very busy and seems to be a little irrespective, making it confusing for the eye.
Remember to keep it simple by limiting the amount of flooring types you use within your home. - Lastly, be aware of what materials meet up with each other.
Hard surface flooring seems to always be the leading up-seller when it comes to upgrading your home and increasing it’s value. But there are some important factors to consider while selecting your materials.
The biggest mistake that some people might do is to have two different hard surfaces that look like the same type. For example, having materials meet such as laminate and hardwood… or hardwood to LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank) that resembles wood. Even, tile that is adjacent to LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) that mimics tile, might get a little confusing. It’s best to always try to keep it simple by sticking to one hard surface throughout your home. If you do wish to have two different types of flooring materials and have them meet, consider doing hardwood that meets up with carpet. Or hardwood to tile.
Updating your flooring is such a simple solution and strategy to take advantage of when it comes to increasing the value of your home. Even if you aren’t anticipating on selling your home any time soon, knowing these 4 simple flooring tips will help provide your seasoned flooring with a much-needed face lift! We invite you to explore any of these options and allow us the opportunity to help walk you through the processes, making it as stress-free as possible.
