5 home improvement tips

If you're planning on selling, or are currently selling, your house and want to get top dollars for it, here are 5 home improvement tips that will bring you the most return on your investment.

1. Replace the cabinet doors and drawer faces on all the cabinets. The Kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in your home. Old, worn or outdated cabinets can be a real deal-breaker. Replace them and your kitchen will instantly look 100% better. If you're handy, you can order your own replacement cabinet doors and drawer fronts from Lowe's or The Home Depot and install them yourself.

2. Replace the kitchen sink and tap, upgrading to a larger and newer style. Anyone who spends a lot of time cooking knows the value of a larger sink with a modern, multi-functional faucet. This is best left to the professionals but still can be done for under a grand.

3. Update the master bathroom. Nothing turns off buyers more than a master bath that is outdated. A new pedestal sink, modern low-flush toilet and a new linoleum floor will greatly enhance the master bath's appeal to any potential new homeowner. In some cases you can even install the linoleum floor directly over the old, saving time and labor charges. Re-grouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles is an easy way to enhance the appeal also.

4. A new, prefabricated tub and shower surround can do wonders. If the shower and tub are older and looking a bit abused these one-piece units can do the trick. They may require professional installation but can still be cheaper than paying to re-tile walls and refinish a worn tub.

5. Hire an expert to check the plumbing and electrical systems. One of the worst things that can happen when you are showing your home is that something isn't working. Worse yet, that there are non-functional outlets, leaky taps, or an AC unit that doesn't work. Hiring a professional plumber and electrician to do a thorough and check these systems thoroughly will cost much less than a grand but may uncover problems that will kill the sale of your home. Better yet, once problems are found get them fixed and get a detailed receipt showing what was done. If a buyer asks, you look like the hero for taking such good care of 'their' new home.

Although it'll cost you a bit of money upfront to fix up and prepare your house for sale, in the long run it will pay you off financially and will likely sell quicker.

Based on the article by Chistianne Child.