What Home Improvements are Most Marketable for Your Springfield Home?

The Springfield, Illinois real estate market is definitely a buyer's market.  There are many, many homes on the market in this area, and competition for buyers is stiff.  The real estate market is volatile and very unpredictable.  A home that sells quickly is one that is priced correctly and that shows well. As a homeowner looking to sell your home as quickly as possible, there are some improvements that you can make that will make your home more marketable, and thus, in theory, your home will sell faster.  Many of the best upgrades are inexpensive and have one thing in common: they are eco-friendly.  Yes, eco-friendly sells.  Folks want to see that you not only care for and love your home, but that the home they are considering is a "greener" choice than the others on your block.  To achieve this feat, consider upgrading with these marketable improvements:

• Recycled carpet.  Changing out the carpet in your home is a marketable improvement that can make it stand out among other Springfield, Illinois real estate offerings.  Choosing recycled carpet is a green choice that is considered trendy right now.  A good choice is PET recycled carpet that is manufactured using plastic bottles that are made from PET.  PET carpet has a lot of benefits, other than keeping plastic bottles out of the landfill.  PET carpet doesn't leech any gases and is naturally resistant to staining.  It is long-lasting and super durable and can be quite beautiful and plush, too.  Look to pay a few cents more per square foot for this green carpet choice, but your investment will pay off by making your home more marketable to potential buyers. 

• Marmoleum flooring.  One of the best flooring choices out there is marmoleum, which is a completely natural choice that is made from flex and linseed oil, resin, and wood pulp, among other natural substances.  Marmoleum is non-allergenic, anti-microbial, and anti-bacterial, is easy to clean up, resistant to staining or burning, and available in a plethora of patterns and colors.  Marmoleum is also cheaper than other options, like ceramic tile. 

• Low-VOC paint.  Choosing paint that is has low or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) is a smarter, greener choice, and giving your home a fresh coat of VOC free or low VOC paint can make it more marketable.  This type of paint is healthier for the planet and those who live inside the home because it doesn't release any toxins like other paints do.  As a bonus, it also smells better going on! 

• Tankless water heater.  A new tankless style water heater can be a big plus when you are trying to sell your home to an earth-friendly buyer. These types of water heaters flash heat the water that you use, on demand. This means that you aren't paying to heat water that just sits in a tank, waiting to be used, but rather heat only the water that is needed, when it is needed.

These are just some of the upgrades that can make your home sell faster.  While there are some costs involved in adding these upgrades to your home, these costs are easily recouped when your Springfield, Illinois real estate becomes more marketable.  What's more, your home becomes more appealing to a growing number of folks who are looking specifically for planet-friendly home options that fit in with their "green" lifestyle.