Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Instant Upgrades to Help Sell your Home

No more egg nog and pumpkin pie, it's time to get to work! Okay..okay, I know you are saying, "I don't want to dump any more money into my home" but trust me, with these simple tips, it will be well worth it when your Broker brings an offer.



CURB APPEAL - What do you look at when you are outside a home waiting for the Broker to open the door? The door, the landscaping, it's the first impression and gives buyers an idea of the condition of the home on the inside. I have had buyers refuse to even go in a home because the outside was unkept. They said, I can only imagine what the inside looks like.

1) Fresh mulch will liven up the yard and make it look fresh and kept up.
2) Power wash your driveway
3) Fresh coat of paint on your front door - use car paint and when it gets dingy, put a coat of wax on it and it shines right up.

LIGHT FIXTURES - It may sound crazy, but trust me, buyers always look at the light fixtures in a home. I cannot tell you how many times I have showed a great home and it has a brass light fixture that looks cheap and resembles something that would be in a home from the 70's. The buyer says "whoa" immediately!

GET A PROFESSIONAL STAGER
- It can range from $1,500 - $3,000 and can make a huge difference in how a home presents itself.

REMOVE OLD WALLPAPER
- This typically costs around $300.00 to have it removed. It definitely ages your homes. I have never had a buyer say, I love that wallpaper. It's usually old and peeling because it was put up years back and it's too personal. You want your home to appeal to a broad range of people.

KITCHEN - Such an important part of a home. If you are going to replace any appliance in the kitchen, buy a stainless steel refrigerator, it's the largest item in the kitchen. You can buy one for around $900.00. Buyers ALWAYS look inside a refrigerator, so keep it clean!

BATHROOM - Buyers want it to resemble a hotel bathroom, so keep it fresh & clean.

1) Buy a new toilet seat, it's a very cheap fix.
2) Clean the grout
3) A fresh coat of paint and make it neutral colors.