So you’ve decided you’re going to sell your house and now you’re curious what you can do to raise the value and get the most out of your property. These 5 steps will get you going in the right direction.
CLEAN UP!
Simple right? You would think so but I have shown plenty of homes that structurally were fine, esthetically alright but were just dirty. I don’t mean just wiping of the cupboard I’m talking floors, walls, cupboards, baseboards, shower and bathrooms (Huge), couches, fridges, stoves.
Here’s a tip… if you are not sure if your house is clean enough it’s probably not. Hire a cleaning company, they do not cost very much and will make a huge difference.
Invest in your Curb Appeal
You could have the nicest house on the block but if your landscaping is cluttered and messy people will immediately form an opinion on your property. Clean your yard of any debris, make sure you get all the corners of your yard and garden to make sure your property looks crisp. Next focus on your front flower garden and walk way. A well defined garden is easy to do and looks great. The same goes for any walk ways leading to your house, replace any broken patio stones and pull out those ugly weeds coming through.
The Big Three
The majority of the people I talk to when thinking of selling have heard at some point in their lives that the kitchen and bathroom are a must to raise value. Although this is true to a point remember that the value of your property is usually dictated by the other homes in the area. What I recommend to sellers first is to look at the big 3 which are roof, furnace and windows. When I show homes to buyers I always point out the big cost items such as the big 3. Shingles cost enough to replace and if they are not done in time there is possibility of a leak and then you have a whole other issue. Old windows not only look ugly but they cost a lot to have replaced and it is the same for a furnace if that goes your looking at some big costs. Kitchen and bathrooms look pretty when they are new but the big 3 are necessities so focus on these first.
Kitchen and Bathrooms
Once the big 3 are taken care of you can look at what you can do cosmetically to enhance the appeal of your house. Remember what I mentioned above, your property value will be dictated by the look and value of your neighbors homes. So before you go and spend the money to upgrade your K&B be sure you are going to be able to get that money back.
Now that you have established that you will get a return for your investment, yes old K&B are huge eye sores and are the next biggest expense for a buyer to worry about. Flooring, drywall, even finishing a basement are cheaper to do then upgrading a K&B not to mention the amount of work it takes to do.
Cheaper is not always better, especially for a kitchen. ”Boxy”, white, Melamine cabinets look awful, go for the nice modern colonial look with an earthy color such as maple.
Paint
Hot pinks and florescent greens might be great for you but this is not your house anymore. When selling you need to appeal to as many prospective buyers as possible. Choose natural earthy colors and go with light shades to brighten rooms up. If you’re not sure what kind of color scheme to choose go to a paint store and have a decorator come in to give a consultation. You can also grab the color brochures that the paint companies spend loads of money to produce. These brochures are usually modern colors and have been put together by a team of decorating guru’s.
Conclusion
Have your home ready to go for when your listing is activated and begins to be marketed.There is nothing worse than showing a home and having work half completed, that makes it very hard for buyers to envision and a horrible first impression.
Best,
Troy