4 Updates For Home Sellers on a Budget
December 13, 2008
Want to sell your home but tight on cash? These quick fixes add the most value for the least money:
1. Paint Your Way to Profits
Painting your home before you put it on the market is one of the cheapest ways to get the highest possible price for your property. But don’t use the same color for the entire house – white walls are dull. Use soft muted colors like pale green or muted beige. They can still be neutral while greatly improving the look and feel of each room. Add white baseboards for additional style.
2. Find a Higher Price Underfoot
If you’ve got hardwood under old carpet, rip up the carpet and refinish the floors. Sanding hardwoods is physically demanding. Make a mistake and you ruin the floor. Hire a pro to sand for $1 to $1.50 a foot and then do your own staining and sealing to save money. When carpet is your only option, buy the best padding. Mid-price carpeting will look and feel fine if the padding below it is thick.
3. Tweak the Front Yard
First impressions make a huge difference. Perspective buyers tend to make up their mind before they even walk into the house. If they don’t like the outside, they’re not going to like the inside. So:
- Trim your shrubs
- Cut your grass
- Place potted flowers at the entryway
- Paint the front door
- Invest in new doorknobs, a mailbox and house numbers
4. Follow the Light
Update old light fixtures in the kitchen, bath and hallways so buyers will see why your home is worth more. Florescent lights and brass are dated. Buyers like brushed nickel, stainless steel or blown-glass style light fixtures. Recessed lighting is also a huge selling point because it brightens up the room and creates a natural-looking light.
You never want to be the last homeowner on the block to remodel. Homebuyers will pass up your property in favor of the one down the street where everything is already updated. Your home will sell slowly and for less money.
If your thinking about selling in today’s market, contact me today to schedule a free Competitive Market Analysis (CMA). Register Below to begin the process:
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