7 Quick Fixes to Increase The Value Of Your Home...
In today’s strong Buyers market, Sellers must up the ante to convince Buyer’s that their property offers what many want most: top value for dollar expended. Here are seven fast fixes to help improve the value of your home and make it more competitive:
1. Buff up curb appeal: You’ve heard it before, but it’s critical to get Buyers to want to look on the inside. Be objective of your own home’s curb appeal and re-evaluate the condition of the landscaping, paint, roof, shutters, front door, knocker, windows, house number, and even how window treatments look from the outside. Add something special such as big flower pots or an antique bench, which will help Buyers remember house A from B.
2. Enrich with color: Paint’s cheap, but forget the adage that it must be white or neutral. Soft, neutral colors that say “welcome,” lead the eye from room to room and flatter skin tones. Think soft yellows, pale greens and beige colors.
3. Upgrade the kitchen and bathroom: These make-or-break rooms can spur a sale, but besides making each squeaky clean and clutter-free, update the pulls, sinks and faucets. In a kitchen, add one cool appliance, such as an espresso maker. In the bathroom, hang a flat-screen TV to mimic a hotel.
4. Add old-world patina: Make Andrea Palladio proud. Install crown molding at least six to nine inches in depth, proportional to the room’s size, and architecturally compatible. For ceilings nine feet high or higher, add dentil detailing, small tooth-shaped blocks used as a repeating ornament. It’s all in the details!
5. Clean out and organize closets: Get sorting and organize your piles into “don’t need,” “haven’t worn,” and “keep.” Closets must be only half-full so Buyers can visualize fitting their stuff in.
6. Update window treatments: Buyers want light and views, not dated, fancy-schmancy drapes that darken. To diffuse light and add privacy, consider energy-efficient shades and blinds.
7. Hire a home inspector: Do a preemptive strike, since busy home owners seek maintenance-free living. Fix problems before putting the house on the market and then display receipts and wait for Buyers to offer kudos to Sellers for being so responsible.