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From the inside
out, your home is a direct reflection of your personal taste. When you get ready
to sell, you can reap the rewards with a few simple suggestions from some of the
nation's leading home improvement experts. Start on the outside and work your
way through.
- Make your terrain
inviting. Remember that your landscape is often the first thing a buyer will notice.
Proper maintenance of your yard and planting shrubs and flowers can yield significant
gains in your selling price. Doing nothing or allowing your yard to become overrun
with weeds can negatively impact the sale of your property.
- Always keep
your bathroom neat and clean. It's true that your bathroom should be a comforting
place. Whether it's laying wallpaper, hanging pictures or laying out matching
towels like your mother did. Beyond the obvious, your bathroom should appear
spotless and germ-free. If you notice any leaks, fix them and make all necessary
repairs to the floor.
- Give the buyer
a reason to spend time in the kitchen. Buyers like a lot of space in the kitchen.
Put away appliances under the sink to make room and ensure that the kitchen sink
doesn't carry everything, including a leaky faucet or stains on the silver.
Organize and clean the cabinets in case the buyer is nosey and looks inside. To
achieve the ultimate good look on the outside, consider replacing the cabinets and
their accessories to achieve a natural balance that offsets the countertops. Home
improvement stores will often host how-to clinics that offer innovative ideas.
- Set your home
a step ahead of the curb. In addition to landscaping, consider the little extras
like window treatments, blinds, drapes, or shutters. While these little extras don't
add much function to the home, when it comes time to sell the house, the return
on investment will become apparent. If you must replace the roof, consider shingles
that are artistic in design.
- Splash on the
Paint. To make your home look clean, fresh and like new, consider painting with
neutral colors like white, beige or cream.
- Construct an
attractive foyer. The entrance of your home sets the stage for the buyer. Make it
memorable and classy.
- Don't sink
the sinks. Throughout your home, make sure that your sinks are spotless. If you
are unable to remove stains, invest in a new sink and faucet. When it comes time
for the offer, you will be glad you did this.
- Liven up the
outside. Sun is nice, but it also shows a home's imperfections. Therefore, investing
in a professional power washer will add additional value to the home's selling
price. Slap on a fresh coat of paint to the door and add a simple door decoration
such as a wreath or doorknocker to add distinction. Take time to also replace any
broken locks, windows or storm doors.
- Conserve energy.
Energy efficiency adds overall value to the price of the home. With increased costs
in natural gas, a home that conserves energy will be a better buy in the long run.
Invest in heat pumps that can save money or make a call to the local gas company
to find out ways you can help to drive down the cost of energy for your home.
- Be rational
with remodeling. Before you destruct in an effort to make your home more attractive,
do the research to learn how much your remodeling will increase the value of your
home. Sometimes it's possible to not recover the cost of the work performed.
Compare your home's value with your neighbor's before performing any work
and keep track of your totals. Do not remodel more than 10 to 20 percent above the
home's value and avoid projects that make your home the most expensive home
in the neighborhood. This is a costly mistake that homeowners make and it's
often the hardest one to overcome.
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Prudential is a service mark of The
Prudential Company of America. Equal Housing Opportunity.
