As with any
resale product, the
person trying to
sell said product
will usually try to
make the product
look as new as
possible to ensure
the highest profit
available. In
reviewing many of
the homes on the
market today,
however, some
sellers don't get
that notion.
There are some
task items any
seller should
consider when
selling a house.
Even if you decide
to sell "as is," a
little soap and
water could put a
few more bucks in
your pocket. With
that in mind, let's
look at what sellers
should look at doing
with any house they
want to put on the
market; what to do
when you want to get
a little more money;
and how to compete
with the Joneses
when looking to
prepare your home
for sale.
Any House
All homes going
on the market should
receive a deep
cleaning. This is
the cleaning that
you do when -- well,
you would never do
it unless you're
selling your house.
This involves
scrubbing every
cranny of the house.
Nothing goes
unscrubbed. I would
suggest bringing in
a professional group
to get this done and
plan on spending a
couple hundred bucks
to get the house
ready for your new
buyer.
Next, declutter
the house. Go ahead
and rent a huge
storage unit and
fill it up. Plan
this with a bunch of
pre-made boxes that
have lids you can
tape shut and label.
Donate all clothes
that are even a bit
too tight or out of
date. Remove excess
furniture.
Repair and paint
where needed. As
with most homes that
have been lived in,
that would be all of
them. Walk through a
new construction
home to see what
you're up against
and then go and make
yours look as best
you can on your
budget.
Landscaping.
Thankfully, mulch
and flowering plants
don't really cost a
lot of money for
those who are just
sprucing up. Before
going out and paying
for a
designer-created
landscaping job,
start with the local
garden center and
get some free advice
on how to spruce up
on a budget. Fresh,
flowering plants
(even in fall and
winter) can make the
house look oh-so
much better.
Even if you're
selling as-is, the
above four tips are
a
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must. Next is where
we spend a little
more money.
Redecorating
Renewed color.
Giving your house a
makeover doesn't
have to cost you a
second mortgage. The
first item to
consider for rehab
is your color
selection. While the
traditional advice
is "go vanilla,"
professionally
selected colors (not
too bold) can make a
"nice" house into a
"wow" house.
Flooring is one
of the best
moderately priced
upgrades a seller
can install to make
a huge difference.
Like I said, make
your house a "wow"
by making that first
great impression
with new carpet.
Replacing dated
items. Sometimes
replacing certain
items in the house
is really more like
maintaining your
home instead of
upgrading it. Items
like windows, doors,
light fixtures,
faucets, door
hardware, etc., need
upgrading and
replacing
periodically. A walk
down the light aisle
at your favorite
hardware store
reveals this could
be done on a budget.
Keeping up with
the Joneses
At some point
you have to look at
what the neighbors
are doing and keep
up or you'll lose
out. If everyone in
the neighborhood is
ripping out the old
and installing the
new (kitchen, bath,
carpet, doors, etc.)
then you may be
forced to do the
same thing long
before you're
thinking of putting
your home on the
market.
Redo, Remodel,
Relax
As you look
around the house,
making your list of
things to change
before putting the
house on the market,
remember to create
some time to enjoy
your new digs before
selling the place.
If a sale is on your
horizon and you must
redo the landscaping
before putting the
house on the market
-- do it early so
you can drive home
to the
professionally
designed flowerbeds
and floral creations
a few months or
years before selling
it to someone else.
While you want
to repair, paint,
remodel and add on
to your house
because it adds
value to your home,
every homeowner
should especially do
it because they want
to enjoy the changes
as well.
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Remodeling Your
Home
