4. Maintain one architectural style. If you add a room onto the house, be sure its style is the same as the original house. The addition should not look “added on.”
5. Don’t ignore the little things. You’ll be amazed how much impact a few small investments will have on buyers, items such as new cupboard knobs in the kitchen and bathroom or new door knobs throughout the house. New light fixtures are a great way to
give your home a new look. Old streaky shower curtains are a major turn-off and should be replaced.
6. Paint, wallpaper, and carpet. Paint is the fastest and cheapest way to make your home look fresh and clean. A fresh coat of paint also tends to make your rooms look larger. The colors you choose should be neutral. Such colors make it easier for potential buyers to visualize their own furniture in place and help them to think about the changes they’d like to make when they (hopefully) move in. Wallpaper is a different story. Even brand-new wallpaper is the first thing people change in a new home, so don’t waste your time, energy and money on it. If you must add new carpeting or vinyl flooring, make sure you keep it neutral as well. Never invest in top of the line carpeting since your buyers will probably change it soon after moving in.
7. Clean up your garage. In most homes, the garage is a very dismal place. They tend to be dark, damp, dirty and crowded with junk. You can make your garage look larger, cleaner and warmer by simply adding sheetrock and storage shelves to the walls. This inexpensive improvement will make your house stand out from the competition.
We’ll say it again: get an objective opinion. It’s very difficult to objectively evaluate your own home through the eyes of a potential buyer. A third party’s objective opinion of your home can help you see your home through the eyes of a buyer and improve your overall profit or speed-up the selling process.
Even though we all know that you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, we all do it anyway. As we have noted before, the very first impression a potential buyer has of your home is the most important. Regardless of how impressive your home may be, a bad first impression will make selling your property much more difficult.
Impressing a buyer does not necessarily require a lot of expensive renovations. As noted above, there are a lot of inexpensive and easy cosmetic improvements you can do on your own. You really can beat the competition without having to invest a lot of money.
|
