In preparing a home for sale, some homeowners don’t have a clue where to concentrate their efforts and appreciate a valuable tip or two. Read the questions below. If the answer is yes to any of these, follow the strategy to fix it:
* Is the wallpaper throughout your home outdated?
If yes, replace the wallpaper, or paint or texture over it.
* Is your paneling outdated?
Typical grooved paneling is outdated. If you have this type of paneling in your home, paint it a neutral color. High-quality paneling without grooves, which is $30+ a sheet unfinished, as of January 2010, is timeless. Tongue-and-groove is also timeless. Knotty pine and other high-quality paneling, however, are outdated.
* Are your cabinet embellishments outdated?
If yes, modern knobs are available for sale at most hardware stores. Pick out some classy ones for an inexpensive and easy way to make the cabinets in your kitchen and bathroom “pop.”
* Is your kitchen up-to-date?
Do you have outdated vinyl flooring? How about the counter tile that needs new grout or the old faux brick backsplash? Replaced outdated vinyl flooring with either updated classy vinyl or inexpensive tile, which is easy to do-it-yourself. Hire out the vinyl installation. For the faux brick or other faux backsplash and wall covering, remove it. It is outdated. Paint the wall a neutral color.
* Is your master bath up-to-date?
If you have neutral tiles and colors, you’re good to go. If not, you’ll need to consider replacing the colored tile and toning down the bright wall colors. Don’t go crazy by buying travertine and the most expensive fixtures. Stay with the standard of the neighborhood, since you may or may not recoup your money in the sale. If you’ve got frumpy bathroom cabinets and mirror, consider replacing them with inexpensive modern and classier ones. Whether you do-it-yourself or hire it out, it always benefits the seller to ensure the master bath is updated.
* Is your home painted inside and out with neutral colors
If you have a pink house inside and out, you can pretty much be guaranteed that if you even get an offer, you will have to concede several thousand on the sale price of your home. It is worth it to purchase the paint and apply it before putting the house on the market.
* Is your carpet a neutral color?
Carpet must be a neutral color, too. If you have blue, mauve or any of the other 70s and 80s crazy colors, you need to consider ripping out the carpet. Find out if you have hardwood floors underneath. If it was built in the 60s or before, you may be in luck. Refinishing hardwood floors can add thousands to your bottom line. Or, if no hardwoods are present, find the cheapest elegant neutral-colored carpet to replace your old outdated rug.
* Do you have colors in your home from a previous decade?
Are you seeing a common theme here? Neutral colors are the way to go throughout your home if you’re looking to sell your abode quickly.
* Do you have popcorn ceilings?
Another clue that your home is “dated” is popcorn ceilings. They went out with foofy bangs in the 70s. Scrape them off and paint them.
When you’re deciding on the work to be done, it’s better if you do a walkthrough with a pad of paper and pen in-hand prior to performing the work. Make note of all the things that need repair in each room, even the little things. The more repairs you do, the less dickering you will experience with buyers during offers. There is a lot of preparation that goes into getting your house ready for sale. Go to the effort and expense to get it done, and you will reap a powerful payoff.
Ki’s site helps buyers search homes in the Austin MLS http://www.escapesomewhere.com/realestate_searchthemls.html along with providing information on Austin real estate http://www.escapesomewhere.com market and historical mortgage rates http://www.escapesomewhere.com/mortgageinterestrates.html
Distributed by http://www.ContentCrooner.com
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