If you’re getting ready to sell your house, you have two options when it comes to preparation: On the one hand, you can forgo some of the money you’ve built up in equity and simply list your house as is. Alternatively, you can make some little improvements that will help you maximize your profit. Here are some tips to help you decide what to fix before you list your home.
Paint the door
It sounds small but -- along with the yard -- your front door is where potential buyers generate their first impressions of how much your home is actually worth. Just how much painting your door will pay off is hard to say (nobody buys a house because of a front door), but plenty of buyers pass on a house that looks, well, crummy. Since the front door sets the tone, you won’t have that problem, which means that your house won’t spend too much time on the market -- a factor that could force you to drop the price by thousands of dollars. Depending on the door and the paint you select, you’re probably looking at less than a couple hundred bucks (for a really high-end paint) and an afternoon of labor.Finish off small do-it-yourself projects
The idea here is to make your house look complete to a prospective buyer (after all, people pay less for a work in progress). Again, your costs are going to vary based on the projects that you need to finish. Updating your light switches might only cost a few bucks at your local hardware store; whereas completing work on a finished basement might cost several thousand dollars. But completing what you’ve already started is pretty much a “must do.” Why? Well, something that looks incomplete will give the buyer an excuse to lowball his offer or a reason not to buy at all.Clean away clutter
This may not even apply to the home itself, but to furniture and other unsightly items. The buyer won’t pay for what he can’t see, so arrange your home to show off the space. Anything that gets in the way of giving your home a clean, crisp look just has to go. If you insist on keeping some of these items, you’re looking at a monthly charge at a local storage locker. Storage rates will vary by size and area, but you shouldn’t pay more than a fraction of rents in your area because, well, you could just rent another place for your possessions. On the other hand, if it’s just clutter, throwing it out won’t cost a thing.Maximize storage
Even if you have plenty of closets, cabinets and cupboards, you should make the most of them by installing space-saving devices. Why? Well, simply put, you can never have too much storage space. Even if you can’t fill the space, a prospective buyer (who has often looked at more than a few places and wondered where he’ll put all of his stuff) will see the value of what you’ve done. But the key to making this work is doing more with less. In other words, building a new closet isn’t a solution. Hanging an extra rod in an existing closet for clothes you don’t wear as much is the kind of project you’re aiming for. With some tools, some free time, a little cash, and a trip to the hardware store, you’ll find more than a few pre-made kits that will help you save space in your storage areas.Restore features
Home fixtures and other works of craftsmanship suffer from wear and tear. Fix them up by cleaning them, touching up paint or replacing broken pieces to give your house a fresh, clean look. Obviously, in terms of scope, this can be a broad area as some guys have homes with imported fixtures that are custom-made and fixing those irregular pieces probably isn’t the way to go. But if your banister is looking a little worn out, go to your local hardware store and price out a new one. Again, don’t opt for something too nice (you’ll only pay for something the next guy might want to remove), but if you pick something tasteful and new, you’ll get the buyer thinking offer rather than pass.Fix the exterior of your home
Not every buyer will walk through your doors. In fact, more than a few people simply drive around neighborhoods checking off homes from their lists based on the exteriors. In other words, people can and do judge books by their covers. The solution? Touch up the paint, clean the gutters, fix any siding issues on windows, the roof or shutters, and generally make sure that your home has curb appeal. Again, the idea here is to minimize costs. While a broken shutter might be pricy to repair, it’s probably worth doing, but don’t let yourself get into situation where you’re replacing all of your shutters because you think a buyer (who you don’t know) is going to like them. The costs will vary, but you need to spend what you have to make your home’s exterior is both unified and appealing.improvement not overhaul
While you may not need to take advantage of all of these tips, chances are that more than a few will be useful in selling your home. But remember, you’re selling a home, not living in it forever. The idea is to add value, not make yourself happy. So don’t go overboard and spend too much on items the next guy will simply discard. Ask yourself what would please you as a buyer, not you as an owner.Resources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/property/selling_sellingtips.shtml
http://www.audrie.com/house_sellers_tip_outside.htm
http://www.bankrate.com/bosre/news/homeimprovementguide/10cheapies2.asp?caret=16
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