Create Value Selling Home – When you are preparing your home for sale, there are many inexpensive improvements you can do to your home that will bring you greater value. Whether you Go here for a property valuation or use a real estate agent’s estimates, you obviously want the maximum value you can get with minimum expenses. You also probably want to do what it takes to help sell your home faster. We have all heard that you should de-clutter, de-personalize and have chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven when it is shown. We also know that if you have unlimited funds that granite, hard wood and stainless steel appliances are all the rage, but expensive. There are also the basic improvements, such as new carpet, but this can still costs thousands of dollars. The following are some inexpensive ways to improve your home with very little cash that we suggest you consider before selling. Please Visit Plano Texas Handyman website to view and read about all of our capabilities.
1. Replace Front Door
The national association of realtors does a study every year of “Remodeling Cost Vs. Value Report”* where they rate home projects with the highest and lowers return on investment. Last year the highest return on investment went to replacing your front door (85.6% R.O.I). The first impression is a lasting impression so make it count. A dated front door makes a house look cheap, and a worn front door makes a house uncared for or old. If you cannot afford to replace your front door consider painting it a bold color, maybe using high-gloss paint. If your front door is in disrepair, consider replacing it with a new, stylish door. For a few hundred dollars you can buy a nice door. It is also a nice touch to put a flower pot on each side of the front door with flowers in bloom.
2. Interior Doors
This is also true for interior doors. If you have old dated brown flat panel wood doors, consider replacing them with nice raised panel white doors or paint the existing door to make them look clean and fresh. The basic raised panel hollow-core doors are about $20 to $30 and they come pre-primed. If you want to make an extra good impression, replace the trim the with and an updated style.
3. New Electrical Switch Plates
This is such an easy improvement, but can really stand out. We have seen freshly painted rooms with old yellowed ugly switch plates. Even worse, some even paint over them. New switch plates cost about 50 cents each. You can replace the entire house with new switch plates for about $20. For the entry, living room and other obvious areas, spring for nice bronze or brass plates. They run about $5 each – but make a difference.
4. New Door Handles
In addition to changing doors, consider changing the handles. An old door handle, especially worn gold ones look bad. For about $20, you can replace them with new bronze finished handles. For an added touch you can also replace bathrooms and bedroom door handles with the fancy lever handles (about $20 each).
5. Paint/Replace Trim
If the entire interior of the house does not need a paint job, consider painting the trim. Newer, modern custom homes typically come with beige or light brown walls and bright-white trim. Use a semi-gloss bright white on all the trim in your houses. If the floor trim is worn, cracked or just plain ugly, replace it! Lowes and Home Depot carry a new foam trim that is pre-painted in several finishes and costs less than 50 cents per linear foot. If you really want to create a great first impression, add crown molding in the entry way and living room.
6. The Entry
After the front door, your next first impression is the foyer area; make sure it is inviting. Find a plant, decorative piece of furniture or art that sets the tone for the home. Many older homes have linoleum entry floors. Consider 12″ ³ ceramic tiles, which for a 8ft x 8ft area should cost about $100 in materials, or use travertine.
7. In the Bath
It is amazing how many older homes that have an ugly old shower curtain. An old used shower curtain can be a turnoff and make the home feel dirty. If your shower/tub is nice, buy a curtain that ties back so you can show off your tub and display decorative soaps and candles. If you have shower doors and they are worn and beyond reviving, consider removing and hanging a curtain. If you need to replace a shower door, consider clear glass to make the bath look larger (unless the shower is unsightly then use obscure glass). A new shower door cost about $500. Shower Doors and More will measure and install for about the same price as the door alone. If you need a new vanity they are a couple hundred dollars. Make sure the bathroom is clean, put up decorative towels and soap. So make a trip to Ross, Tuesday Mornings, Fred Meyer or Target and buy some fresh towels, decorative soaps a nice new rod, curtain hooks and a fancy curtain.
8. In the Kitchen
Replacing kitchen cabinets is expensive, but painting them can save you money. If you have old 1970″ ²s style wooden cabinets in a lovely dark brown shade, paint them. Use a semi-gloss white and finish them with colorful knobs. There is no need to paint the inside just organize them well so if they are opened it, is not scary in there! For a considerably more you can replace the cabinet doors and paint them to match the cabinets. Americans spend a major amount of their time in the kitchen so a nice bronze modern faucet looks great as well. They cost around $150 from Lowes or Home Depot but you can shop sales or go to Amazon or eBay for better deals.
9. Window Shutters and Trim
If the front of you home is plain or you have old looking windows, consider adding shutters. You can purchase them in a few colors at Lowes and are easy to install. For a custom color you can purchase them pre-primed. Paint them a color that sets off your house. They do not necessarily need to be the trim color – (if the house is dark, paint the shutters white. If the house is light, paint them dark). You can enhance your curb appeal by just painting the trim of your house. We actually replaced our outside trim and added crown and dental molding and now our standard 80’s home looks more like a craftsman home and the trim really pops.
10. Add a Nice Mailbox and House Numbers
Everyone on the block has the same black mailbox. Be different; for about $35 you can buy a nice mailbox. For about $60 more, you can buy a nice wooden post for it. People notice these little details and buyers love them! Also, buy new house numbers or paint the existing ones to make them stand out. Be creative. Also give the front of your home a good clean and tidy. Prune any bushes, weed any flowerbeds and sweep away any leaves and debris. You might also want to enlist a company like Ross Property Services, who offer pressure washing in Gainesville GA, to come and pressure wash your driveway and front entrance. You’ll be surprised at the difference it makes.
From another article from Plano Texas Handyman – How to Improve Home Value Follow this link to the article
#10: Refurbish the Family Room
Many family rooms are plain, empty and unused spaces that rarely see any visitors. Why let all that space go to waste? Create an entertainment area that will “wow” your guests! Adding a fabulous bar area, seating and beautiful finishes will add character and value to your home.
#9: Put In a Deck
There’s nothing like relaxing on a deck in the summertime with a cool drink in your hand. If you don’t already have one, build one! On average, when a homeowner adds a deck to their home, they are likely to recoup approximately 76 percent return on their investment; however, you don’t want your deck to be too big or too small — it shouldn’t be more than a third of your house. Most decks cost about $10,000, give or take. An appraiser’s No. 1 rule is finding homes that are very similar within a mile away of your home, so matching your improvements to the homes in your neighborhood is very important.
#8: Do a Major Bath Remodel
Transform an ugly duckling into a swan of a master bath by finding more space — but not with an addition. Stealing space can be a better solution if you can find the extra square footage. Open up a closet to make more room, create separate his-and-her areas with separate sinks, or add a skylight to bring in valuable natural light. Updating tub and tile are also good ideas.
#7: Paint, Paint, Paint
Don’t be afraid of paint. It is one of the easiest and inexpensive things to do to dramatically change the look of your home. Here are some tips: If you are not sure about your color sense, bring in a professional color specialist to help. Also, think classic and neutral. Apart from getting the house painted, you can also consider painting your furniture you can look at color ideas for dark brown furniture and get your furniture painted. A future buyer needs to be able to picture his or her things in the room, and too much personalization can prevent that. If your painting skills are below par, hire someone. In the end, it evens out because nothing is worse then a bad paint job. So fight your fear of commitment, and splash a little color on those walls!
#6: Add On to the Attic
Renovate your attic. The space above a garage is often small, dusty and a cramped space and sometimes rarely even used for storage. Why not turn it into a bedroom suite or a creative room? Add as many specialty and custom windows as possible for that precious natural light. Being able to look out from your window when you’re out of ideas is a good way to rejuvenate yourself. Recessed windows, hardwood flooring, built-ins and custom seating are also great ways to add value to your personal space.
#5: Build a Second Floor
Adding a second story can do more than just create square footage. It can bring balance to an uneven house. A flat roof over a garage can be an eyesore as well as a huge waste of space. You could solve both problems at the same time by adding on to the top of the garage. Use all that dead space to build a master suite or a reading room. You will not only add space, but you will also add tremendous curb appeal. Start Now by contacting your local roofing contractor for some ideas.
#4: Keep Rooms Flexible
Does your home have a unique specialty room? No one’s saying you need to give up your “special place,” but it’s important to hold back a little. Too much customization can be a problem if you ever plan to sell your home, so try not to overdo it. Things like hardwood floors, wiring for cable, phone and DSL, and plenty of windows are good ways to customize while keeping the room versatile. Another idea is to make the space one that can easily be converted into a guest suite, studio, family room or a den.
#3: Revive the Kitchen
If you get creative and think about some small changes you can make in your kitchen, you won’t have to spend a ton of money. Take down the rooster wallpaper and paint it a neutral color, for example. More and more buyers are expecting some standard items in a kitchen — things like stainless-steel appliances and hardware. Throw in new light fixtures and you’ve got a great-looking, updated space. Also, some people are looking for gourmet kitchens. Whether they can cook or not, a kitchen is a huge prospect for a buyer. Bottom line: kitchens sell houses, so investing in an improvement in this room is the way to go.
#2: Make Minor Bathroom Changes
Minor changes can be advantageous because they cost less and often net a greater return than the investment. If you have old tile or a dated tub, sink and toilet, consider replacing those items. If you keep the same layout there’s not a lot of expense that has to go into it. Updating light fixtures, linens and accessories are easy ways to breathe new life into the space.
And the No. 1 way to make your home worth more?
Spruce Up the Exterior
It may not be glamorous, but sprucing up the exterior is the No. 1 pick for home improvements that add value to your home. Here is your chance to make a great first impression in the real estate world. If your siding or exterior is in bad shape, your home is going to earn the title of fixer-upper. You can usually judge a book by its cover, so old siding sets the tone for expectations of what potential buyers will find inside the house. Try adding curb appeal and lower maintenance with composite siding. Cement board siding is efficient, it lasts, and it’s no maintenance.w