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Low-Cost Improvements
20 Low-Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Home
Make your home more appealing for potential buyers with these quick and easy tips.
- Trim bushes so they don’t block windows and cut down on light.
- Buy a new doormat.
- Put a pot of bright flowers (or a small evergreen in winter) on your porch.
- Put new doorknobs on your doors.
- Improve all bedrooms with new bedding and throw pillows (and you get to keep them when you sell).
- Edge the grass around walks and trees.
- Paint the front door.
- Be sure kids put away their toys.
- Buy a new mailbox.
- Upgrade the outside lighting.
- 11. Use warm, incandescent light bulbs for a homey feel.
- Polish or replace your house numbers.
- Change old-looking light switches and plates.
- Put out potpourri or burn scented candles.
- Buy new pillows for the sofa.
- Buy a flowering plant and put it in a window you pass by frequently.
- Make a centerpiece for your table with fruit or artificial flowers.
- Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light.
- Buy new and decorative towel sets for the bathrooms.
- Replace old throw rugs.
Do Home Buyers Want Fixers or Fixed Up Homes?
Some home buyers want to buy a fixer upper home, but generally these buyers want a home that will require
light cosmetic repairs. Buyers who gravitate toward fixers are those who either don't qualify to buy a more
expensive home or those who want to make a profit by fixing the home themselves.
I've yet to meet a novice first-time home buyer who says, "Give me a home I can tear down to the studs."
Most fixer buyers are willing to do simple repairs such as paint the walls, put in new carpeting or replace
light fixtures. They typically don't want to rebuild a foundation or move walls.
Fixer-upper buyers will discount the price of the home to allow for the repairs and, for the inconvenience,
a bit more. Say, a home is worth $100,000 fixed up, but it needs a new roof. A new roof might cost $10,000.
A buyer most likely will not offer $90,000 for this home. Otherwise, they could buy an identical home with
a new roof for $100,000 and not have the hassle.
A buyer for this type of home might offer $75,000, or even less. In this scenario, a seller would be
smarter to pay for a new roof and sell the home for $100,000.
Moreover, many buyers will not buy a home that needs a new roof. They will worry the work involved will
cost more than what they anticipated. Perhaps replacing the roof would involve tearing off the sheathing
and repairing rafters, which could add to the cost. Most buyers want a home that is in move-in condition.
By not making repairs, you will limit the number of buyers who may be attracted to your home.
Before Fixing Up Your Home
Smart sellers will weigh the cost of proposed improvements against the home's market value after the repairs or upgrades are completed. If an upgrade won't return the investment, such an improvement might not be warranted. Before you decide to lift the roof and install skylights in the master suite, realize that kitchens and baths carry the highest return.
Before deciding to make specific repairs before resale, take an afternoon off to tour other homes in the neighborhood. Note the condition and amenities in those homes. Compare these homes to yours. If, for example, most of the homes on the market have upgraded kitchens, you should concentrate on fixing the kitchen.
This doesn't mean you need to buy designer appliances and tear out the cabinets. But a minor kitchen remodel might be a good investment. Sometimes, a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets and new hardware can give your kitchen an all-new look.
Make a list of everything that is defective, broken or worn out. If buyers spot problems or malfunctioning systems, they might wonder what else in the home has been neglected. Buyers to whom I showed a $1.5 million-dollar home in the Fab 40s in Sacramento passed on that home due to the sellers' slight oversight. The entry way rug had a big rip down the center of its seam, and it was ragged. That rug made a bad impression on the buyers to such an extent that they were convinced the sellers didn't care about selling their home.
Here are 10 minimum improvements to make before selling your home:
- Patch all holes and cracks in walls and ceilings.
- Fix all broken appliances and HVAC systems.
- Repair leaky faucets.
- Replace worn carpeting.
- Repaint dark or marred walls with neutral paint (not white).
- Replace broken windows.
- Repair the roof.
- Change out dated light fixtures / ceiling fans.
- Replace old linens / window coverings.
12 Tips for Hiring a Remodeling Contractor
- Get at least three written estimates.
- Get references and call to check on the work. If possible, go by and visit earlier jobs.
- Check with the local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for complaints.
- Be sure that the contract states exactly what is to be done and how change orders will be handled.
- Make as small a down payment as possible so you won’t lose a lot if the contractor fails to complete the job.
- Be sure that the contractor has the necessary permits, licenses, and insurance.
- Be sure that the contract states when the work will be completed and what recourse you have if it isn’t. Also remember that in many instances you can cancel a contract within three business days of signing it.
- Ask if the contractor’s workers will do the entire job or whether subcontractors will do parts.
- Get the contractor to indemnify you if work does not meet local building codes or regulations.
- Be sure that the contract specifies the contractor will clean up after the job and be responsible for any damage.
- Guarantee that materials used meet your specifications.
- Don’t make the final payment until you’re satisfied with the work.
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