LOW COST IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE PROPERTY MORE SELLABLE
If you want to sell your home fast, it pays to make low-cost improvements.
Neglecting improvements gives buyers the perfect opportunity to negotiate for a better price, improvements will also maintain the value of your property. Prepare your home for sale by following these suggestions from real estate professionals.
GENERAL ADVICE
Your home should be clean and tidy. Vacuum or steam clean the carpets, clean the windows and make the kitchen and bathroom shine. Go out during showings, prospective buyers tend to stay longer if owners are not home. They talk more freely and point out what they like and don’t like.
CURB APPEAL
The first thing a prospective buyer notices are appearances. How attractive is the property? Is it well maintained? The more appeal your property has from the outside the more it will draw people inside.
Follow some of these tips to boost your homes curb appeal.
Everything should be in good condition. If the roof's eves are loose or if the entrance steps are broken, fix them. Remove weeds from flower beds, trim shrubbery and tidy the yard. Repaint a chipped front door or window trim. Remember sloppy painting won’t go unnoticed, do an excellent job yourself or hire a professional.
PUT OUT THE WELCOME MAT
The front entrance is the focal point of any residence, it should be warm and inviting. These ideas will help you make a favorable first impression.
Add welcoming furniture such as a mirror, a small cabinet or an umbrella stand. Oil all sliding doors and all cupboard hinges. Open all blinds and drapes and turn all the lights on, especially on dull days.
BASIC REPAIRS
Patch and repaint any holes in the wall, if necessary repaint walls in rooms that cant be cleaned or patched. Stick with neutral tones and use a lighter shade for trim and medium shade for walls.
Buyers test hardware, so make sure latches work properly. Fix shaky railings and fix all broken doors.
Replace old electrical wall plates and switch covers.
KITCHEN DELIGHTS
Repair leaking taps and remove any stains from the sink, if cupboards are looking worn, paint them with melamine cupboard paint. To make cupboards look more modern one can replace handles, worn counter tops and worn flooring.
BATHROOM DUTY
Nothing turns off a buyer more than a dirty bathroom. Clean all surfaces and bathroom fixtures until they shine. Make storage space seem larger by cleaning out some of the items and neatly repacking what is left.
Don’t forget to clean inside cabinets.
Touch up minor chips or water stains in the sink and bath with porcelain paint, For major water stains, hire a professional to re-glaze the bath. Fix any plumbing problems, some buyers like to flush toilets and turn on taps. Use special grout cleaner, available at most hardware stores, to remove mildew from tiles.
CLEAN OUT GARAGE
Throw away all non essential items stored in the garage and pack the rest neatly. Grease the tracks on the garage doors and remove oil stains on the garage floor with an oil-absorbent product.
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