Home Improvements that Pay (Part I)

It is often a good idea to make some improvements before you put your house on the market. When you begin the home selling process, many of the little flaws you have lived with over the years are going to come out of the woodwork, or so to speak. It is these faults that will stand out to potential buyers and may prove to be hindrances to the sale of your home.

Addressing these issues early may be difficult considering you have lived with them for years or even decades. It is possible that you have lived with them long enough that you don’t consider them to be problems at all. Unfortunately, there are plenty of buyers out there that will scrutinize your home and consider all the little “quirks” as deterrents to purchasing your home.

What then should you do? It may not be possible to fix everything, you may not be able to afford it, and in some instances, it may not be worth it. When it comes to selling a home, there are certain improvements that will increase the value of your home, possibly paying for themselves by increasing the selling price. Conversely, there are an ample number of improvements that won’t hold the same weight with buyers, resulting in a poor allocation of your time, energy, and of course, money.

This is not to say that you should make improvements only for the financial payoff. If you enjoy it and it gives you pride of ownership, then do it. Just keep in mind that home buyers may not think like you, seeing your “improvements” as added work or as eyesores. A neutral home that can easily be changed to fit the needs of potential buyers is the easiest home to sell.

Neutral is the key here. Avoid alienating buyers with purple walls and green carpet. While home decorating follows trends, I am fairly confident in saying that orange shag from the 70’s won’t be back in style for a while. And while wallpaper does have its applications, when it comes to selling a home, paint trumps paper almost every time. If you catch buyers staring at a wallpapered wall, it may be that they are fascinated by the pattern but I would bet they are contemplating the difficulty of its removal. A coat of paint on the walls and ceiling can go a long way for a small cost. Read that line again because I did say ceiling. “You would be surprised at how many buyers look up in a room before they look down,” says Realtor, Karen Jolley.

Walk around the home with a few screwdrivers and some keen eyes. Tighten any loose screws that you may see. Check for interior and exterior doorknobs, drawer handles, and light fixtures that need tightening. Sometimes it’s necessary to oil door and cabinet hinges that squeak. While you are inspecting lights, get rid of the bugs that have collected over the months, or possibly years. Don’t neglect the garage either. It needs to be well lit, clean and organized. Try power washing and then painting the garage floor. If you can’t see the floor, put up shelves to get things off the ground.