You have made the decision to sell your house and you want to make a really good impression to prospective buyers. There are a few simple and inexpensive things you can do to your home to get it ready for that all-important first impression. The same information applies to rental property if you are hoping to attract tenants.
Are the electrical outlet plates old? Are the light switch covers? Or worse, are they painted over? White or off-white plastic covers are about 50 cents each. You can replace an entire house for $20 – $30. If you have a little more money to spend on your make-over, then buy shiny brass covers for the living room and the foyer. If you can afford to do the entire house, give consideration to adding the master bedroom to the list. At about $5 each, brass covers add a lot of class for small amount of cash.
Are the interior doors basic brown hollow doors? Consider replacing them with nice white doors. You can paint your existing doors, but it will take about three coats of paint to properly cover the brown veneer, so it may be worth your time to spend the money for new doors. A pre-hung, pre-primed hollow door will cost about $20. Think about replacing the door knobs or handles, too, especially if they are old, worn or painted. A pretty brass finish door knob will cost about $10. The S-shaped handles add a lot of class and cost only about $20 each.
The walls look pretty good, so you have decided not to paint. Paint the trim at least. Most rentals and modern homes have off-white walls with white trim. Use a semi-gloss paint for the trim around doors, windows and on the floor boards. If the floor boards are worn, you can get prep-painted foam trim at any Do-It-Yourself store for about 50 cents per linear foot. Consider adding crown molding to at least the living room and the entryway.
The old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a great first impression. Think about the front door, which is the first thing people will notice. If your front door is cheap and old, the property will look the same. If the door is heavy, paint it a bold color in high-gloss paint. If you have to replace your front door, a new one will cost about $125 and it more than worth the return on investment.
Is the entry way or foyer covered in linoleum? Consider replacing it with Mexican tiles. An 8 x 8 area will cost only about $100 in materials.
One are that is often forgotten or overlooked is the bathroom. Hang a new shower curtain. Replace the old shower rod. Use new shower hooks. A nice shower curtain makes the bathroom look more finished and will only cost around $40. Again, that is not much money for a lot of class.
Most Americans spend most of their time in the kitchen if they are not watching television or sleeping. Take a look at the kitchen cabinets. Are they the dark wood from the 70s? Are they scratched? Worn? Old? Just plain ugly? Paint them. Don’t worry about painting the insides of the cabinets unless you have a spray gun. Paint the cabinet doors and the trim with a semi-gloss paint and change the knobs to pretty plastic ones. Putting in a nice faucet makes a good first impression in the kitchen, too. They will cost about $150, but if you watch the newspapers and flyers, Do-It-Yourself centers will frequently run sales on overstocked merchandize.
Following these few tips and spending a little bit of money may make the difference in selling your home quickly, or renting it quickly.
Immobilienmakler Heidelberg Makler HeidelbergSource by Karen Vertigan Pope