Tip#12 – Maintenance
It is not uncommon for a longtime homeowner to develop a blind eye to some of the much needed maintenance of their home before listing with an agent. I know my husband and I have always purchased with the mindset that we will always update and maintain properly and on a regular basis so that when the time comes to sell, the house will be fresh and ready to sell. That is, until we actually lived in a home long enough to start accumulating and getting way too comfortable. Now we completely understand that what appears to be neglect to others can simply be the result of a busy life with different priorities that catch up to us. And, nothing to push us to make fixing that annoying outlet that we rarely use anyway, or have the popcorn ceiling scraped to bring it up to date, or repaint the beautiful electric mango room that was so Key West at the time but we now realize blinds people when they come into the room.
We see this frequently in the real-estate market and in staging. By the time a long-term home owner is ready to sell the list of what they think they need to do can be overwhelming, both emotionally and financially. What should they do to get the best return on their investment and in many cases, their own sweat equity as well? Follow these steps and we guarantee you will see a fresher, desirable home ready for the market without breaking the bank. Keep in mind, if your wiring and plumbing is so out of date that it doesn’t even meet code, you will end up spending more or getting lower offers. So, that said, let’s get started.
1. Stand on the curb and take a good hard look at your landscaping, walkway to the house, front entrance, siding, gutters and roof. Check for bare spots in your lawn, dead branches and flora, broken gutters and or mold on roof and gutters and perhaps chipped paint, a broken door handle or torn screen. Does the roof need repairing or replacing?
Many times a good power washing is all you need to get a clean, new look. Transform your front door with a fun new coat of paint and you will add light years to the appearance of your home. If the door hardware are rusted or pitted from our salty environment, a quick trip to Home Depot or Strunk’s Ace Hardware and you will find all you need to make that door look like new, including the paint. If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, both establishments offer business cards and references of tradesmen that can help you get the job done. To oversimplify, clean whatever needs cleaning, patch whatever needs patching, paint whatever needs painting. Done. Time to go inside.
2. Now that you are inside, take a panoramic view of what you see standing inside the front door. Is your paint fresh? Is your floor free of grime and scuffs. If you have carpet over a hardwood floor now is the time to get rid of that carpet and show off your wood floors. Buyers love hardwood. If you know the floor is in poor shape and refinishing is not in your budget, a professional carpet cleaning is well worth the investment.
3. What about that kitchen? Is it outdated? Do you have knotty pine cabinets toting years of grease and grime? Is it worth the investment to replace those old cabinets and countertops? Kitchen remodels return nearly 100%, but no need to go overboard. According to Remodeling Magazine, the high-end kitchens don’t return as much as the mid-range or minor kitchen remodels. Most buyers won’t pay extra for a built-in Sub Zero refrigerator or a professional 8-burner stove but they WILL notice if the appliances are over 20 years old and need to be replaced.
If you are on a tight budget, resurfacing your cabinets is your least expensive option. This involves either painting the boxes or attaching a thin veneer to the surface of the cabinets and replacing the doors and hardware. If your cabinets are painted, add a fresh coat of paint and new hardware.
Granite counters are not always necessary. There are many new hard surface products to choose from today. Simple laminates, newer faucets and sparkling sinks will also sell. Buyers don’t want to spot leaky faucets or stained sinks.
4. Is it time for the necessary room? The national average of recouped cost is more than 100% for bathrooms. New floors, fixtures and lights payoff. But take a look at what a DIY did that totally transformed the appearance of her half bath without the expense of new cabinets and tile. Painted cabinets, a rich deep blue paint, fresh towels and artwork that draws your eye up, not at the floor tells the buyer this room is move in ready.
In conclusion, think about what you are looking for now that you are selling your home. If you are a fixer upper and you are looking for a bargain, know that if you don’t follow the tips above, you too will be getting lower offers from another fixer upper. Overall, the typical buyers want a home that has no deferred maintenance, newer appliances, updated plumbing and electrical, modern conveniences and is move-in ready.
Do you need assistance from a professional Stager? Call us for a risk free consultation. Our consultation fee is deducted from our staging fee if you hire us to complete the job. If you decide not to use our services we still leave you with a wealth of information you can use to stage your home on your own.
Contact Vicki Grant, CEO of Grant Home Staging Services, grantstaging@gmail.com or (305) 394-9201. Staging Key West homes since 2009.
