Tackling these basic, inexpensive improvements will help your home stand out from the crowd.
When you put a home up for sale, you want the very best price. Repairing a few things, could make a huge difference. If your house is in move-in condition, it will appeal to a wider group of prospective buyers. First-time home buyers, and buyers with busy lifestyles, often will not consider buying a home that needs a lot of work. These 10 basic repairs will help prepare your house for a buyer’s white-glove inspection.
1. Paint ceilings and walls Buyers spend more time than you would think staring at ceilings. They are looking for signs of a leaky roof, but what you don’t want them to see are stains from grease or smoke and ceiling cracks. The same goes for walls. Nothing says freshness like new paint, and it’s the most cost effective improvement.
2. Make the entrance perfect
Buyers will be looking for signs of neglect, so ensure everything at the entrance is in working order. Plant some fresh seedlings and add a new welcome mat – make the first impression a good one.
3. Fix up the roof
Missing tiles and hanging gutters broadcast a loud, scary signal to potential buyers. Moss growing on the roof signals neglect, so it’s important to get it cleaned off. Ask a roofing expert to remove moss and to replace missing or broken tiles.
4. Clear and caulk gutters.
Clear all the debris out of the gutters so water can flow freely. While you’re up there, recaulk the gutter end caps. Seamless gutters are finished at the ends with a cap that’s crimped and caulked. Aging caulk allows leaks to drain water down your home’s side.
5. What’s that smell?
Smells are a serious deal killer. When strangers enter a home, the first thing they notice is the smell. Don’t even try hiding behind scented candles, potpourri and plug-in room fragrances. Buyers, ever suspicious to problems, catch a whiff of those and conclude that you’re hiding something.
6. Clear the clutter
The idea is to demonstrate that this is an attractive, functional home. Leaving your stuff lying around may create the impression that there is not enough storage. Buyers want to picture their own ornaments in the home, so try to keep surfaces clean and clutter free.
7. Reseal the toilet.
Not all flooring installers will remove and reinstall the toilet, something that must be done to replace the floor. Pulling the toilet yourself can save you money. Don’t move the toilet alone. Get a friend to help, because toilets are heavy and cumbersome, and the tanks are easily cracked.
8. Stop faucet drips.
A dripping faucet calls attention to itself, and it’s not hard to fix. Shut off the water supply, test the faucet to make sure you’ve shut the water off completely. While you’re looking under the sink, check for moisture on the wall around the valves and on the floor of the sink cabinet. Also check the supply lines leading to the dishwasher. If those areas are wet, get a plumber.
9. Repair cabinet scratches.
You can quickly improve the look of unpainted woodwork and worn cabinets with a product that evens out the surface colour.
10. Maintain neutrality
This policy has worked for Switzerland, and it can also work you. Customising your home is great if you plan to stay there, but extreme colours and themed rooms can scare off potential buyers. If you have customised every room with extremely bright or dark coloured paint, wallpaper or wall fixtures, you may want to consider toning it down a bit. Using neutral colors on the walls can help prospective buyers create their own vision for the house, and will also leave them with less work to undo if they buy the house.
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