Thinking of selling?

Yes?…No?  Some tips to consider

Not that I think everything you do to your home should be done with the mindset “How will this increase the value of my home?” OR “How will this decrease the value of my home?”  Hardly!  If we had worried about that every time we made a change or improvement in our homes we wouldn’t have done anything.  We always consider the change and how it will affect our pleasure & serenity and how will this affect the pleasure of our family. To heck with the $$$ amount attached to it when/IF we sell.

However, if you know you will be selling soon or someday here are some great tips to keep in mind from those in the realty world.  Someday you may find them useful.

• Be careful of the exterior color of your home. “Curb appeal is huge, don’t pick a paint color that isn’t common in your neighborhood or doesn’t fit the style of your home.” Pam Baldwin Foarde of Al Filippone Associates/William

• Always plan ahead when landscaping.  This is a rule of thumb to follow even if you never move. “Planting trees too close to the house or driveway—without considering how big they’re going to get—creates major problems later. Roots can cause breaks in the pavement that might raise your homeowners insurance or make it hard for you get a policy until the problem is fixed. Before you plant anything, think about how it will look in twenty years.” Chris Winn of Kellar Williams/Advantage Group
  • Your entry way is the first introduction to your home.  Don’t ignore it.  Others won’t.  “Having a front door lock that doesn’t work properly or hardware that looks old and pitted makes buyers uneasy and puts them on high alert for what else has been let go in the house.” Donna Marie Baldwin of Coldwell Banker

• Never assume you’ll recoup every investment.  Like I said, if we had considered the return on some of the investments we have made over the years, we wouldn’t have made any improvements at all.  “People spend a lot of money putting in a pool and want to recoup the value when they go to sell their home. Unfortunately, putting in a pool never gets you back the value or cost of the pool.” Chris Winn of Kellar Williams/Advantage Group

• Fussing with the fireplace. “Be cautious if you’re thinking about updating the fireplace, especially if you want to paint over exposed brick. [meaning, sheetrocking over, or tiling over.  Painting bricks is a wonderful option at times and will only improve the opportunities to sell] Depending on what the trend is at the time it could lower the value. People tend to like the aesthetic of exposed brick.” Chris Winn

• Skimping on an AC system.  A mistake many of us have made with much regrets. Always pay for the next system up for your home’s size. Paying more initially will bring down your power bill while you live there and will up the value when you sell.

• Getting too complicated with paint. “It might be trendy to paint the trim a contrasting color, but it distracts the eye. Keep it the same color as the wall to maximize the space.”  Great advice if you are making preparations to sell.  I love complicated paint and as long as I’m in the house…. color, color, color!

• Neglecting the small stuff. “Buyers have their eye on details you might forget. Keep up with cleaning and maintaining windows, making sure light switches work, or making sure the garbage disposal runs properly—it all shows that the house has been cared for.” Davida Hogan

• Not doing a deep clean. “Even the tiniest details matter when it comes to cleaning. The tracks of windows, sinks, grout, ovens, and appliances are all looked at by buyers.” Donna Marie Baldwin

• Don’t be obsessed by trends. “Buyers aren’t attracted to trendy—they are looking for kitchens or bathrooms in classic, neutral colors. If you want to add color and personality to your home use bright accessories (that are easy to change) to bring in fun details.” Pam Baldwin Foarde

• Thinking too small in small spaces.   “Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. That being said, you always want to make a small space feel as big as possible. Don’t re-tile a small bathroom with small tiles; they only make the space feel smaller. Use bigger tiles; they’ll open the space up.” Davida Hogan  Who would have thought?

• Last but certainly not least ~ NEVER, EVER think you will recoup the money you spend in improving your property.  A swimming pool may mean the world to you and your family, but to others it could mean a liability.  NOT ME!! I would love one…..