Low Cost
- • De-Clutter – You are moving so start the process by beginning to pack. Thin out closets by storing out of season clothes and equipment, pack away or donate children’s out grown clothes and toys, clear off counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms, organize the garage and basement getting rid of anything you don’t want to pay to have moved to your next home.
- • Clean – Nothing will turn off a prospective buyer quicker than the look and smell of a dirty home. Masking the home in artificial scents will only raise questions so, if needed, get out the soapy hot water and open the windows to the fresh air.
- • Carpet Cleaning – Another relatively low cost project is to hire a carpet cleaner, or contract with a professional, to clean your carpets if they are showing signs of use.
- • Paint – If your property has nice paint work but has some high traffic trouble spots, touch up the paint. Places to be aware of are stair wells and doors.
- • Re-Grout – Clean white grouting and caulking will make your bathrooms and kitchen sparkle.
- • Landscaping – Keeping the grass cut and the weeds pulled costs nothing and sets your property up for a good first impression. Also a good time to clean out gutters and set up clean garden furniture.
Medium Cost
- • Paint – Neutral is the by-word for home staging. However, some people take this to the extreme of white on white in every room which is visually boring. If this is your home, and your budget allows, add some earth tone colors to key rooms.
- • Storage – If you have rooms jam-packed with furniture it will pay to thin out the room to make it look bigger. If you don’t have anyone to store these items for you, then investing in a small storage unit would also give a place to put the De-Clutter boxes too.
- • Landscaping – Plant flowers for color, add shrubs for texture, shade and depth, replace worn cushions on garden furniture, replace the mail box if worn.
High Cost
- • Kitchen – A key room for most buyers. If yours is out dated with small cabinetry, chipped counters and old appliances, renovate it. It is possible to make these changes without breaking the bank and will payoff in days on market and sale price. The biggest consideration is to fit the renovation to the house. If you have a relatively low cost property put in middle of the price range appliances and cabinetry. If you are at the high end of the price market every effort should be put in to wow the buyers.
- • Bathrooms – The next priority for most buyers. The property’s bathrooms are usually an even more economical renovation if the pluming is in good condition. New white fixtures and modern cabinetry will again, impress the buyers, and take off something on their “To Do” list should they buy your property.
- • Roof – If you know that your roof has issues, replace it. At the same time a great low cost renovation would be to replace the gutters and downspouts.
- • Septic – If you have a private septic system and don’t want any surprises during a home inspection it is a good idea to have it inspected. This will establish if you are going to have to invest in any repairs or even greater expense of replacement as the average buyer will consider this your sole responsibility.
- • Landscaping – Repair, replace broken walk ways and driveway, purchase new garden furniture, remove or trim back any trees and shrubs that impede entry to the house.
