Don’t Forget These Repairs First
Walk through your home as if you were buying it. Do you see any of the following?
- Damaged flooring – scratches in wood flooring, worn out or dirty carpeting, tired linoleum, missing, yellowing or cracked grout in your tile.
- Water stains from a previous leak that you fixed but did not repair. Water stains raise a big red flag to buyers. If you did not fix the problem, you will need to have a qualified person take a look and identify and repair the issue prior to rectifying the stain.
- Pet damage/smell – are your doors, walls, or flooring damaged by pets? This is another big issue for potential buyers as not everyone loves pets.
- Kitchen suffering from a time warp – kitchens are one of the most important selling features in a home. Low cost upgrades include painting wood cabinets (new cabinets cost a fortune), install hardware to the cabinets, new countertops (even granite-look Formica is a good low cost option but granite or Silestone is a better option) and stainless appliances you can get in a package at a good price.
- Paint the front door a vibrant color with new hardware if the hardware is looking worn.
- Spruce up your front yard as this is the first thing the buyers see when coming to your home. Add some colorful plants with some bark or rock if needed. Make sure front yard is free of debris and nicely manicured.
- Back yard – is the patio and yard inviting? Trim, add rock where needed, replace faded pillows on furniture, add a pop of color, spruce up grass if you have it. Clean pool tile with a pumice stone and make sure pool and equipment is clean and free of debris.
- Replace toilet seats that have stained or cracked.
- Clean your windows inside and out prior to having professional photos taken.
- Declutter closets and all the extra furniture making any of the rooms appear too small.
- Make sure your home is tidy and smells fresh every day house is on the market.
These items do not cost a lot but increases the value of your home so you can sell it at the higher end of what is selling in your neighborhood. Feel free to contact me if you need a free current comparative market analysis for your home.
Remember when putting your house on the market – don’t forget these repairs first.
Barbara Wilson, Associate Broker®
Monty Castillo, Realtor®
520-240-3560 / 707-816-2467
bdlasky@gmail.com / montygcastillo5@gmail.com
TucsonAzRealEstateBlog.com / WestValleyPhoenix.com