Today's post is the beginning of a series of tips and tricks to get your home ready to go on the market. Our first tip is about remodeling the bathroom - one of the more cost-effective upgrades you can make in terms of getting your money back at resale. 

While it will probably cost around $10,500 to replace the tub and the surrounding tile, the toilet, the floor, and the vanity with its sink(s) and fixtures, you may be able to get by without spending quite this much. 

If you do wind up adding a new toilet or tub, buy them in white as this allows the new homeowner more decorating leeway in the years ahead. Plus, white fixtures are usually less expensive, always a good thing to consider. 

If your tub is full of chips, has lost its color, or simply can't be removed because it's too big, consider spending $300 to $400 to get it re-glazed. It never has to leave the room, and it will gleam like new when it's finished. Replacing shower doors and faucets can give the bath a sparkling new look as well. 

You can probably do any necessary caulking yourself as there are tools available nowadays to help put caulk on. Just be sure it doesn't get wet until it's had plenty of time to dry and set up. You might want to carefully fill the tub with water, however, to allow the caulking to stretch into place as it dries. 

Making the walls look better is a huge improvement. New paint or wallpaper can give a small, dark bathroom an airy feel. Pick a color scheme and use coordinating colors for your walls, towels and accessories to tie the whole room together. If you're wallpapering, choose a wallpaper you like and look for accessories that feature items from the wallpaper design. 

Even if you don't plan to replace the sink, you may want to think about putting in new, modern faucets. Nothing shines like a new faucet, plus it will work better too. 

When deciding what upgrades to make to the bathroom, consider how much you can spend, how much of the work you can do yourself and how much you will have to hire out. Create a list of what simply must be done along with what will make it look better to buyers. Use this budget and list to come up with a plan for remodeling the bathroom. Most bathroom re-dos are recouped from a better sale price, but be realistic in your calculations too. 

Keep an eye open in the weeks ahead for more tips on updating your home to get a better sales price. 

For help in selling or buying a new home in Wilmette, Glenview, Northbrook or on Chicago's North Shore, talk to the Marla Schneider Team. Marla and her team have many resources to help you get your house ready to sell or find the perfect home for your family.