Preparing your House for Sale in Palm Beach County-What to do BEFORE you list your house! (Part 5)
WILL YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK WITH THESE UPDATES?
Real Estate Staging or Merchandising in Boca Raton or Delray Beach is not that much different than most places around the country. If you've been following this series, you will have:
1. Realized your house is a product you will have to merchandise and market.
2. Learned to seeing your house through the eyes of a Buyer.
3. Cleaned, Repaired or Replaced items in your home.
4. Edited and Packed furniture or items you will not need for now.
The first 4 items must be done if you are to place your house in a competitive postition.
Step 5 falls in the category of "IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU WOULD . . . . " NOT an absolute must, but a big PLUS.
It's in this step you might enlist the advice of your local Real Estate Agent for their opinion as to the ROI (Return On Investment) of, for example, replacing your appliances for new ones in Stainless Steel. Weigh this with your own research to see if by updating certain features it will increase the odds of getting your house sold. I don't view this necessarily as traditional Home Staging but more Real Estate Merchandising.
Let's look at some possible updates and what YOU can do:
STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES: Many will tell you that Stainless Steel appliances are no longer in vogue but other than appliances that have custom made panels that match the cabinets, buyers are still viewing this as a plus. It gives the kitchen a clean up-to-date look. If your kitchen is not in need of a major update, then Stainless is a good way to refresh this area.
GRANITE COUNTERTOPS : There are many counter top materials available such as concrete, engineered stone, and natural stone, such as marble and granite. But when buyers are looking, many times what they want to see is granite in the kitchen. It's not a deal breaker not to have granite counter tops, but think about who typically is the first one to view a listing and what one of the Top Three most important rooms in a house is. Pair this with the fact that Today's Buyer is often looking for a house that is in move-in condition; one that require little work and expense. Take a look at what a difference it can make:
BATHROOM MIRRORS and LIGHTS: Many homes have "Builder Basic" mirrors and light fixtures in their bathrooms including the important Master Bath. Updates don't have to be that expensive or hard to do. Mirrors can be framed (as in a picture) with wood or mirror strips. A trip to your local hardware store, some tools, instructions and you're done. If you want to add more pop, remove the large mirror and replace it with two framed ones. This, of course, requires a little more effort.
Most of the light fixtures in bathrooms are stainless strips with round glass bulbs on them. Changing these out, especially in the master bath will make a big difference and give it pop.
Very Basic Notice the framed mirror
There are other updates you can do but these are very basic. Depending upon the price-point of your house; your competition; the overall appearance of your house, and your budget you may or may not want to consider these.
Nothing is absolute or etched in stone. You will want to consult your Realtor, research other similar houses on the market in your area, and decide what's right for you, your time, and your budget.
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Your kitchen looks richer with the upgraded counter-top Kathy. And who loves builder grade mirrors? I'm looking around and I see no hands up. A lavish mirror changes the entire feeling of the room. I did that in the bath 2 homes ago and everyone asked does the mirror convey with the house? Yep you bet it does!