About 10 years ago the automobile industry changed the term "used car" to "pre-owned automobiles". For more prestigious luxury cars, the term became "certified pre-owned" and they came with glamorous incentives like extended warranties and free oil changes. The real estate market adopted a similar phrase using the term "resale homes" to describe homes that are not new construction. Can you imagine if you were a home buyer and your Realtor called you to show you a "used home"? You probably would not be that excited about such a prospect imaging something dirty, outdated and far different than the sleek sophisticated newer homes being built. Thankfully, Realtors have adopted this more polite way of describing older homes taking the hesitation away from buyers. If you are selling your "used home" however, you need to make it stand out in the eyes of buyers also looking at new constructions homes. The following ideas will help you to give your "used home" a mini facelift:
Consider your color palate- Just as you would not wear your prom dress from 1972 to this year's holiday party, a home buyer would not want to dress their new home with your décor from the 1970's either. Take a step back and look at your home critically. Has the paint color, wallpaper and carpet become worn or dated? These are inexpensive things to replace or update. If you are looking for inspiration look at the neutral color palates being used in new construction homes. These subtle shades of coffee and cream for paint and carpet color will look great with almost any buyer's furniture and will give your older home a clean crisp look. If your home has dark woodwork or pine paneling, also consider investing in painting the walls, trim and doors for a lighter more on trend feel.
Light up your life- Another inexpensive way to give an updated look to your older home is to replace the light fixtures. Kitchens, bathrooms and dining rooms are key areas to focus on. Older kitchens do not have the multiple light sources that newer kitchens have. Add a pendant light over the counter or center island to give a sophisticated look to a tired space. Place inexpensive halogen lights under your kitchen cabinets to illuminate the counter tops. Install up-lighting above the dust cap where the cabinets do not reach the ceiling. Cabinets found in new homes are taller and this will give the impression that your kitchen cabinets are larger. Have an outdated bathroom? Changing the light fixtures to nickel or chrome will instantly shave years off your home. Swap out the shiny brass chandelier in your dining room with an antiqued bronze fixture with decorative shades. This will dress up this space and give it a look that is more-on-trend with new homes. For budget friendly ideas visit local home stores like Lowes or Home Depot. Small fixtures for the bathrooms start at just $9.99 and chandeliers in the dining room will run you about $59.99. If replacing light fixtures is out of the question, make sure to change your overhead light bulbs for the highest wattage allowed. 90% of home owners do not use the maximum wattage making their homes feel darker and smaller.
Get some bling- Just like outdated light fixtures will date your kitchen and bathrooms, so will the hardware and faucets. If your budget allows, consider replacing outdated hardware and faucets with more-on-trend nickel or polished chrome. This will instantly brighten the space. Combine this with repainting the room a crisp neutral color and updating the lighting, and your kitchen and bath will feel years younger for much less than the investment of new appliances, granite countertops and marble sinks.
Door to door service- Another relatively inexpensive way to update your home before putting it on the market is to replace your hollow core doors with paneled doors like those found in newer homes. Paneled doors not only make your home look younger, but they also make your home look more expensive since they have the look of custom millwork. The internet is full of companies that will manufacture and ship you the doors for $99- $599.99 apiece. Most companies also offer installation for a nominal charge.
Need additional ideas or not sure where to begin? Visit www.hartstaging.com and hire a professional real estate stager to give you a consultation on how to instantly update your home and prepare it for sale. You may be wary of spending money on these updates before you sell your home, but consider the cost of having your house linger on the market while newer homes sell. These simple updates are worth the investment and far less than major renovations.
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