May is National Home Improvement Month so why not use this time to tackle those repairs, general maintenance and home updates you’ve been thinking about. Selling your home is hard enough without having to take the time and money to handle all of those projects at one time.
Here are 6 areas where you can make a difference in your lifestyle now and in your home’s perceived value when you place that “For Sale” sign in your yard.
1. Take a hard look at the exterior of your house.
* Check your roof and gutters. Gutters may need cleaning or repaired. Check roofs for loose shingles or leaks.
* Your entry says “Welcome to your guests.” Replace worn doormats. Update the hardware and light fixtures if they are worn or outdated.
* Make sure all of your windows are in working order and are clean! It might be a good time to replace them with more energy efficient or hurricane windows.
* Tame your landscaping! Cut back overgrown trees and bushes. Replace dead flowers and plants. Add some color with flowers.
* Paint your house!
* Turn your backyard or deck into your own oasis with fresh plants, lighting, and new patio furniture.
2. Flooring- if carpeting is worn replace it, but before you do consider a different type of flooring such as hardwood or tile. We have an excellent flooring expert, Debbie Gartner, through ActiveRain who’s written on the different types of flooring available to suit your lifestyle and pocketbook.
3. Light fixtures and hardware- updating your lights and cabinet hardware can be one of the easiest and least expensive updates you can do. At the same time, those heavy brass entry lights and builder basic bathroom mirror lights just scream “outdated.”
4. Interior walls - It is amazing what just changing the color of the paint can do 
to give a home a fresh and updated look. And while some will tell you that wallpaper is out... others have said it is making a return. In any event, if the wallpaper you have was in your house when you bought it, then it’s time to make a change.
5. Kitchens- this is probably where the family spends much of their time and one of the first rooms a Buyer will look at. Why wait until you’re going to sell your house before you get the kitchen you want.
* New appliances- these can go a long way to give a kitchen an uplift. And many of the newer models are even more energy efficient and cook friendly.
*Countertops- granite is still popular but there are other materials such as engineered stone, tile, stainless steel and many more.
*Cabinets- Often it’s as simple as a change of hardware and a paint job but you can investigate replacing just the doors.
*Lighting- there never seems to be enough. There are some pendant lighting kits that can be used where you currently have recessed lighting.
6. Furniture -placement and condition. It is certainly not necessary to go out and buy all new furniture but it’s a good time to access what you have (and don’t have) and put together a plan. It could be as easy as recovering the dining room chairs or 
repurposing a piece of furniture that you’ve had in a back room.
If your favorite sofa has lived through pets, kids and everyday living, have it recovered or consider purchasing a new one.
Seek out the services of an Interior Redesign professional who can provide a consultation that will give you the blueprint you need.
Why not live in the home you want NOW? Your house doesn’t have to be on the market for you to live in your dream home.
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