3 Quick Fixes
For those who are just about ready to put your Lewiston-Auburn area home on the market this May, several simple yet cost-effective projects can be sure-fire buyer-pleasers. I am often asked to help my clients identify areas in their home that will benefit from improvements to add value to their central Maine home. I like to point to some simple changes that materially help a property’s ability to compete with any other house for sale in greater Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta Maine areas.
Here are three of my favorite inexpensive fixes:
1.Painting walls in pale but warm earth tone colors. Freshly painted walls erase years of wear from any room. They send prospective buyers a subtle message: here is a home where your family can create your own memories. Neutral tones are important, unless you hire an interior decorator or truly have great style. While you may personally prefer rich or bright colors, potential buyers may not so while color is more acceptable (and can be desirable today) the wrong color can hinder a sale. If you want to play it safe: go neutral! Using color can really add “pop” and may pay off, but it’s riskier. Beyond ensuring that rooms look as big, bright and airy as possible, you want potential buyers to picture spaces where their furnishings will fit in without redecorating that’s why more neutral colors are “safer”. While Pale beige or grey rooms work with furnishings of all colors and have been used for years, a warmer taupe and green tone can add a warmer tone and more modern look.
2. Clearing clutter. Clear kitchen and bathroom countertops (put away the appliances and cool gadgets), consign heavy furniture to storage, and stow the kids' toys neatly out of sight. The objective is to emphasize the impression of abundant space. When buyers visit any house for sale, they are most drawn to those where it’s easy to picture all of their belongings fitting in easily – and that takes space.
3. Keeping your cool. You want buyers to be comfortable as they walk through your house for sale, and at the same time want to reassure potential buyers that heating and cooling systems are not going to be problematic. Have your heating and air conditioning systems serviced so that they are in efficient working order. If you have a working fireplace or stove, have the chimney swept, and light the fire in case we run into an unexpected chilly rainy day during a springtime open house. If the weather cooperates and the sun is shining, open windows and doors to create a nice fresh breeze. But if it’s too hot this summer, be willing to crank up the AC!
Whenever you list a house for sale, it's important that you put yourself in the buyers’ shoes. Ask what are the key factors you would look for, and be sure your home reflects the answers. For any and all other questions you might have about selling your Lewiston-Auburn home, I’m here to help! Don’t be afraid to call me for a low-key consultation.
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