If you want to sell your home and you live in King George, Stafford, or anywhere in the Northern Virginia We all know that it needs to outshine the competition. Last year I took a training class from a professional re-habber to learn what they do to spruce up a home in order to get it sold quickly, and for maximum profit. Here is a general summary of what they said:
•1. Powers wash exterior surfaces.
•2. Fresh coat of paint/stain inside and out on all normally painted/stained surfaces - NEUTRAL Colors!!!
•3. Fresh moderate landscaping including bushes, bright flowers and mulch
•4. New carpet & flooring - NEUTRAL Colors!!! - use same color carpet in entire home.
•5. Replace light/fan fixtures inside and out to update a home - attractive fixtures can be had at modest pricing - pick one finish for entire home (ex. chrome, polished chrome, gold.)
•6. Replace older faucets with updated ones - same finish as light fixtures
•7. Replace the knobs on all cabinets to update a home - cheaper than new cabinets - same finish as light fixtures
•8. Replace outside door knobs for bright new shiny ones
•9. Replace the switch plates to update a home - they can be had for around $1 each and make a big difference. Pick white or bone colored whichever one goes best with the neutral wall color you picked.
•10.If cabinets are otherwise dated visit your local home improvement center for attractive painting ideas - If done neatly & correctly they will be pleasing to the eye and much more pleasing to your pocketbook than new cabinets.
•11.Seal asphalt driveways/pathways or fresh gravel on gravel drives or power wash concrete drives.
•12.Eliminate any and all clutter, grime, weeds, overgrowth, outdated curtains, broken blinds, and misc signs of neglect.
As long as you buy modestly priced home improvement products that look nice, and use reasonably priced contractors, the cost should be around $10,000 for a typical 3 br 2 ba starter home. If you can do professional quality work and do it yourself then the cost will be lower. If you've already done some of this recently and it's still in good shape the cost will be lower.
Make sure to get several quotes, references, make sure they are licensed, insured, and bonded for the above work. It is a huge advantage to you that contractors are hungry for work right now.
Other items to evaluate:
•· Replace siding only if old siding looks worn or damaged - NEUTRAL Colors!!! - get quotes
•· Same for roof only if it looks shabby or currently leaks- NEUTRAL Colors!!! - get quotes
•· Rotten wood anywhere on exterior? - Repair/ Replace.- get quotes
•· Rotten fencing? - remove or repair or replace - get quotes
Call me with any real estate related questions and I will be more than happy to assist you.
Susan Walsh / EXIT Realty Expertise / cell (540) 809-1366
Comments(0)