Selling Your Home: Important Repairs To Make

You love your cozy, quirky home; however, when it is time to sell it, those loveable irregularities might not be the best selling points. For you, the tiny handprints on the hallway wall may be a part of your history, but for a potential buyer, they are something that needs fixing.

So, before you put that sign in your yard, consider making certain repairs to increase your chances of selling at the right price.

• Freshening the Walls - The first thing you should tackle is giving the inside of your home a fresh coat of paint. Sorry, tiny handprints, time to go. Whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, aim for neutral colors like gray or cream. Additionally, it's best to get rid of any wallpaper. Wallpaper is highly personal, so what you like may not be what your buyers want. While you are painting, take the time to repair that odd crack in the sheetrock and other imperfections showing up in your walls.
  
  
• Serving Up Newness - Buyers tend to focus on kitchens and bathrooms. Talk to your real estate agent about how much return one can get on their investment in a kitchen remodel in your area. That can help guide how far you want to go to upgrade essential rooms in your home. You can at least make sure it has a solid deep clean, that the appliances are all in good working order, and the lighting is not left over from the 1980s. If you are not entirely replacing your cabinets, you can get a lot of visual impact by changing the knobs or pulls and making sure the hinges are not loose.
  
  
• Upgrading the Loo - Bathrooms are areas potential buyers inspect. Make sure that running toilet doesn't send your potential buyers running for the hills. Repair any leaks and unruly faucets, and deep clean around the toilet, bath, and shower. You might consider getting new window curtains and a new shower curtain to give it a fresh appearance.
  
  
• Flooring Your Buyers - Next, check your floors. If you have hardwood floors, it might be time to refinish them so they shine. Carpeting should be cleaned at a minimum, and if you have worn areas, perhaps it is time to replace it. One thing to remember is the trend now seems to be hardwood floors in public spaces like living rooms and dens, leaving the only carpet in the bedrooms. If you have hardwood floors under existing carpet, removing the carpet could raise your home's sell-ability.
  
  
• Details, Details - Other things to pay attention to are the things you might not typically think about. Is the HVAC system working? Check the smoke detectors, the locks in the house, and the garage door to make sure they all work correctly. Turn on all the overhead lights to make sure that the bulbs are not burned out.
  
  
• Appealing from the Curb - Finally, go outside and check out your home's curb appeal. Mow and trim the yard. Repaint any porch railings. Check to make sure your gutters and eaves are all in good shape, and give your door a fresh look with new paint.

Selling your home is an exciting time, but you have to do the work first. So, pull out your notebook, take a walk around your property, and make a plan that will get your home looking just right for selling. Some extra work upfront may be just the thing that gets your home sold quickly and for a price that makes you smile.

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