Wednesday, November 19, 2008

I Know: A Sun Room Will Help Us Sell!

People, don't add a sun room just so you can sell the house. Seriously. If you were investing in your home and adding more livable space for you to enjoy, that would be one thing. But you're selling, and every cent you spend on "upgrades" is one cent less in profit. Now is the time to be as miserly as possible. Think minimum outlay for maximum benefit. In almost all cases, if you are weighing two options, choose the one that gives you the biggest bang for your buck.

New cabinets vs. refacing? Get out that belt sander. New carpet vs. deep cleaning? Call Stanley Steemer. Granite vs. laminate? If you and your Realtor have decided that new countertops are necessary, go with the laminate. The reality is that your buyers will be able to buy for less than they had budgeted for a year or two ago. If they want granite, unless all the other kitchens in the neighborhood have granite countertops, they can do it themselves.

Try inexpensive "spruce ups." Add a chair rail and paint the wall below a slightly darker shade. Make sure that none of the window treatments are dusty, dirty or broken (goodbye ugly metal mini blinds that the dog mangled seven years ago). Add some beadboard in the bathroom, kitchen or breakfast nook. Polish your wooden floors. There are plenty of things that you can do to make your house stand out and call its new owners without breaking the bank. Change out your drawer pulls. Pressure wash the driveway. Stain the deck. Set a "spruce up" budget of no more than 1-2% of your asking price and stick to it.

1 comment:

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