Selling your House – Increase its Value Quickly
When you’re ready to sell your house, you want to do all you can to get the most value from the sale in the shortest amount of time. First impressions can not be overstated. The first impression starts with a view of the exterior(i.e.curb appeal).
Inexpensive/simple home exterior projects best suited for selling your house fast at the best price.
- Landscaping is presentable (lawn, gravel, trees, walkways)
- Repair, clean, and paint with neutral colors
- Remove the clutter from view.
- Entry area is inviting.
- Front door is in good condition.
Now to the interior of the home:
- Interior of home is clean and free of clutter.
- Drywall/plaster is free of holes and cracks.
- The interior is painted with neutral colors.
- The floor coverings in good condition (cleaned, refinished, neutral colors).
Completing these projects are relatively inexpensive, and their financial benefits outweigh their cost.
New floor coverings, cabinets, counter tops, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures and door hardware are other cosmetic improvements that can immediately add recoverable value to your home. At some point, the cost of the improvements starts to erode the potential financial gain on the future sale, especially if selling the home for the highest price in the shortest amount of time is the goal. Houzz.com has an article that reinforces the value of these simple upgrades, remember we are focusing on short term upgrades that provide the best return on investment.
- The following is an example of inexpensive solutions to a seemingly expensive real estate problem (true story, Boulder):
- Franchise broker A, recommends listing a seller’s house for $575k
- The house sits on market for 11 months with no offers
- Franchise broker B’s CMA proposes dropping the listing price to $525k
- Contractor suggests painting over existing green interior entry, and living area an off-white color at a cost of $1,500
- Job completed in short order, and relisted for $575k
- House closes 5 weeks later for $567k (98% of list price)