1. Paint it!
Cost: $60 for two gallons of Benjamin Moore interior paint -- enough to paint the walls and ceiling of a 12-by-15 room.
A little paint or varnish can go a long way toward improving your home's value. One fresh coat (along with a little sanding and caulking) wipes out the scuffs, chips, cracks and other damage that clearly convey wear and tear. Make your first priority the front door, where everyone from visitors to potential buyers lingers.
Cost: $60 for two gallons of Benjamin Moore interior paint -- enough to paint the walls and ceiling of a 12-by-15 room.
A little paint or varnish can go a long way toward improving your home's value. One fresh coat (along with a little sanding and caulking) wipes out the scuffs, chips, cracks and other damage that clearly convey wear and tear. Make your first priority the front door, where everyone from visitors to potential buyers lingers.
You're standing on the front porch and you have a good 15, 20 seconds just to look. Inside, don't forget to freshen up the baseboards, doors and ceilings after you tackle the walls.
Just remember to stick to neutral colors if you're thinking of selling sometime soon. Buyers might not share your appreciation for the eye-popping combo of Fireball Orange and Traffic Light Green in the kids bedrooms.
Just remember to stick to neutral colors if you're thinking of selling sometime soon. Buyers might not share your appreciation for the eye-popping combo of Fireball Orange and Traffic Light Green in the kids bedrooms.
2. Basic Maintenance!
Cost: $350, however if you negotiate it, you should be able to reduce the cost to $295-300 for a home inspection, including walk-through and report of suggested fixes.
"You have to be careful with remodeling because you can spend money in the wrong place and not get it all back," says Lyle Martin, co-founder of Assist-2-Sell, a Reno, Nev.-based real estate brokerage. A common mistake: making aesthetic upgrades while ignoring basic maintenance. New bathroom tiles mean nothing if the plumbing is faulty or the underlying wall has dry rot.
If you don't address these problems before putting your home on the market, it'll cost you. Buyers traditionally negotiate a $2 discount for every $1 in damage that turns up in a home inspection.
"You have to be careful with remodeling because you can spend money in the wrong place and not get it all back," says Lyle Martin, co-founder of Assist-2-Sell, a Reno, Nev.-based real estate brokerage. A common mistake: making aesthetic upgrades while ignoring basic maintenance. New bathroom tiles mean nothing if the plumbing is faulty or the underlying wall has dry rot.
If you don't address these problems before putting your home on the market, it'll cost you. Buyers traditionally negotiate a $2 discount for every $1 in damage that turns up in a home inspection.
Aim to complete a few small maintenance projects each year, like fixing that creaky floorboard or replacing a cracked light switch plate, advises Martin. Not sure where to start? Hire a home inspector to point out which areas would be problematic were your home on the market.
3. Energy Efficient Upgrades
Cost: $500 to replace your old clothes washer with an Energy-Star certified Frigidaire washer (including a $50 utility-provided rebate and an estimated $50 in energy savings the first year).
Energy-efficiency projects such as installing Energy-Star windows or swapping for a high-efficiency furnance are one of the few upgrades that hold their value in a down market Not only will such improvements cut your energy bills, but they'll also be more attractive to buyers who are hunting for more earth-friendly homes.
Energy-efficiency projects such as installing Energy-Star windows or swapping for a high-efficiency furnance are one of the few upgrades that hold their value in a down market Not only will such improvements cut your energy bills, but they'll also be more attractive to buyers who are hunting for more earth-friendly homes.
Homeowners should display their utility bills as documentation of the effects of those energy-efficiency improvements, as it will make a big difference on how your hoe is perceived.
Look for incentives and rebates through your utility providers and state and local governments. And don't forget about federal tax credits. Both the House and Senate have given tentative approval to an extension of the energy-efficiency tax credits from the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which offered a credit of up to $500 for select projects completed in 2006 and 2007. The two-year extension could become law by summer. Look to the Tax Incentives Assistance Project to refresh your memory on what criteria projects must meet to qualify.
Look for incentives and rebates through your utility providers and state and local governments. And don't forget about federal tax credits. Both the House and Senate have given tentative approval to an extension of the energy-efficiency tax credits from the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which offered a credit of up to $500 for select projects completed in 2006 and 2007. The two-year extension could become law by summer. Look to the Tax Incentives Assistance Project to refresh your memory on what criteria projects must meet to qualify.
4. Outdated Fixtures!
Cost: $86 for an American Standard faucet, 10 drawer pulls and 10 knobs.
Giving a room a more modern look requires little more than a screwdriver and some new fixtures. New hardware can completely freshen a house.
Things that are outdated are things that buyers would turn their noses up at. As far as fixes go, it's dirt cheap. New drawer handles or knobs can be had for as little as $2 each. There are also plenty of options out there for personalizing your space. Home Depot lists almost 900 kitchen and bathroom faucets priced below $50. You might also try swapping out ceiling-mount light fixtures or doorknobs.
5. Landscaping.
Cost: $200 for five each of dogwood, forsythia and red-flowering butterfly shrubs, plus $100 for enough mulch to cover 200 square feet of planting beds. But don't get carried away, not at the expense of noticeable maintanance requirements especially.
A good first impression is crucial however. Your carefully groomed landscaping -- or, in contrast, weed-overgrown jungle -- is one of the first things a potential buyer notices.
Enhancing curb appeal is something every seller does. You'll score even more points with a yard that was obviously fixed up long before you listed your property.
Savings can be had as well, as long as you plant wisely. Drought-resistant shrubs require less water, while perennials won't require repeat plant purchases in coming years. Leafy deciduous trees shade your home from the hot summer sun, and allow maximum heat transfer inside during cold winters.
Savings can be had as well, as long as you plant wisely. Drought-resistant shrubs require less water, while perennials won't require repeat plant purchases in coming years. Leafy deciduous trees shade your home from the hot summer sun, and allow maximum heat transfer inside during cold winters.
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