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I'll be listing my house for sale soon. I've selected an agent and she's standing by, waiting for me to finish some work on the house before she activates my listing and starts bringing prospective buyers around. The recent financial crises and lending shake-ups have had a negative impact on home values, so I need to do everything within my power to make sure that I get as much money as possible for my home. I'm not a home repair expert, but I have all the hand tools and a collection of power tools and I know how to use them. I also recognize my own limitations and have not been shy about seeking help from friends with skills in the building trades. My home is thirty-five years old, so it's expected that it will have some scabs and flaws. My goal is to see to it that those deficits are minimized. I want prospective buyers to see a home that is "move-in ready." Here are some things you can do to make your home the best it can be.
Start with de-cluttering. This is hard for me. I have too much stuff. A cluttered home doesn't show well, and clutter gets in the way when you're trying to work, so do something about it as soon as you decide to sell. I started having garage sales before I actually started working on my home. This forced me to go through closets and storage areas, discarding items that won't sell and collecting the rest for the garage sale. If you can't bear to part with your possessions, rent a storage locker. You'll want buyers to see the features of your home (including closets, cabinets and the garage) so minimize in every room. Store away seasonal items and everything that you can live without until your move. Pack away knick-knacks and the extra set of dishes. You can get by without them for a while.
Get some tools. You'll never regret being equipped with the basics: a hammer, flat and philips screwdrivers in several sizes, a full set of standard wrenches, crescent wrench, adjustable wrench, locking jaw pliers (vice grips,) standard pliers, needlenose pliers, wire cutters, utility knife, paint scraper, pry bar or demolition bar, cutting saw, hacksaw, saber saw, power drill, belt and/or palm sander, steel measuring tape. Specialty tools like a heavy-duty sander for refinishing floors can be rented from your home improvement center for short-term use.
You already know that you'll need to paint, replace worn wallpaper and maybe even install new floor coverings. Many home improvement centers offer classes that will help you achieve excellent results with these basic improvements. If the classes don't cover your specific situation, the expert may be willing to talk you through the work you want to do. Be prepared to describe the basic structural features you'll be starting with. Will the floor coverings go over wooden subfloors or onto a concrete slab? Are your walls sheetrock, plaster, stucco, masonry or wood? Paint, adhesives, flooring and other building materials will vary depending on these factors, as will installation techniques.
There's no shame in hiring professionals to help get your home ready for sale, but remember this: they'll charge you the same rate whether they're performing specialty work or doing something you could have done for yourself. Do you want to pay a pro $60.00 an hour to install new switchplate covers to replace the yellowed and cracked ones that were isntalled twenty years ago? They cost less than a dollar apiece and require one or two screws for installation. Door knobs are simple to replace. Do it yourself! Survey everything that needs doing and only pay for the work that is beyond your level of skills. You may need a plumber to install new pipes or drains, but shiny new faucets come with complete installation instructions and take mere minutes to install. The same goes for ceiling fans and lighting installed to replace existing fixtures. You may need an extra set of hands to hold the fixtures while you set the screws, but that's what friends and family are for.
If you can sew a straight line you can make new drapes or sheers. Sagging, faded window treatments are depressing and won't help sell you house. If you can't make them yourself, buy ready-mades and install them yourself. Simple instructons will talk you through the hardware installation.
Spruce up your lawn and gardens. A few new plants and a well-kept lawn can turn your little tract
