Home Selling Tips 3 - Older Homes

Is your home a little bit older? Build in early '90s or earlier. The best return on your money on those homes depend on the shape they are in. There are so many "little" things (that yes add up a little, but not as much as a full replacement) that can bring up the value of your home and also the appeal to the buyers. One thing is paint and moldings. If your moldings are the '70s style then replace them. Moldings are cheap and really easy to do it yourself. While your replacing your moldings get the paint brush out and three tone the house. (Flat or ceiling paint in white works great on the ceiling) A Satin paint in a neutral color on the walls and High Gloss on the moldings and bathrooms if you don't want it the same color as your other walls. Don't know what color to use? That is where you need to check out the model homes in your area, it will let you know what neutral color is the "in" color in your area. Utah is about the browns, any tan, light brown color works. Don't know how to cut in? You can prime your moldings with a paint sprayer in another location (if you are trying to protect your carpet) You can even high gloss them, just know that once you nail them in, you will need to putty the holes and paint those areas. I have noticed the masking tape works really good in taping off, but you MUST remove it within one day of putting it on and you must remove it carefully so it doesn't grab at your paint. Blue tape works okay, but you must go over it right before you paint and make sure it seals. There is an in between tape that is a light brown at Home Depot that I also like. Carpets is another thing. There is nothing like walking down a hall with three bedrooms coming up and all you see is a light of pink coming from one room, green from the other and then blue. If possible put something neutral down, be sure you shop around, if you are getting it for around 18 a sq foot that is pretty good. If you cannot afford new carpet, then get them cleaned. After that be sure your Realtor puts a note requesting they take their shoes off, the foot traffic will quickly dirty them up again.
Kitchen is the heart of the home. That is where after looking through the whole house, I stand with my buyers and ask them, "Do you want to buy this home?" Do you have a yellow or green countertop that screams '70s? If possible look into your options of changing that. You can have the cheapest of cabinets and a buyer might get past that, but few buyers look past avocado green countertops. Now your cabinets, you want to modernize your kitchen without dishing out some serious dough? If your cabinets are a wood color (these days any wood color usually looks pretty good) Then throw some modernized knobs on them to update 'em. Please no gold, as much as you might love the color, the majority of the buyers right now want silver, pewter, bronze etc.. Any knob store or Home Depot have all those styles. Cupboards in terrible shape? If you cannot replace them, paint them. Go online there are several suggestions. The ones my buyers have liked the most is an "antiquing" white that you can get the whole kit at Lowes or Home Depot with instructions. Now on too the floors, we talked about carpet, but what type of kitchen and bathroom floors do you have? Upgrading your bathroom to tile is a huge bonus and if you watch for the Home Depot clearance you can pick up tile for around 75 cents. Kitchen, you need to see what is popular in your area. In Utah it is pergo or hardwood flooring. Don't buy the cheap pergo if you can afford a little nicer stuff. I have pergo in my house, but all the time people are asking if it is "real" The cheap stuff looks that way, but they have really improved on the look of the nicer stuff. In other places like Arizona, tile is really popular, especially the large tiles. Again watch for clearance stuff. If you are a do it yourselfer tiling is another thing that isn't that hard to do. Also while updating that kitchen do your bathrooms to. A good return and expensive one is if you can convert a little 70's master bathroom into a bigger one, a more open shower and more counter space are huge to the buyers. Outside do the same as a newer home, remember it is the first thing they see when the pull up and the last thing they see when they leave. If you have siding on your home then get it powerwashed. If it is chipping or an ugly color and you don't want to replace it, then invest in some siding paint and paint it. Your front door is another major thing, neutralize the color if it is a bright pink, yellow, green do something a little more toned down. Paint the trim on your garage door and plant flowers if possible. If the concrete is cracked overlay it if you have the $, but otherwise just keep it swept and cleaned, that is usually one of the last complaints there are. Backyard, do what you can to make it spacious. Clear out dead trees, if you are not including the swing set with the sell of the home, then take it down. The biggest thing on older homes is make it so a buyer doesn't come in and think "work" The major things are if the home looks used (missing drawers, closet doors etc..) Wallpaper everywhere (borders are usually fine, floor to ceiling wallpaper 'causes stress) and weeds in the yard. The feel of the home is everything, I've had multiple buyers, buy just because the home "felt" good. Remember, lights on, candles lit (or any good smelling things) music in the background (mood music, not rap) and people who live there, gone (if possible) Good Luck on future selling and let me know of there are any specifics you are thinking about.
PS - Carport to Garage Conversions are always good additions, it widens the market of buyers out there looking. Be sure to talk with the city on permits and codes though.