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Steve Collins
Phone: 317-258-4355
Fax: 317-845-7726
Email
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From
the inside out, your home is a direct reflection of your
personal taste. When you get ready to sell, you can reap
the rewards with a few simple suggestions from some of
the nation's leading home improvement experts. Start on
the outside and work your way through.
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Make your terrain inviting. Remember that your landscape
is often the first thing a seller will notice. Proper
maintenance of your yard and planting shrubs and flowers
can yield significant gains in your selling price. Doing
nothing or allowing your yard to become overrun with weeds
can negatively impact the sale of your property.
- Always
keep your bathroom neat and clean. It's true that your
bathroom should be a comforting place. Whether it's laying
wallpaper, hanging pictures or laying out matching towels
like your mother did, bathrooms can bring an average increase
of more than 80 percent in the selling price. Beyond the
obvious, your bathroom should appear spotless and germ-free.
If you notice any leaks, fix them and make all necessary
repairs to the floor.
- Give
the buyer a reason to spend time in the kitchen. Buyers
like a lot of space in the kitchen. Put away appliances
under the sink to make room and ensure that the kitchen
sink doesn't carry everything, including a leaky faucet
or stains on the silver. Organize and clean the cabinets
in case the seller is nosey and looks inside. To achieve
the ultimate good look on the outside, consider replacing
the cabinets and their accessories to achieve a natural
balance that offsets the countertops. Home improvement
stores will often host how-to clinics that offer innovative
ideas.
- Set
your home a step ahead of the curb. In addition to landscaping,
consider the little extras like window treatments, blinds,
drapes, or shutters. While these little extras don't add
much function to the home, when it comes time to sell
the house, the return on investment will become apparent.
If you must replace the roof, consider shingles that are
artistic in design.
- Splash
on the Paint. To make your home look clean, fresh and
like new, consider painting with neutral colors like white,
beige or cream.
- Construct
an attractive foyer. The entrance of your home sets the
stage for the buyer. Make it memorable and classy.
- Don't
sink the sinks. Throughout your home, make sure that your
sinks are spotless. If you are unable to remove stains,
invest in a new sink and faucet. When it comes time for
the offer, you will be glad you did this.
- Liven
up the outside. Sun is nice, but it also shows a home's
imperfections. Therefore, investing in a professional
power washer will add additional value to the home's selling
price. Slap on a fresh coat of paint to the door and add
a simple door decoration such as a wreath or doorknocker
to add distinction. Take time to also replace any broken
locks, windows or storm doors.
- Conserve
energy. Energy efficiency adds overall value to the price
of the home. With increased costs in natural gas, a home
that conserves energy will be a better buy in the long
run. Invest in heat pumps that can save money or make
a call to the local gas company to find out ways you can
help to drive down the cost of energy for your home.
- Be
rational with remodeling. Before you destruct in an effort
to make your home more attractive, do the research to
learn how much your remodeling will increase the value
of your home. Sometimes it's possible to not recover the
cost of the work performed. Compare your home's value
with your neighbor's before performing any work and keep
track of your totals. Do not remodel more than 10 to 20
percent above the home's value and avoid projects that
make your home the most expensive home in the neighborhood.
This is a costly mistake that homeowners make and it's
often the hardest one to overcome.
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