7 Upgrades That Maximize Your Home's Resale Value

Housing prices are surging to new heights in our area, so you might be considering selling your house and putting some money in your pocket.  No matter if you want to sell or just build equity, here are some improvements that can boost your home's value and ensure you get the best price for your property.

Extra Space

Having plenty of livable space in your home is one of the main selling features in real estate.  Homes are usually priced and valued according to livable square footage available, so the more you have, the better.  A great idea is to add a teen hangout or a mother-in-law suite.  This upgrade will set you apart from the competition when it's time to list your property.

Mini Kitchen Remodel

While deluxe, professional kitchens might be attractive for luxury home buyers, such an upgrade might be overkill with the average buyer.  Most people don't really need a commercial-grade stove with six burners and an expensive vent, but everyone needs a good layout and plenty of storage space.

You can work on upgrading your kitchen layout...adding modern appliances and finishing your cabinets...these are all very cost-effective remodels you can do yourself with only a tutorial and a few tools.  Don't forget to install some new lighting fixtures.

Energy Efficient Upgrades

Modern buyers are into home features that improve energy and water efficiency.  Efficiency improvement costs need not be extravagant.  Investing in a smart thermostat won't set your budget back and will provide future users with a more effective and practical way to save money and resources.

When you invest in such home tech improvements, you will create a strong selling point while improving your property's comfort, functionality, convenience and eco-friendliness.  Other ways you can improve the efficiency of your home is to replace old windows with new, energy-efficient ones, ditch old appliances for Energy Star models, switch to LED lighting, and boos insulation on your outside walls.

Hardwood Floors

It's easy to see the appeal of hardwood floors.  They last for a long time, add richness to any decor and can withstand the abuse of pets, kids, and aggressive foot traffic.  Plus, they are easy to clean and maintain.  If your current wood flooring has seen better days, it will be worth the time and money you invest to refinish them, as you can recoup 100% of the cost. If you replace carpeting or other type of flooring besides hardwood and install new hardwood, your Return On Investment will be 70%-80%.

Fresh Paint

Paint is magic for many reasons:  It can instantly upgrade both the interior and exterior of your home and do so for a very low price.  Even dated surfaces can look fresh and new with only a coat of paint.

Deck or Patio

Right now, people are willing to spend a lot of money on outdoor features that allow them to spend time outside.  So, make sure to deck or patio area are pristine.

New Front Door

Replacing your front door can also work wonders for your home's value.  If you have an old ugly door, replace it with something like solid mahogany and you'll achieve cost-effective, yet luxurious results.

Want to go a step further?  Tackle your outdated garage doors with something modern for an extra touch of curb appeal.

If you provide buyers with something move-in ready, you'll definitely achieve a good price, so even minor investments will help get a home sold more quickly and result in two satisfied parties.

Don't Make These Mistakes That Decrease the Value of Your Home Sale

If you are planning to sell your home in the near future, you don't want to make any mistakes that will cause you to decrease the value of your home.  Once your home is on the market, what a buyer sees as a mistake may not be what you consider a mistake.

Here are a few mistakes home sellers will want to avoid to ensure you won't de-value your home.

Not Maintaining Appliances - You can sell a home "as is", which means the property in the condition to which the buyers initially see it.  Having lots of issues and repairs needed will definitely decrease the home's value.  Cleaning up appliances that are part of the sale is important.  If they are in bad condition, it's worth replacing them.

Going Wild with Color - Generally speaking, home buyers like paint colors that are neutral.  This conveys as a blank canvas for them which, upon moving in, they can paint the way they want.  Extra bold, bright, or non-traditional colors can scare them off.  Therefore, do not paint with neon green walls nor purple shag carpet.  If you have some bright colors going on, change to neutral.

Following Trends - We all get caught up in the latest design trends, but do we really know how long they will last?  If the trend is difficult to change, it could decrease the value of your home when you put it up for sale.  Home buyers will be thinking about how much money they have to spend to fix the trendy mistake.  Do make your home your style, but if you have plans to sell in the future, think about how renovations may impact the sale of your home.

Not Keeping It Cool (or Warm) - If you want buyers to come in and rush out of your home, either overheat or freeze them.  On hot days, make sure the home is aired out so that stale air can escape.  Hot, muggy, stifling homes are not fun to tour.  Turn the A/C on to a comfortable temperature to make sure your potential buyers are comfortable and take their time to really see your home.  This, in turn, should also apply to cold weather.  Keep the furnace at a comfortable temperature so they will linger and feel comfy.  (Realtor Hint:  69 degrees is the best temperature, for both A/C and furnace).

Not Sweating the Small Stuff - You do have to care enough to tend to smaller issues such as fixing a faulty light switch or replacing burned-out light bulbs.  Home buyers go through the home turning on lights, flicking switches, opening closets, cabinets, and drawers.  Keep small things like these in good working order...it's easy and it can help ensure an overall better opinion of your home.

Avoiding some of these mistakes can help prevent home buyers from thinking your home should be worth less than you do.

LUXURY HOME SALES - 5 THINGS THAT TURN OFF BUYERS OF LUXURY HOMES

Home buyers searching for their next luxury or upper end homes have certain expectations they are demanding to be met in order to purchase a new home.  If a luxury home seller wants the make the best first impression and appeal to critical luxury homebuyers, the following five simple steps should be followed.

1.     Overpricing

Luxury homebuyers are able to buy high-end homes because they are savvy investors.  There is no way they would ever make a bad investment by buying a home that is overpriced.  Overpricing of a home says to the buyer that the seller has unrealistic expectations.  Therefore, they won't even bother making an offer or will not even look at an overpriced property.  Sellers need a Realtor who understands how to properly price upper-bracket homes.

2.     Bad Staging

Cluttered rooms, old furniture and pictures of your family turnoff a buyer.  You would be amazed how your favorite furniture, like an old sofa, can end up making your house look old and dated.  The home needs to be "de-personalized" in order to prepare it for the new buyers and your Realtor can assist you or refer you to a professional who specializes in staging homes for sale.

3.     Poor Maintenance

A yard with weeds or unraked leaves, interior and exterior lights that don't work, and carpeting that is dirty says to a potential buyer that you haven't cared for your home.  This will, in turn, make them wonder what major things might be wrong with the home below the surface.  If you can't or don't have the time to keep up on the maintenance, hire someone to do it.

4.     Odor

Probably the biggest way to make a bad first impression is to have a foul odor in your home.  Many times, while showing clients prospective homes, I have unlocked the front door only to overpowered by extreme pet urine odors.  Most of the time, my clients would not even enter the home.  Trying to cover up a bad odor with plug-in air fresheners only makes it worse.  Don't cook funny smelling foods prior to showings and be sure to take out the garbage and put pet beds, kennels, and litter boxes in the garage.

5.     Bad Real Estate Photos

Quality photos should be considered one of the most important aspect of the Realtor's marketing plan.  I am astonished every day when sellers list their home with agents that use cheap photography or even worse...take their own photos.  Quality, professional photos is the best way to have your home stand out from the competing listings online.

Contact me for assistance in purchasing or selling a luxury home in the St. Louis or St. Charles area.  

JUDY WROZIER, Realtor®

(314) 348-4033

Judy.Wrozier@ColdwellBanker.com