Essential Home Upgrades
As you prepare to sell your Denver real estate investment - your home - consider the best improvements to make your home sell quickly.
1. Curb Appeal. Many buyers decide "yes" or "no" before they park the car. And a recent Society of Real Estate Appraisers survey found that 95% of appraisers believe that landscaping adds to the dollar value of residential real estate. So stand back and take a long look at your home.
Review and improve everything that a visitor sees at first glance.
→ Dethatch and fertilize the lawn, replacing dead spots with fresh sod. Make sure that your lawn is freshly mowed each week.
→ Sweep the driveway; consider replacing the driveway if the cement is in poor condition.
→ Dress up your porch with flowerpots of trailing petunias flowing with bright colors.
→ Wash the windows and repair the window screens.
→ Powerwash your brick or frame exterior, especially near the door.
→ Replace your porch lights, doorknob and deadbolt. It's a $300 investment, but nothing says "well-kept" like brand-new light fixtures and doorknobs.
2. Midrange bathroom remodel. This includes updating an average 5-by-7 foot bathroom that's at least 15 years old. Be careful to select moderately priced fixtures, a double-sink vanity, a ceramic-tile floor and warm and neutral paint colors.
"Improving an existing, but outdated, bathroom is almost always a good investment," says Finley Perry of F.H. Perry Builder in Hopkinton, Mass. "An up-to-date bathroom makes your home look like it's been kept in good repair, and that's what all prospective homeowners are looking for."
Make sure your improvements are midrange. Replace the old shower head with a good quality fixture. Replace the sink faucets, too. Hire a professional painter, who will "cut in" at the ceiling and cabinet and give your project a professional finish.
Exercise caution, however, and don't go overboard. Don't install a pricey imported soaking tub or an unusual designer sink. Those renovations might not fit the taste of a buyer.
3. Kitchen Counters, Sinks and Faucets.
The kitchen is the center of the home. It's where Americans entertain guests and spend their quiet evenings. So it needs to be in great condition.
Kitchen renovations are among the most expensive home-improvement projects. You don't have to go in for a complete kitchen remodel, though, which can cost upwards of $15,000.
Take a critical look at your kitchen. Is the formica countertop chipped at the corners? Is the builder-grade faucet past it's prime? Then you need to do some basic improvements. "A good cosmetic upgrade will more than pay for itself at resale time," says Manhattan kitchen designer Clare Donohue. So jump right in, but again, make moderate improvements.
→ Paint the kitchen. Hiring a professional painter adds to the cost of the project, but it's a solid investment.
→ Wash the kitchen cabinets and replace the cabinet hardware. The results of this one step will amaze you!
→ Replace the formica countertop with granite tile counters. Select a neutral tile color with flecks of beige and brown. Do not install anything of a unique color such as blue or green.
→ Install a new kitchen faucet. This one item should be high quality, but not an unusual design.
4. New Doors and Doorknobs
If your home was built before 1990, you should probably replace your interior doors. In the Denver real estate market, white six-panel interior doors are preferred by most homebuyers. This isn't an expensive project; interior doors can be purchased for under $100 at local home improvement centers.
Doorknobs are a critical component of a well-maintained home. In the Denver area, homebuyers prefer brushed nickel doorknobs. If your house still sports the dated brass-colored doorknob, boost your home's resale potential with this one simple investment.
Again, select moderately-priced but high quality items. Your goal is to leave the homebuyer with the impression that your home is kept in "nearly new" condition while recouping the entire investment. The most expensive doorknob won't increase the value of your home, so avoid the temptation and choose a mid-priced doorknob.
5. New Lightfixtures
Most homeowners overlook the obvious. From the front porch to the back bedroom, nothing says "dated" like a builder's-grade brass & glass light fixture. A quick and inexpensive home improvement, new light fixtures have a tremendous effect on the look and feel of a room. However, as with each of the recommendations for home improvement, select moderate, casual and neutral fixtures.
The Denver real estate market is one of the healthiest in America. Several national economists indicate our market has stabilized. It's a good time to buy - and sell - in Denver. But if you want the edge over your competition, make sure these simple improvements make your home stand out from the crowd.