Jul 26 2008
Tips for Pittsburgh Homesellers: Increase Value
With the Pittsburgh housing market remaining competitive for sellers (at least for now), it would be a good idea to take a quick look at some relatively simple and cost-effective approaches to increasing the value and desirability of your home.
Here are some areas you should keep in mind:
1. Curb Appeal - obviously, it’s the first thing buyers see when they take that walk up to the front door. And since it doesn’t take much time for a first impression to register, this is an important area to focus on.
The condition of the landscaping, paint, soffit and fascia, siding, window frames, even the house number, can point to either neglect or a home that has been well-maintained. Repair, paint or replace any broken screen doors.
2. Interior Colors - some say paint everything white. But that can be a turn-off as well. Soft colors, such as pale greens, can be attractive to a buyer’s eyes. Avoid dark colors - lighter colors can make a home look larger. Needless to say, stay away from the pink, orange and purple rooms. Bold colors are risky.
Wallpaper is not very popular either - although if it’s high quality and the pattern is tasteful, it could pass.
3. Upgrade the kitchen and bath - probably the two most important rooms in the home. If something looks dated, consider replacing it. Make sure both rooms are pristine for showings.
4. Hardwood floors - because it’s costly and time-consuming to refinish floors, try "screening." The process involves scraping off the old finish to prepare it for applying a new finish. Do a Google search or click here to download a pdf file for an explanation of the procedure.
5. Closets - cluttered closets give the appearance of messiness and neglect. They can also give the impression that a decent size closet is smaller than it is.
6. Window treatments - plenty of light and the view are most important when it comes to windows. For example, dark drapes will darken a room and should be replaced.
7. Pre-inspection - as a seller, a home pre-inspection will give you a head start on finding out what needs repair before the buyer finds it. If you can get most, if not all, of the problems repaired (at least the major ones) you’ll be better off.
Make sure you provide a list of recent repairs, along with receipts, to prospective buyers. Chances are you’ll get a higher price for your home or it will sell faster, or both. You’ll also avoid much of the sticky home inpsection negotiations - which can result in buyers walking away from the sale.
As a final suggestion: The web site for HGTV is a good place to start for getting ideas on how you can improve the image of your home.
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