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Smallest Investments Bring the Biggest Returns When Selling a Home
Staging can be the best value of all

Often as soon as a person decides to put their home on the market, panic sets in as they begin contemplating all the projects and upgrades that could maximize the value of their home. Without professional advice, sellers can waste a lot of time, money and energy doing things like repainting the walls stark refrigerator white or launching into unnecessary remodeling projects. Without direction, two things generally happen: either they don’t do enough and are not able to sell their house for it’s true worth or they do too much and are not able to recoup their home improvement investment. As a realtor, you can save your sellers a tremendous amount of frustration by directing them to the services of a professional stager who can help them prioritize changes that will be most impact to potential buyers.

Remodeling projects can add value to a home and help it sell faster but dollar for dollar, simple cosmetic changes, especially staging, will insure that your sellers get the biggest bang for their buck. A minor kitchen remodel may get as high as 83% return on investment and a basement 75% but according to the 2007 Cost Verses Value Report, not one project listed recouped more than 88% of the investment. Below are four things, that combined, can give you well over 300% return on investment!

Lighten and Brighten

One of the simplest and most dynamic ways to improve a home is to lighten and brighten- that can be as inexpensive as replacing burnt out bulbs, using higher wattage ones and cleaning windows and light fixtures. Small investment= BIG return!

Cleaning and de-cluttering

What does a used car dealer do before they sell a car? They have it detailed. They remove all the imprints of the previous owner so it looks like new. No one’s going to buy a car with cigarettes in the ash tray, sticky soda spills, and a hula girl on the dash board. The same goes for a house: it’s crucial to get it looking as pristine as possible. When all the extra furniture, personal photos, knick knacks and refrigerator magnets disappear, prospective buyers will actually be able to focus on the house and picture their own furnishings in the space. Small investment = BIG return!

Repairs

Because the market is so saturated with houses, today’s buyer can afford to be choosy; they want homes that are move-in ready. They don’t want to face the prospect of re-caulking bathtubs and peeling off dated wallpaper. If those issues aren’t addressed, not only will buyers wonder what hidden things have not been taken care of but they will automatically deduct repair costs at grossly inflated rates. Why not just take care of these things up front and make a great first impression? Small investment = Big return!

Staging

The art of staging, which is much more than simply de-cluttering, takes the home prep process to a whole new level. Staging is a tried and true service that increases a home’s marketability by enhancing its visual and emotional appeal. Effective staging can actually add as much perceived value as a mountain view or a three car garage. Using what the homeowner already had I have totally transformed entire houses for as little as $300 and most of these sold in less than two weeks. Small investment=Big Return!

Professional advice is invaluable to maximize the homeowner’s resources and steer them away from projects that are simply not necessary to get the home sold quickly and for top dollar. Major remodeling projects may be a great investment if the homeowner plans to live in the house and enjoy it for a few years, but when moving, consider the options, weigh the cost of any upgrade against the ultimate benefit and only spend money on those changes that will improve your profit margin. Cosmetic enhancements, along with staging, have the greatest visual impact and will make investment dollars go the farthest towards setting your listing above the competition. Remember, when selling a house, it’s the little things that really count!