Maintain, Update, and Upgrade!

Oh, how I would love to walk into every listing appointment and tell my sellers that their home will sell for top dollar.  Sometimes that is just not the case and it pains me to see that a home may lose some value due to simple maintenance issues.  That is when I try and suggest some things that can be done that will help improve the value. Let's face it, in the real estate market, there is high end and low end, which is based on the size, condition, and location of the home- your home may be anywhere in between.  Even if you are not in the market to sell , there are still things you should do to maintain the value of your home. Here are a few suggestions:

Maintenance-  Keep up with your property…all the time. If you wait until it is time to sell, the cost of repairs may be so much that you won’t want to do it. Set a schedule and paint the house every so often, change the roof in a timely manner, keep those fences looking good. This way, it won’t be overwhelming when you need it the most. Other items that would be on this list would be Hot Water Heaters, A/C and Heat equipments, etc.

Update - Often times we confuse the term ‘Update’ with ‘Upgrade’. Updating the home just means to keep it cosmetically as though it is recent. Sometimes this just means changing out a couple of light fixtures, paint on the walls, color choices on the exterior and maybe even the flooring.

Kitchen - When your appliances are getting to look a little…used- Maybe you are getting tired of them? Change those also, and don’t forget to buy energy efficient appliances! If you want to spice it up a little bit more, change the color of them.  You can also change the paint and the light over the breakfast table, and the faucet on the sink. You would have an "updated" kitchen for little money. You can also update the pulls on the cabinet  doors/drawers, and counter tops.

Bathrooms - The same thing goes here as in the Kitchen. If money allows you can always update the shower and flooring.  If not, just changing out the light fixtures a little paint will go a long way.

Upgrade - If you are changing out items in your home, and your budget allow you to do so, upgrade what you put in. Remember, if you ever do decide to sell the other homes around you will likely be your competition. What can you put in that maybe some other homes won’t have? Just don’t over improve your home- that can be costly and you will not get that money back!

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