Be Cautious With Improvements – You may also want to make some “value added”, and possibly costly, home improvements before you put the house on the market.  Before you do, ask your agent to help you determine the best improvements for your home.   Don’t go overboard in remodeling.  That is, don't invest so much money into improvements that your home exceeds the value of the other houses in the neighborhood.

 

o         Paint.  This is the #1 payback in home improvements.  Repainting your home will always pay, but to avoid this expense, try washing your home's exterior and touching it up.

 

o                 The Kitchen.  A remodeled kitchen is always an attractive element to a buyer.  In the kitchen, spend your money first on quality appliances, such as the dishwasher, stove and refrigerator. Then, if you still have room to spend, go to the sink, counter tops and cabinets. If you can't afford new cabinets, simply replacing the knobs can really make a difference.

 

            o         The Bathroom.  Buyers like bathrooms with plenty of storage space and natural light.  If you are adding space to your bathroom, it is smart to leave the sink, toilet and the shower or bathtub where they are.  If you move them, you

could have to pay to reroute the plumbing, which requires tearing up the floors

and putting in new pipes. That's going to kill your pocketbook for sure and won't be paid back when you resell the house.

 

o                 Bedrooms and Storage.  In two-bedroom houses, it pays to add another bedroom. However, after the third bedroom, additional bedrooms don't increase the home's value as much. Adding closets and built-in storage almost always pays. Everybody seems to have more junk than they have places to put it.

 

            o         Fireplaces.   Fireplaces are at the top of the list of buyers allover the United

States, excluding the warmer regions of the nation.  You don't necessarily have to hire a brick mason to install one either, as many companies offer cheaper, pre-made models that will heat the home just as effectively. If you can afford to hire a mason, a built-in, brick fireplace would be a beautiful addition to your home.

 

o                 Wooden decks.   Decks are more popular now than concrete patios, but if you really want the deck addition to payoff, enclose it with ornamental trees, hedges or vine covered trellises for additional privacy.

 

            o         Decorative windows, Doors and Skylights.  These can change the whole personality of the house making it more appealing to the buyers.

 

o         Landscaping.  Buyers usually prefer low-maintenance landscaping over extravagant yards that require constant weeding, watering and pruning.

            o         Furniture.  Even though your home furnishings are not part of the home's price, they influence the prospective buyer's overall impression of the house. What's great about buying new and attractive furniture and decorations is that unlike anew stove or sink, you get to take the couches and the tables with you when you move.

 

o         Pools Don’t Pay.  Unless you're one of the only houses in the neighborhood that doesn't have a pool, digging up your backyard will probably not pay for itself when you resell.  So save your money and put the pool in your new house, if you'd like.