If you are fortunate enough to have a house of your own, you probably know well just how much work went into that house. Even if it is not entirely yours just yet and you are still paying off your mortgage, a gigantic chunk of money has probably already been spent on it. The repainting, double glazed windows, that one cupboard you always wanted, a comfy sofa, nice table and just about anything that else comes to mind. Not to mention all the emotional investment, seeing everything slowly come together, remembering what it was like when some of the walls were missing, ah, good times. Despite all of this, you might want to consider that at some point in the future, for whatever reason that may be, you might just want to sell the house and move on. Maybe to a different country, maybe just down the street because you just so feel like it. Regardless, it is a very possible scenario, especially with the recent increase in property prices in most big cities, selling your property could prove to be extremely profitable. Alternatively, if you turn enough of a profit on selling a single house, you could even go into the real estate business, the sky’s the limit.
Be money-smart, but don’t cheap out
If you just bought your house, chances are you are not planning to sell it anytime soon, if you are considering selling it however, you have probably been there for a while now and the house might be starting to show some wear and tear here and there. Profitable resale in the housing market is most definitely possible, so don’t think fixing up some things and renovating a bit is a mere formality, it is an almost surefire investment. In order to properly renovate a home, you have to keep that mindset so that your heart does not weep for your pockets too much during the process.
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First impressions
Now, considering either you or an estate agent is eventually going to be taking people around to see the property sometime in the future, what is the first thing that the customer is going to see? That’s right, the front porch and front yard (if there is one) along with the path leading up to the door. This might seem trivial at first, but you have to understand that, first impressions are often the single most important factor when trying to sell anything, especially when you are selling a place to live. Fixing up your front yard just might sell make you the sale. Despite it sounding somewhat obvious, keeping things nice and tidy out front is very impacting on the overall appearance of the house. Nicely swept pathwalk, a freshly mowed lawn with that glorious smell of grass, few shrubs here and there and maybe a potted plant next to the door are the things which are going to have a major impact on potential buyers perception of the whole property. If you are not very garden-savvy or you just have no aesthetic sense whatsoever, consider hiring a landscaper to work his magic for you. Alternatively, see if you have some friend who has a bit of a green thumb to either teach you some things or do it for you. Make sure to reward them handsomely with tea and biscuits afterwards.
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The toasty heart of the home
The kitchen is a very important part of the house, not only is it used by everyone except extremely rich business people who only dine out or teenagers unable to cook rice, but it is often a clear way of telling the hygiene level of the previous owners. Old kitchen appliances like 9 year old toasters covered in grime and dirt with a few non-functioning buttons, stained electric kettles with limescale galore on the walls, slightly tilted faucet and sink area showing its ever-moist presence by the slight mould on the nearby walls. For a mere few hundred, it is possible to give your kitchen its well-deserved facelift after all these years. Get some new cabinet doors, alternatively, if your cabinet doors are in good shape then just give them a good scrub. If some of the handles are loose or unsightly in one way or another, also attend to them or get new ones. If your cabinets do need to probably be replaced, keep in mind that it is possible to repaint them, which is the second best thing. A fresh coat of paint is sure to bring the whole room’s fresh appearance together. Now, the kitchen appliances have been touched upon briefly, but let’s see how you can make the most of this. Instead of just getting cheap new appliances which will look fresh for the time of the sale, why not go the extra mile and invest in a set of matching ones? A kettle that matches the toaster and the blender will emphasize the aesthetic appeal of the kitchen in a way most people wouldn’t even consider.
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Unwanted tenants
There is one issue which is a dealbreaker for probably the large majority of people who are looking to buy a house, namely, pests. Be it rats or cockroaches or bed bugs, no one wants to have those crawling around the house at night when they are sleeping. Bugs are often a sign of laziness of the previous owners which doesn’t bode too well for the image of the house. Bugs and other household pests usually find their way inside the house for 2 major reasons, because it is cold and they want somewhere safe to stay, or because someone keeps leaving food out all the time and it is attracting half of the animal kingdom. Now, the first one needs some actual preventing, making sure you lock up all doors properly, if you see something walking around throw it out rather than ignoring it until it is too late, you get the picture. The second one however just portrays you as a lazy slob of an owner, which once again badly reflects on how alert and suspicious the buyer is going to be while looking around the property. Leaving around traps found at the local hardware shop is a good way of culling the population of certain pests like ants, rodents, cockroaches or termites, but it will only get you so far. If you want to fully get rid of creepy crawlies from around your humble abode, chances are you will need to call the experts, like the Go-Forth Pest Control. When investing in pest control, you should go for a reliable, established brand. The last thing you want is people walking around your house doing whatever they see fit with the possible option of you needing to leave the property for longer than needed. If they don’t succeed, you will have to call them back and you will end up paying twice anyway so you might as well just get it over and done with once but properly.
Cleanliness is next to godliness
Another place where hygiene is of utmost importance is the bathroom. If anyone comes over and sees some unsightly tiles hanging off the wall a bit, dirty towels, too much random clutter under the sink, they are not going to be too impressed. When making the bathroom presentable, there are a few key points to focus on. If like many homes, your house has a tile floor in the bathroom which at this point looks like it has seen better days, you might want to do something about that. Sadly for you, replacing tiles can be such a pain, costly too. An easier yet effective thing to do would be putting down some vinyl tiles, in a best-case scenario you won’t even need to remove the old floor, just lay the tiles over the current one. If you have a shower curtain around your bathtub or shower, chances are it might look a bit gross after a few years of use. Moist and damp areas have a tendency to be soon inhabited by mould, shower curtains are often prime suspects when it comes to housing large amounts of it, so changing them every now and then wouldn’t hurt, especially when trying to sell the house. Even without wanting to sell the house, getting rid of mould won’t hurt you. Exposure to damp mouldy environments can cause a lengthy list of health risks. These include: nasal congestion, throat irritation, wheezing, coughing, eye irritation, skin irritation and tends to be especially harsh on people suffering from asthma. Needless to say, mould is not something to keep around yourself or your children and getting rid of any which you may find elsewhere in your house is greatly advised. Home solutions for removing mould very rarely work, and getting a professional called in to carry out the deed is also highly recommended.
All in all
These are just the huge areas of concern which should be addressed when renovating a house for sale, all the bedrooms, and living rooms and storage sheds and gardens need work too don’t you worry. But hygiene and not being scared of touching the kitchen table in case you may never be able to lift your hand again, are very important for any potential buyers. After all, they are looking for their own future home.
