Are you getting ready to put your house on the market and looking for a few quick repairs or upgrades that can make a significant difference in the selling price? While there are obviously there are several major repairs that are beyond the average homeowner’s skills, there is also an equal number that you can do by yourself that will help you to reach your goal.
The kitchen in the average house is the heart and soul of most homes and one of the first places most potential buyers spend the most time looking. The kitchen is also one of the biggest make or break points when it comes to not only selling your home but getting the best possible price.
Even on a tight budget you can install new faucets, replace the cabinet handles and drawer pulls, and update your light fixtures. While none of these are particularly expensive (you can do these for a few hundred dollars), they will make a big difference.
When you have more cash to work with, you can replace the cabinet doors, or if you are not quite comfortable with this, hire a cabinet refacing company. They can add new doors, new faces to the drawers and even replace countertops for a couple of thousand dollars. Consider this to be money well spent as doing so can add several thousand dollars to your selling price. Of course, if you are handy with tools, you can buy complete refacing kits from several major home improvement stores.
If you have lived in your home for several years, chances are good that your kitchen now has appliances that no longer match. While having a “mix and match” kitchen may not bother you, it is likely to bother potential buyers. While most appliances may have to be replaced to obtain a uniform color, some like your dishwasher have multiple color panels hidden on the door. All you need to do is remove the screws on one side of the door, slide out the panels and choose the color you want. Ultimately, you could have to spend a little cash to create a matched look, but again the investment will be well worth it when it comes to selling your home.
The floor in your kitchen has taken a lot of abuse and heavy traffic over the years and may not look its best. This is one area where you may not be able to do the work yourself. Take a good look at your floor, if it looks dingy, scuffed, or damaged, consider upgrading to a new floor. However, unless you are familiar with laying tile, linoleum, or Pergo® style flooring, you should plan to hire a professional to do the work for you.
The basic concept behind this is that since your kitchen is going to be the one room that undergoes the most scrutiny by potential buyers, it needs to be the one room where you invest the most time and money in making it shine. One last thing to consider, if you own a lot of countertop appliances, find somewhere in a cupboard to keep them when showing your home as this will help make the countertops look more spacious.
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