Three Home Improvements to Avoid When Selling Your House

 

If you decide to sell your house you want to make sure it looks great to increase your return on investment.  You might choose to renovate, but be careful because not all renovations are a good idea.  Here are three renovations that are not worth the time and money:

  

1.      Installing a pool.  You might think it's a good idea to install a pool because you like swimming, but not everybody does.  Owning a pool can be a hassle to maintain, so not that many people care about having one, especially if they have small children as it can be a safety hazard, unless it's surrounded by a fence.

2.      Adding an expensive upgrade such as a wine cellar or a jacuzzi.  These things don't appeal to everybody and most people aren't willing to pay more for them.

3.      Creating a room for a certain purpose.  You might enjoy playing music or you might work from home, but that doesn't mean your potential buyers will. 

Four Renovations to Sell Your Home Faster

Potential home buyers prefer a home that doesn't need any work so they don't have to spend any extra money.  It's important to make renovations that appeal to a lot of people instead of making them too personal.  If you're thinking of selling your house there are renovations you can do to help increase the value and sell it faster:

Floors 
Most buyers favour hard-wood or laminate as it adds elegance and charm to any space.  It's also easy to maintain and can last a long time if properly taken care of.

Walls
Repainting the walls is one of easiest and cost-effective renovations.  It can completely change the way a space looks. Be sure to use neutral colours as they will brighten up the rooms and make them more appealing.

Kitchen
Keep the kitchen clean and organized and put in new appliances and fixtures.  The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house so an updated one will definitely attract more potential buyers.

Bathroom
This is a frequently used room so it's a good idea to touch it up.  Maybe add a fresh coat of paint.  If needed add cupboards or replace the faucet.  Install flow reducers on the sink and shower so less water is used.

Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

 

Are you thinking about selling your house?  You want to make sure your house looks great before it's viewed.  People are going to envision it as their house so you want to leave them with a great first impression.  Here are a few things you should do before you start showing your house:

• Depersonalize the house by putting away family photos and other personal items.

 

• Organize all your closets and put your shoes/boots away neatly.  Clean out your garage and get rid of any junk.

• Make necessary renovations such as putting in new floors, replacing the windows or painting the walls.

• Replace your appliances or make your current ones spotless so everything looks new.

 

• Curb appeal is important so tidy up the front yard and the backyard.  If you have children pick up all the toys and put them away.  Cut the grass and trim the bushes.  Make sure the lights outside work and replace them if necessary.

 

• Make all the beds and open all the drapes for natural light.  Clean the bathrooms and put out new mats and fresh towels.

• Ensure the house has a nice smell.  Avoid smells such as cigarette smoke as this can chase away potential buyers.

Get Ready for the Spring Market!

According to statistics the best time to sell your house is from April to July. 

Year	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Spring Avg	Non-Spring Avg	Spring Bump %	Average Price	Price Increase %
2008	356	363	350	310	345	208	66%	344,902	-
2009	314	332	417	351	353	224	58%	358,345	4%
2010	380	394	309	288	343	244	41%	385,828	8%
2011	345	366	349	312	343	240	43%	413,134	7%
2012	354	364	311	293	331	226	46%	453,382	10%

As per the table above May is the month with the most activity.  People attempt to sell their house in May so they can enjoy the summer and get settled before the Fall, especially if they have children going to school.  As you can see average sale prices have been increasing over the last four years, so if you want to list your home and sell it quickly now is the time.