HEATHER MCDIARMID - THE FOR SALE BY OWNER GUIDE

When planning to repaint, include everything. Paint the ceilings, the trim and window casings, and the doors. Do not forget the closets. And, of course, paint the walls. Make sure you paint the right way. An artist creates a new painting on a plain, primed canvas. Through your efforts with painting, you are delivering your potential buyers a clean, primed canvas, where they can imagine their family in your home. Keeping all of this in mind, use neutral colors. That does not mean everything must be lifeless or stark white. That can have a negative effect as well. Rather, you want colors to be unobtrusive. Stick with gray, beige, off-white, and white. If you just painted the master bath turquoise and added cute polka-dot trim, change it! Remember, a blank canvas opens the imagination to endless possibilities. Polka dots do not. Kitchen and Bath: Focus on these high-impact areas. Buyers are most turned off by dirty, grungy bathrooms and kitchens. Now, that doesn’t mean you can create stunning bathrooms and kitchens, while leaving the rest of the home a mess, and still expect to sell your house for top dollar. Just be sure to address your bathroom and kitchen first. Keep this in mind: potential buyers might forgive a less than stellar child’s room, but a questionable bathroom or kitchen could cost you a sale. Now it’s time to move on to another important issue — appliances. New appliances can be a great idea or a waste of money. Fortunately, you can follow a few guidelines to make the big decision.

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