Although you don’t want home shoppers looking down on your home, they will be looking down at what is under their feet. A buyer will downgrade your home’s value if your floors are in bad shape. On the flip side, if your home’s flooring is well done and in excellent condition, buyers will pay more for it. Maximizing your profit without compromising your investment dollars is certainly the goal, but if your flooring and carpeting are not in salable shape, you need to take inventory. There is no point in spending money unnecessarily if the improvements do not add significant value or help the home sell more quickly, but you do have options that don’t break the budget. Repairs and thorough cleaning of your floors are the least expensive way, by and large, to bring them up to salable standards. Take stock of your home’s flooring by moving furniture out of the way and noting condition, scratches, stains, or blemishes. List what needs to be replaced, cleaned, or repaired. Carpets can be steam cleaned to eliminate stains and odors. If the carpets are path-worn and dull, you can replace them easily with other kinds of economical flooring with a reasonable ROI, although carpeting does make a room feel cozy. Laminate floors can be repaired cosmetically with repair kits found at home improvement stores. Hardwood flooring can be easily refinished if the wood is worn or water damaged. Seek the advice of a flooring professional because real wood floors add a level of quality to a home that laminate floors cannot.
TIPS FOR KITCHEN AND BATH
The first thing to determine in making upgrades to your kitchen and bath is what, in your opinion, constitutes a substantial investment. The key is to consider mass appeal for the sake of resale value.
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