The key is to focus your time and energy on where it will be the most effective. The living room is one of the most effective areas to stage. It can cost as little as a $30 can of paint and a few fresh plants to give your room a whole new look. This is particularly important. How easily buyers can see themselves in the home’s main gathering space is sure to affect that ROI we discussed earlier. In addition, the fact that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes is a maxim that has been repeated, over and over. The NAR study shows that this cliché is actually true. Making these rooms more appealing need not be expensive. Nearly any surface can be painted, as long as you find the right kind of paint to stick to the surface that you’re trying to freshen up. Other improvements, like new towels and new hardware for the cabinets, are simple to do, and combined, shouldn’t cost more than $100. A simple thing you can do anywhere in the house is to improve the lighting throughout the home. There is no need to go for the expensive LED bulbs; just focus on ensuring the highlights of your home are sufficiently well-lit so that it will create a warm atmosphere — $20 of new incandescent bulbs will go a long way to giving your home an expensive — but effective — makeover.
CURB APPEAL
Curb appeal represents the first impression your buyer will have as he or she comes up the driveway. You should plan on spending a little money here. Consider painting your doors and trimming your yard, getting some new plants, or even adding something extra like a decorative fountain.
Creating a positive first impression will have a big impact on how
13
Powered by FlippingBook