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How I Get A House Ready For Sale...the curb appeal
Yesterday, I wrote a humorous blog entry entitled, "How To NOT Sell Your House". It was written as the first entry of my new blog, and as a contest entry at Problogger. I guess it takes a contest to get me motivated to finally start my blog about real estate investing. Today I will go through how I get an investment house ready for sale. This is the first part dealing with the curb appeal.
This is with the scenario that you have just purchased a fixer upper for resale. A fixer upper can be a wide variety of descriptions. Sometimes it only needs cosmetic fixes, such as updating, upgrading, and cleaning and painting. Other times there are a whole range of structural issues that have to be dealt with. Today, I will be talking about the cosmetic type fixer.
You have just purchased the home, and your list of needed items to work on or replace looks something like this.
Mailbox needs painting, grass needs cutting, and edged, need new landscaping, including flowers around mailbox, and a pot of flowers by the front door, rotted trim around garage door needs replaced, all the trim and the shutters need painted, and there is an accumulation of trash in the backyard that needs to be removed. This is where you start. All the cosmetics on the outside. You need to base the elaborateness of the new landscaping on the neighborhood, and the price range of the house. Sometimes all you have to do is trim the bushes and trees. Other things that are often needed to give the house a better curb appeal are new lighting by the front door, and possibly some landscape lights. Solar is the easiest, since there is no wiring involved. Other things on or around the door may be a new door bell, a door knocker, and a kick plate. Possibly a nice looking storm door should be added. New door knobs for outside doors, and locks are a good idea. Then for the finishing touch, a pretty wreath that compliments the color you painted the door. Of course good taste, and keeping a color scheme in mind should be practiced. Why do I start with the front? One reason is because of the first impression of the house. People will immediately notice that the house is improving, and may tell friends about it (potential buyers). Also, later when you are almost finished with the inside, you can go ahead and take those pictures for advertising. By the time you have set up the advertising, you are finished with the house.
Check back tomorrow to find out where I start on the inside.
Please feel free to comment. Add additional insight, disagree, or a general comment. Also, you can find a list of feed readers to the left, or subscribe by email.
This is with the scenario that you have just purchased a fixer upper for resale. A fixer upper can be a wide variety of descriptions. Sometimes it only needs cosmetic fixes, such as updating, upgrading, and cleaning and painting. Other times there are a whole range of structural issues that have to be dealt with. Today, I will be talking about the cosmetic type fixer.
You have just purchased the home, and your list of needed items to work on or replace looks something like this.
Mailbox needs painting, grass needs cutting, and edged, need new landscaping, including flowers around mailbox, and a pot of flowers by the front door, rotted trim around garage door needs replaced, all the trim and the shutters need painted, and there is an accumulation of trash in the backyard that needs to be removed. This is where you start. All the cosmetics on the outside. You need to base the elaborateness of the new landscaping on the neighborhood, and the price range of the house. Sometimes all you have to do is trim the bushes and trees. Other things that are often needed to give the house a better curb appeal are new lighting by the front door, and possibly some landscape lights. Solar is the easiest, since there is no wiring involved. Other things on or around the door may be a new door bell, a door knocker, and a kick plate. Possibly a nice looking storm door should be added. New door knobs for outside doors, and locks are a good idea. Then for the finishing touch, a pretty wreath that compliments the color you painted the door. Of course good taste, and keeping a color scheme in mind should be practiced. Why do I start with the front? One reason is because of the first impression of the house. People will immediately notice that the house is improving, and may tell friends about it (potential buyers). Also, later when you are almost finished with the inside, you can go ahead and take those pictures for advertising. By the time you have set up the advertising, you are finished with the house.
Check back tomorrow to find out where I start on the inside.
Please feel free to comment. Add additional insight, disagree, or a general comment. Also, you can find a list of feed readers to the left, or subscribe by email.
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