Tips for Building Resale Value

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When you're motivated to get the most from your sale, it pays to add property value through preparation. Get started today with some of these tips:

Have your local real estate agent evaluate your home. As a professional, they know what sells and what doesn't in your area. They will assist you in determining how to spend your money wisely to get the best return.

1. Pay for a home inspection. A certified home inspector will point out those areas needing fixing, correction, or removal.

2. Clear up landscaping messes and debris. Add regionally appropriate and low-maintenance plants and ground cover.

3. Paint your walls to a neutral but modern color. Gone are the instructions for all-white walls. Stick to gray or taupe tones though, to give a hint of timeless freshness. Remove dated, stained, peeling, or faded wallpaper. Instead of replacing it, finish and paint the area in a neutral palette with an appropriate finish.

4. Request a home energy audit from your utility company. Most energy companies offer this service for free. Sometimes simply making changes to lighting or adding insulation gives your house a higher energy rating. Efficient homes are generally more attractive to buyers.

5. If your home has "popcorn-style" texture on the ceiling, consider removing it. Replacing it with smooth plaster or a modernized surface increases your home’s value. Do not DIY this, however, until you make sure that your ceiling texture does not contain asbestos. Up until the late 70s, many textured ceiling preparations used asbestos flakes. If your home is newer than this, you're likely fine handling this on by yourself. An older home, however, requires a licensed professional with experience in asbestos removal and disposal.

6. While you’re at it, replace old light fixtures. Upgrade them with high-efficiency fixtures and for little expense, bring your home into the LED era. Upgrade exterior lights with automatic options to add a safety factor to your home's exterior.

7. Replace your roof. When living in storm-prone areas, hail or windstorm may cause damage that you cannot see and affect your roof’s integrity. Get a roof inspection (most roofing contractors do this for free). If your roof is storm damaged, contact your homeowner’s insurance to see about replacing it. In some policies, storm damage replacement has time limitations. If you've experienced heavy hail or windstorms, immediately have your roof evaluated or you may end up paying for repairs yourself. While a new roof may not increase your sale price, a damaged roof will lower it.

8. Expose your hardwood. When you have wood flooring hiding underneath stained, faded, or worn carpeting, take time to remove the carpeting and expose the hardwood. Refinish the floor if you can do so. Even if you cannot, use some of these quick fixes to make your wood floors appear inviting to homebuyers.

When in doubt, always refer to number one above: call your real estate pro. They’ll help you determine the best options for you to get the most from your home.