Home Selling Advice - Improvements to the Inside of your Home

Improvements to the Inside of your Home

OK so you have fixed up the outside of your home so it is attracvive to buyers, the next step is to fix the interior.

Bathroom and Kitchen Fixtures

Make sure your bathroom and Kitchen fixtures are in good condition, with no leaks or stains. If you have to, buy some inexpensive faucets and replace the old ones. One of the things that the home inspector checks for is water pressure, so make sure you get good water-flow from all your faucets.

Walls and Ceilings

All walls and ceilings should be clean, and look in good condition. A big red flag for a buyer are water stains, if its from an old leak then repaint the area. If it is from a current leak then this will need to be fixed and then the water damaged area repainted.

If your color schemes are very bold then you may want to repaint more netural colors, remember it will not be your home soon and the intention is to cater for the potential buyers tastes not yours.

Floor Coverings

If you have a old carpet with marks or a carpet with a non-neutral color then you may want to replace it. Otherwise leave it alone except for maybe a cleaning. You rarely get money back spent on carpet but it does help your home sell.

If tiles are broken then they will need replacing. If the tiles are in good condition but the grout is discolored you may want to re-grout. This can be a great way of making a bathroom look like new.

Windows

Make sure your windows open easily and that you do not have broken glass. If you do have a broken window then replace the glass, it will just come up in the inspection report. If your windows are painted make sure the paint is in good order.

Doors

Make sure doors do not stick or sqeek when opened or closed. Also make sure the locks / keys work correctly.

Pet and Smoke Smells

If a non-smoking buyer is looking round a home where the owner smokes the smell can be an instant turn off. The smoke smell needs to be eliminated as much as possible. In really bad situations this may mean replacing the carpets and drapes. Once the smell has been minimized then do not smoke inside, you will just be wasting all the time , effort, and expense you have just incurred. Smells can be addressed by sprays but make sure you are not just masking the smell with another one.

Animals create a different kind of problem. If you have a dog then make sure they have regular baths and keep them outside as much as possible. With cats empty the little tray regularly. If the house has been spayed by your cat then these areas can be treated with special sprays that contain enzymes which tackle the odors and stains.

Other Repairs

Unless you are going to get back more money than you invest do not do any expensive remodelling, especially if you have to borrow money in order to do it. This may impact your credit score and thus harm your ability to buy your next home.

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