Making Changes Can Be As Simple As Saying Brass Can Kiss My......
Bill and Liz Spears bring some great food for thought when looking at a home that needs a little TLC or a simple face lift updating it to today's needs and desires. Please leave your comments and input on Bill and Liz's page and please tell them that John McCormack, Albuquerque NM Realtor® sent you their way.
Brass Can Kiss My......
Okay, maybe we haven't had a buyer QUITE say that when looking at a home, but we've heard pretty close. Buyers think they own the market, and will act accordingly. If they see a home decorated from the 70s and the 80s, vintage fixtures and colors, they're probably walking. It's funny how trends come and go. Avocado and burnt orange appliances, shag carpet, sunken living rooms, all had their time in the spotlight....and who knows, maybe they will again! But for now, they're going to shave MASSIVE dollars off your home's resale value.
After watching HGTV and being convinced that STANDARD issue is stainless, granite and the like....they WANT IT. Now what they want isn't always in touch with reality.....sorry, you DON'T get stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, glass back splashes and heated bathroom floors at under $200k in our area, and probably not under $300k either.
However, as a home seller, you CAN do some things relatively cheaply that significantly increase the inside appeal of your home without shattering your bank account.And right at the top of the list is kicking Brass fixtures to the curb. Door knobs and light fixtures are the chief offenders, but don't forget your kitchen cabinet handles, drawer pulls and hinges, outside light fixture by the door and everywhere else you have it!
If you've got any handyman capabilities at all, you can make a major difference in your home in a weekend or two. A quick trip to your favorite hardware store or fixture establishment (bricks and mortar OR online, your choice) and you can have most of what you need pretty readily. For the most part, the only tool you'll need is a screwdriver or two.
Let's start by swapping the door knobs out. Lever style is popular, but don't forget that Jr. and Little Missy can open them pretty easily, and yes, even Charlie the Labradoodle can probably master them. You're probably going to need about 30 minutes per door max to switch out the knob and the latch strikeplate. After you get the hang of it with the first one, you'll be a whiz! And as long as you're at it, you might want to swap out the door hinges too. A second set of hands would REALLY come in handy for this part.
Light fixtures are actually pretty easy to swap but DON'T FORGET ABOUT ELECTRICAL SAFETY! And if electricity scares the tar out of you, that's okay. You SHOULD have a healthy fear of it. Buy the fixtures and have someone that does it for a living install them.
Kitchen updating is a little more time consuming, because you've probably got dozens and dozens of cabinet handles and drawer pulls...and hinges, lots and lots of hinges. But again, you can find some nice pulls and knobs relatively economically, and you can save some money on the hinges by removing and spray painting them. Again, probably $200-300 bucks and you've made a serious change in your kitchen appearance.
Now the next step is going to be a bit tougher, AND more expensive, but take a look at your kitchen sink fixtures and your bathroom fixtures. You're going to need more than a screwdriver to swap these out, and again, you MAY want to hire a professional for these swap outs. Last thing you want to do is flood your home with an improperly installed faucet! And don't forget the toilet handle too!
So you can take the brass eradication campaign as far as you want, or as little as you want. If you swap everything out we recommend and have pretty good handyman capabilities, you can probably remove every trace of brass for well under a few grand. It'll make a HUGE difference in the impression your home makes on buyers, and just might be the difference between "NEXT", and "Julie, where's the contract to offer?".
So our recommendation, tell brass to take a hike BEFORE you put your home on the market!
Serving Warren County's residential real estate needs,Liz and Bill aka BLiz
P.S. Not sure just how far to go in updating your home before putting it on the market? Just call The Liz Spear Team of RE/MAX Elite! We'll give you our assessment of what makes sense for YOUR home!
The Liz Spear Team
Elizabeth & William Spear
RE/MAX Elite: Ask for us by name if you visit the office!
Two locations: Lebanon & Mason, OH
Office direct: 513-248-3660 Liz direct: 513-265-3004
Bill direct: 513-520-5305 Fax: 866-302-8418MailTo: Liz@LizSpear.com Our Website: Warren County Ohio Homes
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John McCormack Owner/Managing Broker, e-PRO
505-980-4576 / John@AlbuquerqueHomes.com
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