How to Enhance
Your Home Market Value
Without Spending a Ton of Money

There are lots of ways to improve your home market value.

Obviously, home market value of any property will be in a range that's dependent upon sale prices of recently sold homes in the same area, of similar size, style, features, improvements and physical condition.

What you can do to improve your property value within that range will depend upon your willingness to follow a recipe:

a pinch of cash, a dash of imagination, a stirring of creativity, physical effort to taste, all combined with a large dose of objectivity.

Keep in mind that the buying process is based, for a large part, on ...

Emotion

Provided the property has the basic required ingredients, the buyer's decision will be based primarily on how they feel about your home. The more excited they are about the prospect of making your home theirs, the more they'll desire it. And when this magic occurs, the better the chances of obtaining not just an offer, but an outstanding offer reflecting a higher home market value.

So, you need to seriously ...

Turn On Your Home

Start with cleanliness and tidiness.

Not much else affects house values more than dirt. Nobody really wants to buy an unkempt house, even if their own is in the same nasty condition. They want a clean slate. Afterward, their personal lifestyle choices will manifest their own custom mess. So, ensure your house is clean, inside and out. Wash everything. Steam clean the carpets, Sanitize the kitchen and bathrooms. Make everything sparkle, including large and small appliances, but particularly the large if they're included on the listing.

And let me make this perfectly clear - window glass must be absolutely clear. If a thermal seal is broken, consider having it replaced. If glass is cracked or broken, replace it. And no nose smears from your exuberant dog. Don't leave any dirty laundry lying around either. And change your bedding regularly. You may not be aware of a bad odour, but a stranger certainly will. Another turn off.

If the paint is old, in rough condition or simply out of style ...

Paint It

... with a new popular neutral colour and shade. It's probably the easiest thing to do to enhance home market values. If you're not a good 'straight-line' painter, ask a friend to help because an amateur paint job will turn people off. Hire a professional painter if necessary. Get three competitive quotes, with references. You'd be surprised how inexpensive it is to have it done by a pro.

If the carpet is old, worn or a colour that won't generally be appealing to the masses, replace it with a reasonable quality in a neutral colour. Groovy orange shag just won't do. Or replace it with hardwood or engineered wood plank. Yes - it'll cost more, but the result will likely be a higher property value. I've seen it happen.

Is your front door in rough shape? Would a good coat of enamel paint salvage it? If not, you might consider installing a new door and/or lock-set. And replace the torn screen. The same goes for the garage door. A dented and scratched door is a downer. Paint it or replace it.

First Impressions

... are extremely important. As a buyer prospect wanders through your home, they'll be consciously or unconsciously seeking to justify that first impression. If they feel negative at your front door, they'll look for more negative aspects of your home during the viewing to justify that first bad impression.

It's fairly common knowledge that landscaping improves home market value. If your home is a freehold (not condominium), to improve your property value, I recommend a small investment in landscaping, particularly the front garden. Is your old concrete walkway cracked and heaving? Consider replacing it with a new poured walk, or maybe flagstone or interlock. Is the driveway cracked and rolling asphalt? At least have it repaired or re-coated, if not replaced completely. Interlock paved driveway? Get rid of the weeds in the cracks. Repair the lawn, edge, weed and mulch the gardens, and trim the shrubs. Plant some annuals. How about a couple of floral hanging baskets to add some charm?

By far, the most important rooms in the house are the ...

Kitchen and Bathrooms

I don't mean to sound sexist, but if the wife doesn't like the kitchen, the heart of the home, they usually don't buy the house. Is your counter-top damaged? Replace it. Does your faucet leak? Fix or replace it. How about the floor tile. Cracked or chipped ceramic? Consider a new floor. A new kitchen has one of the highest returns on investment. To seriously enhance your home market value, and for a possibly quicker sale and higher sale price, consider springing for new cabinetry if your old cupboards are 'cooked'.

Grubby bath rooms will definitely have an adverse effect on home market value. Make sure the grout around the bath tub is in good repair - without any mold. Is the bath tub enamel dulled from cleaning over the years with an abrasive cleaner? A re-finish is not that expensive, and can give it a new lease on life, with the added benefit of a more trendy colour. Chipped sink? Pop in a new one, with a new counter-top, to match the new tub colour. A new floor too won't cost much and will pay dividends. Clean, shiny bath rooms improve real estate values.

Bright Sells

An electric light fixture upgrade can also be an inexpensive way to increase home market value. And for goodness sake - make sure all burnt out light bulbs are replaced with the maximum allowable for the fixture.

It's a good idea to service your furnace and air conditioner, and any other mechanical equipment to ensure they're in top operating condition. And make sure any exhaust vents are clean and running smoothly and quietly.

Staging

Is your home over-furnished? Crowded? Is traffic flow inhibited in any way? Consider getting rid of excess furniture. Your rooms may appear larger, and certainly more inviting. And think minimal when it comes to decor pieces. Stow away your family photo collection, trophies and the like. Hide the giant stuffed marlin that's proudly hanging over your fireplace. And by all means, put away the authentic bear rug. It's called de-personalizing and de-cluttering. Oh, and have a chimney sweep in to clean your chimney and fireplace.

Do you have ...

Pets?

Most often, cats are not a problem, provided you keep the litter trays clean and out of the way. Dogs, however, present other challenges. Obviously, if they're defensive and/or aggressive, you'll have to either be home for the showings to handle Rover, or leave him with a friend or a kennel. Small dogs can be a problem too, if for no other reason than being noisy. And please - clean up after them. Stepping on a pile of s**t will not improve the chances of getting an offer. Also, many people have animal allergies and will head for the door in a flash as soon as they realize its unfriendly terrain.

If you have an ancient and yellowed ...

Honey-Do List

... of repairs on which you've been procrastinating , it's time to act. Before making a final commitment, most buyers insist on having a home inspection performed. Any damage or deficiencies will be noted on the report. And the more work and expense involved for the buyer to repair or replace things, the less inclined they'll be to buy your property. Or they may agree to remove the condition provided you either do the work by a deadline at your own expense, or reduce the price to reflect the cost to have the work done by a contractor or handyman. So, you may as well get busy.

Home market value is improved just with regular maintenance and improvements. If you've taken good care of your property over the years, keeping everything in good condition and renovating now and again, then you may be ready for market without the necessity of significant effort and a large expenditure. Plus, you'd have had the added benefit of enjoying the improvements of your home. So, to maintain and improve your home market value, it's a good idea to invest the time and money regularly during your ownership of the property.

Last Minute Stuff

... to possibly improve home market value? Yup.

Before the buyer and their agent arrive at your door, turn on all your lights - everywhere! Not only does bright make your home more welcoming, it also eliminates the necessity for the agent to search for light switches. They can concentrate on their client and address any questions or concerns that arise during the showing, and not in the car on the return trip to their office where it's more difficult. Avoid cooking any foods that will leave an after-odour, like fish or spicy dishes. They smell delicious to you, but might not to a buyer prospect.

Having said this, I've never met anyone who didn't love the wonderful aroma of baked bread or desserts. Cinnamon rolls are a great idea. You might even leave them fresh and warm on a plate for your guests (or your own REALTOR®) during the showing. Nice touch!

During a cold winter, before ...

Departing the House

... make sure your furnace is not in off-set mode, that is not set to a lower temperature. And turn on the fireplace if its gas, or start a fire in the fireplace (provided, of course, you have the right equipment for safe fires). Summertime? Make sure your air conditioning is on - but not set too cold.

It's best if you can vacate the house during the showing to provide the buyers with some privacy. If you're home, they may be uncomfortable about expressing themselves until after they've left. This eliminates the possibility of the agent addressing their concerns while actually in the house where they can more effectively resolve them. You want them to feel right at home, and not feel like they're invading your privacy. The more comfortable they feel, the higher the perceived home market value.

However, if you plan to be home, do your best to stay out of the way. Turn off all televisions and entertainment systems, make sure all beds are made, nobody is sleeping, there are no dirty dishes in the sink, and your toilets are flushed and seats down. Snow country? Shovel and salt your walkway and porch. Night time? Turn on exterior lights to welcome them to your door. It's really annoying for an agent to arrive at a front door in the dark, and have to open a lock-box to find the key, then the key hole. Think about it.

Bottom line? To improve your home market value, do your best to make your house look like a ...

Model Home

Trust me - your extra effort will pay off. The buyers will appreciate your pride of ownership. And your property will achieve a higher home market value.

For more information on selling a home and how a REALTOR® can help you obtain a higher home market value, click here.

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