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Cheap Makeovers that Boost the Value of Your Rental Property or Home

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Published Date: 2012-07-19

When you’re ready to put your home on the market, you don’t want to have to sink thousands of dollars into upgrades and remodeling projects. The best time for those kinds of changes are while you’re living in the home anyways, and you can take advantage of those upgrades for at least a little while. When it comes time to sell, it’s all about making the home marketable and valuable in the eyes of prospective buyers. Fortunately, there are some relatively easy and inexpensive techniques you can use to boost your home’s value: Unclutter your home. This is the first and most important element in a cheap home makeover. You need to go into every room and every nook and cranny. Clear off your dressers, empty your cabinets, and clear out the pantry. Remove any large furniture that’s too big for the room. Get rid of stuff you don’t need. Throw away trash. Keep the things that you do need, but consider putting some of it into storage if you’re trying to sell your home. You can retrieve all of that stuff when it’s time to move, but the people viewing your home aren’t interested in seeing it. Put on a fresh coat of paint. There is some debate about the impact a fresh coat of paint has on a home’s interior. After all, it’s possible that the new owners will want to repaint anyways. Still, a fresh coat of paint throughout the home using room-brightening colors will help to create a clean slate. You want those people who are thinking about buying to be able to visualize the home how they want it, and neutral colors help to do that. If it’s broken, fix it. This can get on the expensive side, of course. However, we’re not talking about broken appliances (just throw those away and don’t replace them). We’re thinking more like blemishes to the carpet, nicks in the wall, or that spot on the kitchen table where your daughter spilled nail polish remover. You’ll want to fix any small item that is visibly broken or that is obviously in need of repair. Replace your window treatments. If you currently have window treatments that are out of date or that only serve to darken a room, it’s time to replace them. Home buyers (and home residents) love to walk into a bright room. Not only will it boost the value of your home, it will help to improve both mood and mental acuity while you’re living there. Replace cabinet doors and/or knobs. One of the quickest and easiest ways to make a kitchen look better is by updating your cabinets. For usually less than $50, you can replace all of the knobs on your kitchen cabinets with new ones that are more current in terms of style, and that look bright and shiny. You might consider replacing or repainting your cabinets, or even just your doors (although that’s obviously stepping into a more expensive arena). Make it smell good. There are two aspects to this: Get rid of any lingering smells in the house and create new ones. The former is harder than the latter, at times. If you have pets, think seriously about boarding them (with a friend) until the house sells. Make sure you use carpet cleaners designed to get rid of pet smells, and that the pet hair is off all of the furniture. Check for moldy smells around drains and fixtures, and treat them, as well. To make it smell good, add fresh flowers, install some air fresheners, and even consider baking a batch of fresh cookies when you’re having an open house. Power-wash your exterior. If the exterior of your house is still in good repair, there’s not necessarily a compelling reason to paint it. In many cases, a simple power washing will do. If you don’t have a power washer, you may be able to borrow one from the local appliance rental business. A couple of hours of power washing can really make the exterior of the rental property sparkle, and greatly increase your curb appeal. Getting your home ready to sell doesn’t have to be expensive. Simple and quick activities like these have been proven to increase your home’s selling price, and to help it sell faster. If you want to get as much as possible out of your home, consider implementing these cheap home makeovers today. Editor Note: These tips can easily be applied to getting your home ready for renters and tenants. About the Author: Nick Simpson is Social Media Coordinator at Blindsgalore, a leading provider ofbamboo shades and faux wood blinds. In addition to their standard product lines, Blindsgalore carries a number of additional lines, including elegant natural wood blinds. This article was contributed by Blindsgalore. By publishing this article, CHBO does not make any endorsement or recommendation of the products or services promoted in this article


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