6 Worth the price

By Dale Ross

When preparing your house for the market, there are some fix-ups that cost a lot if you do them and some that will cost you a lot if you don't. While some of these items are not inexpensive, the return you will realize will be more than the cost of the fix-up.

1.       Staging - The aesthetic preparation to enhance the emotional feeling of your house. Buyers buy on emotion then logic. When they FEEL your house is for them, then they will use logic to either enforce or eliminate that feeling. Staging usually costs about $300. It has been proven to return up to 30 times the cost. This is one cost I pay for you when you list your house with me because like you, I want your house to sell for the highest possible price. Call in the stager when YOU think the house is ready to show and let them add the final touches.

2.       Paint - If you think your paint is tired or the wrong color, then so will a buyer. This is one of those not so cheap items that comes with an easy 150% return on your money or will cost you as much as 1000% of the cost of a paint job if the paint is poor. Touch up only if the paint matches perfectly, otherwise repaint the entire wall(s). Always paint a neutral color and hire a professional painter. Bad paint jobs have the same value as worn out paint.

3.       Landscaping - It's all about curb appeal. If the lawn looks great, the first impression will be a good one. If the lawn looks sad….need I say more?

4.       The front door - A weathered front door is just plain ugly. It's a $250 expense that changes the complexion of the entire front of the house and is a component contributing to the first impression.

5.       Clean it - This is common sense. Closely inspect your light fixtures, baseboards, shower glass, and faucets. Look for dusty counters, drapes, blinds and ceiling fan blades. If it is supposed to shine, then make it shine. If it is supposed to be clear, then make it clear. HINT - Use "Bar Keepers Friend" on soap scum, shower glass and tile.

6.       The Floor - Clean enough to eat from. Well, no one is going to eat from the floor but you get the picture. Shine up your wood floors, have your tile grout cleaned, clean your carpet unless it is worn out and then replace it and don't let the pets back on it.

Obviously, these are just a few items that really matter when hoping to sell your house. With so many houses on the market, not all houses will sell. If you want yours to sell, it MUST have an advantage over the other dozens of houses to choose from.

Why do my listings sell? Because when you list your house with me, I provide a 64 item checklist of the most important items that your buyer will scrutinize, I am up front about what you MUST do in order to sell AND I pay for the stager. I only want your house to sit on the market as long as YOU want it to sit on the market. Otherwise, let's sell it fast AND for top dollar! Dale Ross. 281-599-6575.

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