If you are thinking of selling your home and taking advantage of a great sellers market, then read on!
You may have a home that you are comfortable in, but that you know may be dated in some ways. And at the same time, you may not have the time or an unlimited budget to ‘rehab’ or renovate the whole home. So should you do the exterior features, interior or both? Should you update kitchen and baths or get a new roof?
From my experience home shopping with buyers at every level, from the $250,000 shopper to the $2,000,000 buyer, there seem to be some universally attractive home features that appeal to all home buyers.
So here is my best advice from the past 12 months or so of activity:
- If you have a roof that is older than 10 years old, and looks worn from the exterior, that is probably one item that once updated, will absolutely help sell your home faster and for more money. The reasons are that insurance companies have now threatened to cancel or non-insure homeowners with older roofs. Insurance companies are having aerial/drone videos of roof conditions and penalizing homeowners with older roofs. Therefore, to be able to let a new buyer know that a home Is fully insurable with a newer roof is a huge deal. Depending on your market, a new asphalt shingle type roof may cost $15,000 for an 1800 to 2000 sq ft home. Some areas might be higher, and metal roofs are costing more –but oftentimes worth it.
- The next thing on your home to do list—believe it or not –before you tackle anything else –is the flooring. Apparently, buyers today of any ilk and any budget hate carpeting! They also do not like a change in flooring from room to room. Take a look at your floors. Are they dated? Do you have different flooring in every room? Do you have carpeting in bedrooms? If you can put one nice laminate or tile floor (or wood if you are in a northern state), that might be the smartest interior upgrade you can do to realize a much, much higher sale price. And I might say that I still love cushy carpeting in bedrooms, and have it in my own home. The advice I am giving is simply for if you want to sell right now. And in Florida, the market I primarily serve, there is no grey area—tile or laminate –everywhere!
- A nice, open, light colored kitchen with a white quartz or simple looking counter –and lighter or light colored cabinet with newer appliances is a big deal when selling your home. A sink that is a bit larger with a fancy faucet and tiled backsplash that complements the cabinets and brings in the counter. If that cannot be done—than the major thing is –to have your kitchen absolutely immaculate.
- It is sometimes easy to shop and get a new toilet, sink and vanity –as well as one piece shower for very little cost. A clean, almost new looking bath is a huge deal to a new buyer. I always say, a buyer can leave their own home a mess and run out house shopping. Once they are house shopping –they will not tolerate the same level of dirt or mess in a home they intend to buy. A good rule of thumb: get your bathroom to look like a hotel. Make sure it is just clean, bright, and uncluttered. Make sure it is absolutely devoid of any kind of dirt –in toilets, tubs or sinks.
- Wall colors. Funny enough, I used to say –just paint the walls an off-while, it makes the rooms look larger and a new buyer will want to change what you pick anyway. I used to advise sellers to stay away from any color choice at all. Today, I want to say: pick a nice palette of popular colors and go from room to room, making sure it matches the décor you have. So for Florida, a variety of coastal blues, very light greens (that complement the blues you pick) and soft, silver or even charcoal grey tones works very well, in almost every home and appeals to almost every buyer. Gone are the days of chocolate browns and mocha. I would have recommended yellow –but that is gone along with peaches. If you must do a yellow—make sure it is light mustard or with a lot of cream color mixed in. To use a cameo type pink or sophisticated lavender–although very attractive and colors I might like myself, is taking a risk when selling your home. Stay safe, and visit a paint store. Ask them to show you the top 5 most popular colors that designers and decorators are opting for, or that new home builders are asking for, and use those!
The author is Carolyn Mac Evoy, Broker of Mac Evoy Real Estate Co., a 2nd generation real estate firm, started in NJ and continued in Florida. Should you be needing housing or commercial property or farm land in Florida, please contact her at: carolyn@macevoy.org or by calling 772.925.4791.
