10 quick ways to upgrade your home
By Bankrate.com
Many people see huge dollar signs flash like neon lights whenever they hear the words "home improvement," but there are many things you can do to spiff up the old place without spending a fortune.
Upgrades
Here are 10 low-cost ideas that can pay high dividends to get you started:
10 cheap ways to upgrade your home
1.
Make your kitchen cook.
2.
Give appliances a face-lift.
3.
Buff up the bath.
4.
Paint works wonders.
5.
Step up storage.
6.
Mind the mechanics.
7.
Look under foot.
8.
Let there be light.
9.
Reframe your entry.
10.
Consider curb appeal.
1. Make your kitchen really cook. The kitchen is still considered the heart of the home. For a few hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones. If you've got a slightly larger budget, you can give the cabinets themselves a makeover. Rather than spring for a whole new cabinet system, which can be expensive, look into refacing the ones you have. Many companies will remove cabinet doors and drawers, refinish the cabinet boxes and then add brand-new doors and drawers at price considerably less than new cabinets. Unless the cabinets are mica, a fresh coat of paint can also do the trick.
2. Give appliances a face-lift. If your kitchen appliances don't match, try ordering new doors or face panels from the manufacturer. Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other. It can be as simple as removing a couple of screws, sliding the panel out and flipping it over.
3. Buff up the bath. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without a lot of cash. Simple things like a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference. You can replace an old, discolored bathroom floor with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl -- often applied right over the old floor. If your tub and shower look dingy, consider regrouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles. A more complete cover-up is a prefabricated tub and shower surround. These one-piece units may require professional installation but still can be cheaper than paying to retile walls and refinish a worn tub.
4. Paint.New paint makes everything look clean and bright again. And don't forget the ceiling. Paint the trim a contrasting color. Another option: Paint a wall three different shades of the same color. Measure equal sections and use painter's masking tape to mark off each area. Do the bottom of the wall first with the darkest shade. Once it dries, do the middle section with the next lightest shade and so on.
5. Step up your storage. Old houses, particularly, are notorious for their lack of closet space. If you have cramped storage areas, add do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets. Firms such as ClosetMaid allow you to measure and redesign your closets online. You can also get design details and parts for these systems at many large home-improvement stores. Most closets can be updated in a weekend or less. In the end, your closets will be more functional while you're living in the house and will make your home look more customized to potential buyers when you're ready to sell.
6. Mind the mechanics. Finley Perry of F.H. Perry Builder in Hopkinton, Mass., advocates spending a few bucks on nitty-gritty stuff. "It's often very worthwhile to hire an electrician and plumber for a couple of hours to look over your electrical services, wrap or fix loose wires, fix any faulty outlets, and check for and fix any water leaks," Perry says. "Those details tell a buyer that someone has really taken care of the home and can really influence its price."
7. Look under foot. Carpeting is another detail that can quickly update a home and make it look cleaner. A professional carpet cleaning is an inexpensive investment, especially if your rugs are in good shape and are neutral colors. If your carpet is showing serious wear, cover it with inexpensive, strategically placed area rugs. Most real estate agents don't suggest replacing wall-to-wall carpeting right before you sell your house unless it is truly hideous. The new homeowners may want to choose their own carpeting.
8. Let there be light.If you have boring recessed lights in your dining and living rooms, consider replacing one of the room's lights with an eye-catching chandelier. Home stores offer a wide range of inexpensive, but nice-looking, ceiling fixtures. Add accent lighting, instead of sticking with the two ordinary lamps that flank both ends of the sofa. Spotlights that plug into existing outlets can direct light to features you want to emphasize, like art or plants. If you have a ceiling fan and light, you can also buy replacement fan blades (leaving the fan body in place) to update the fixture's look.
9. Reframe your entry. It's the first thing you, and your guests, will see. Repaint or refinish that front door and if you have a basic steel front door that has gotten dented, consider replacing it with either another inexpensive steel door or a fiberglass, wood grain door for slightly higher cost. Next, replace that worn, flimsy little knob on your main entry door with a more substantial-looking handle-and-lock set. A nice, big piece of hardware signals newcomers that this is a solid home. Then, place two large planters on either side of the front door, with a profusion of healthy plants spilling out. Look for foliage colors and blooms that complement each other. Go for different heights and textures, mix perennials and annuals, blooming and no blooming varieties. If you want to add another touch, tie it in to the front door with a coordinating wreath.
10. Consider curb appeal. Although it sounds obvious, a nicely mowed lawn, a few well-placed shrubs and a swept walkway makes a great first impression. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. What buyers see when they first drive by your home is tremendously important. No matter how nice it is inside, they may never come back. If you don't have a green thumb, consider hiring a landscaper to install some new sod, plant a few evergreen shrubs and give your front yard a good cleanup. These kinds of changes can instantly change people's perception of your home and, therefore, increase its value and your neighbors will love you for it, too.
To find out your homes value before and after--- go to: http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com/Charleston_SC_home_sales.shtml
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What is a buyers market?
No matter what town you are living in or where you want to move, the home buying and selling market will be swinging toward one of two directions. Either it will be in a buyers' market or a sellers' market, or sometimes, a little of both.
Most real estate practitioners consider a typical market to be one in which homes take an average of six months to sell. REALTORS® keep track of this number by keeping up with the days on the market (DOM) of every home listed and sold. That means that in the MLS, there are likely to be at least six months worth of inventory (homes) on hand to sell for the number of buyers in the market. If the number rises above six months inventory on hand, then the market is swinging into a buyer's market. If it falls below, it is becoming a sellers market. A buyer's market is one in which there are too many homes on the market for the number of buyers. Homes take longer to sell and prices fall.
Sometimes buyers believe that winter time is a buyers' market. Although it is true that there are fewer buyers, there are usually a compensating fewer homes on the market as well. Homes offered for sale during slower times of the year are generally aggressively marketed, and may not sell for a significantly lower price than they would if they were marketed in a busier period.
In the spring, a seasonal adjustment occurs, and more homes come on the market. Buyer activity picks up as families with children (still the single largest buyer demographic) buy homes so they can move during summer vacation. A buyers' market can easily exist in the spring, if conditions dictate - that there are more homes than buyers, falling prices, and longer DOMs.
Sometimes a buyers' market can be created that lasts for a long time. The exit of one or more major employers from a community, a natural disaster such as a flood or earthquake, or some other catastrophic event can affect home values in an area for years.
Seasonal or not, any time there are more than six months' inventory on hand, there is a glut of homes on the market. Whenever there is a surplus of homes, and prices begin to drop, sellers will work harder to attract buyers, including adding incentives such as owner-financing or a large "redecorating allowance."
As homes become more competitive, buyers realize that their interest is at a premium and they will increase their demands to sellers. Those nice chandeliers that normally would not be included in the purchase price of the home, now become a bargaining chip for the buyer. The buyer may ask the seller to provide a home warranty at the seller's expense, or for the seller to pay more of the closing costs than usual out of the settlement proceeds, or any number of other contingencies.
People who have occupied their homes for many years may be able to sell their homes at a profit in a buyer's market because they have built equity, but they will find that if they have performed little or no improvements the home will compare even more poorly with the glut of homes on the market and it will command bottom dollar.
Sellers who are in a must-sell position may take little or no profit from the sale of their homes, or may even be forced to take a loss. The homeowners who are most hurt by a buyer's market are those with little or no equity built into the home. If they are forced to sell, they may have to come to the closing table with cash to pay their mortgage off or allow the home to be repossessed by the lender.
The one certainty that can always be counted upon is that one side of the market will never stay on top forever. In fact, it can turn on a dime. The same area that remains depressed for a period of time can make a comeback as lower prices stimulate reinvestment.
Most real estate practitioners consider a typical market to be one in which homes take an average of six months to sell. REALTORS® keep track of this number by keeping up with the days on the market (DOM) of every home listed and sold. That means that in the MLS, there are likely to be at least six months worth of inventory (homes) on hand to sell for the number of buyers in the market. If the number rises above six months inventory on hand, then the market is swinging into a buyer's market. If it falls below, it is becoming a sellers market. A buyer's market is one in which there are too many homes on the market for the number of buyers. Homes take longer to sell and prices fall.
Sometimes buyers believe that winter time is a buyers' market. Although it is true that there are fewer buyers, there are usually a compensating fewer homes on the market as well. Homes offered for sale during slower times of the year are generally aggressively marketed, and may not sell for a significantly lower price than they would if they were marketed in a busier period.
In the spring, a seasonal adjustment occurs, and more homes come on the market. Buyer activity picks up as families with children (still the single largest buyer demographic) buy homes so they can move during summer vacation. A buyers' market can easily exist in the spring, if conditions dictate - that there are more homes than buyers, falling prices, and longer DOMs.
Sometimes a buyers' market can be created that lasts for a long time. The exit of one or more major employers from a community, a natural disaster such as a flood or earthquake, or some other catastrophic event can affect home values in an area for years.
Seasonal or not, any time there are more than six months' inventory on hand, there is a glut of homes on the market. Whenever there is a surplus of homes, and prices begin to drop, sellers will work harder to attract buyers, including adding incentives such as owner-financing or a large "redecorating allowance."
As homes become more competitive, buyers realize that their interest is at a premium and they will increase their demands to sellers. Those nice chandeliers that normally would not be included in the purchase price of the home, now become a bargaining chip for the buyer. The buyer may ask the seller to provide a home warranty at the seller's expense, or for the seller to pay more of the closing costs than usual out of the settlement proceeds, or any number of other contingencies.
People who have occupied their homes for many years may be able to sell their homes at a profit in a buyer's market because they have built equity, but they will find that if they have performed little or no improvements the home will compare even more poorly with the glut of homes on the market and it will command bottom dollar.
Sellers who are in a must-sell position may take little or no profit from the sale of their homes, or may even be forced to take a loss. The homeowners who are most hurt by a buyer's market are those with little or no equity built into the home. If they are forced to sell, they may have to come to the closing table with cash to pay their mortgage off or allow the home to be repossessed by the lender.
The one certainty that can always be counted upon is that one side of the market will never stay on top forever. In fact, it can turn on a dime. The same area that remains depressed for a period of time can make a comeback as lower prices stimulate reinvestment.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The local market now--- Prudential Carolina Real Estate
To our friends and neighbors,
Recent changes in the real estate market have made local and national headlines for well over a
year now. As we do from time to time, we wanted to share with you our perspective about what’s
happening locally and how it might impact you if you’re a buyer or a seller in today’s market.
The “seller’s market” of two years ago, with few homes for sale, rapid appreciation, decreasing
affordability and high buyer frustration, has been replaced with the “buyer’s market” of today. Although
there is strong buyer activity, with a record breaking 11,000 homes for sale, there is simply too much
inventory for all of it to be absorbed. The market will settle somewhere in the middle with a healthy
balance between buyers and sellers. This adjustment feels unsettling but is necessary and will insure the
long term health of real estate.
What does that mean to you if you’re active in today’s Charleston real estate market?
If you’re a seller, you may find that you have more competition than in the past. You need to
work with your real estate professional to understand your specific market area and the homes that you
are competing against. Most importantly, you need to price your property competitively so that your
home is one that buyers will want to see. Be assured, if you are motivated and have a need to sell, you
can be successful.
If you’re a buyer, today is the best opportunity we have seen in recent history. Interest rates are
low and there are many homes to choose from. Real estate is a sound long term investment and
mortgage interest and property taxes are often tax deductible. If you’re thinking about buying your first
home or moving up to another home, don’t miss this opportunity.
At Prudential Carolina Real Estate we are optimistic and confident about the future of real estate
in Charleston. All of the key factors that contribute to a healthy real estate market are in place. Interest
rates and unemployment are predicted to remain low, demographics are strong and our local economy
continues to grow, driven by the many reasons that make Metro Charleston such a desirable place to
live.
For updates on the latest market statistics visit our website at www.prudenitalcarolina.com. If
you need guidance about your real estate needs, or if you just want more information, please contact a
Prudential Carolina Real Estate sales associate. It would be our privilege to help.
Grange Cuthbert Patty Scarafile Michael O’Shaughnessy
Vice Chairman CEO and President Chairman
Recent changes in the real estate market have made local and national headlines for well over a
year now. As we do from time to time, we wanted to share with you our perspective about what’s
happening locally and how it might impact you if you’re a buyer or a seller in today’s market.
The “seller’s market” of two years ago, with few homes for sale, rapid appreciation, decreasing
affordability and high buyer frustration, has been replaced with the “buyer’s market” of today. Although
there is strong buyer activity, with a record breaking 11,000 homes for sale, there is simply too much
inventory for all of it to be absorbed. The market will settle somewhere in the middle with a healthy
balance between buyers and sellers. This adjustment feels unsettling but is necessary and will insure the
long term health of real estate.
What does that mean to you if you’re active in today’s Charleston real estate market?
If you’re a seller, you may find that you have more competition than in the past. You need to
work with your real estate professional to understand your specific market area and the homes that you
are competing against. Most importantly, you need to price your property competitively so that your
home is one that buyers will want to see. Be assured, if you are motivated and have a need to sell, you
can be successful.
If you’re a buyer, today is the best opportunity we have seen in recent history. Interest rates are
low and there are many homes to choose from. Real estate is a sound long term investment and
mortgage interest and property taxes are often tax deductible. If you’re thinking about buying your first
home or moving up to another home, don’t miss this opportunity.
At Prudential Carolina Real Estate we are optimistic and confident about the future of real estate
in Charleston. All of the key factors that contribute to a healthy real estate market are in place. Interest
rates and unemployment are predicted to remain low, demographics are strong and our local economy
continues to grow, driven by the many reasons that make Metro Charleston such a desirable place to
live.
For updates on the latest market statistics visit our website at www.prudenitalcarolina.com. If
you need guidance about your real estate needs, or if you just want more information, please contact a
Prudential Carolina Real Estate sales associate. It would be our privilege to help.
Grange Cuthbert Patty Scarafile Michael O’Shaughnessy
Vice Chairman CEO and President Chairman
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Thinking of Buying a home?
Thinking of buying a home? The first step is to speak with a lender. At Prudential Carolina Real Estate we have an in house lender that is fabulous. Go to http://www.homemortgagechoices.com/
to apply! Then go to http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com./Charleston_SC_homes_for_sale.shtml
to search the MLS live!
to apply! Then go to http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com./Charleston_SC_homes_for_sale.shtml
to search the MLS live!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Tips for flipping!
Flipping houses has become very popular and has sparked a number of television shows that gloss over the small details of what it takes to flip a house and maximize profits. If you aren’t willing to get a little dirty and invest your own time and sweat, be prepared to lose a significant chunk of profit to contractors. The more you take on yourself, the more profit potential. This article will give you a tip or two to save a buck and the basic contents of a house flipper’s essentials first day toolkit. Baths and KitchensTwo of the most important areas that can make or break the sale of a house are the kitchen and the baths. These can also be areas where fixture replacement can be expensive. However, just because fixtures look bad, doesn’t mean they must be replaced. Sometimes good solid cleaning strategies and a bit of elbow grease can make a fixture look renewed. Baking soda and bleach are two components of the house flipper’s essentials kit. Baking soda is a low abrasive cleanser that can be rubbed into surfaces with a wet sponge and used like popular name brand cleansers. It works very well on stainless steel sinks, as well as on porcelain. It has the added benefit of being a deodorizer, so when you rinse it down tub and sink drains, it can eliminate drain odors, especially if a property has been sitting unused. It is also biodegradable. Bleach is an old stand by for getting out stains and sanitizing. Pour some in that ugly toilet bowl and let it sit for a few hours, then use a toilet brush to clean the bowl. You may have to do this more than once. Remember that bleach will remove color from things it comes into contact with, so be careful not to spill or drip it on non-colorfast surfaces. Both these cleaners can help to remove stains and grime from laminate and cultured marble counter and sink tops. Test laminate for color fastness in a hidden area, before using bleach. I found a great product for removing cigarette burn marks and some other stains from cultured marble sink tops. It comes in a kit along with excellent instructions and two freebies—instructions for removing surface scratches on porcelain and a handy little book that gives “recipes” and instructions for inexpensive cleaning products. This product is called the Burn Buster Kit and the URL is in the Additional Resources. Well worth the investment.
After you have cleaned your tubs and sinks, before you do any finish repair or installation of new fixtures, strip out any old caulk that is discolored or stained and replace. They make a tool for this, but I have found a utility knife and a straight edge razor blade in a holder does a better job. Do not use painter’s caulk for wet areas, it will mildew. I recommend GE Silicone II, a Home Depot item. To give your caulk a professional looking finish, squeeze the caulk along the seam, then use the Homax caulk finishing tool to remove excess caulk (available at Home Depot for about a dollar). Wipe excess caulk from finishing tool frequently with facial or toilet tissue. Finish by gently wiping the caulk with a smooth damp rag. If you plan to keep flipping, invest in a hand held steam cleaner. It gets into corners, cleans tile and grout, toilets, sinks, refrigerators, stoves, just about anything that won’t melt. Steam is also a super disinfectant. Because the steam loosens dirt, it may be as easy as wiping to clean. Now that your fixtures and counter tops are all clean and looking good, just add some updated faucets, spouts and handles—and of course a new toilet seat—voila, looking good. CabinetsWhite kitchens are very fashionable, while that old dark wood is out of style. You don’t have to replace all those cabinets—big bucks. Take off the doors and hardware. Clean and then lightly sand the doors and the cabinet frames. Give them a coat of white primer, then a coat of good white semi gloss paint. Replace the old hinges and handles with updated versions and you have potentially saved yourself thousands of dollars and created a clean look. This process works for bathroom sink cabinets as well. Use white or use a color that compliments the wall color. Use masking tape to mark the doors so you know where they go back and put all your hardware (screws, hinges, handles) in zip lock bags, if you plan to reuse, so they don’t get lost. A product like Greased Lightening will remove grease from kitchen hardware, but remember to clean them immediately, don’t let them soak or they may rust. OdorsA great product for eliminating odors in closets, cabinets, carpets and an assortment of other places is OdoBan. It works well on pet odors too. You can buy this at Sam’s Club (membership is well worth the dollars) or through Home Depot Supply (they can probably special order it for you at any Home Depot store, item #115500). It comes in a gallon jug and you can mix it to any strength needed. Instructions are on the label. Always keep a spray bottle of this around. Cracks and Gaps
Keep a few tubes of painter’s caulk and a caulking gun in your first day kit. Use painter’s caulk to fill small cracks at wall corners or where ceilings and walls meet. It is also good to fill gaps where molding is not fitting tight against walls, where countertop is gaping from the wall or as a quick fill for nail holes when you don’t have any spackle. Be sure to smooth the surface. The best way to do this is with a soft wet cloth. Once you paint over your caulk repair, it becomes invisible and gives your paint job a nice finished look. Spackle (wall board mud) is the standard for drywall repairs. If you are inexperienced with spackle, you may want to opt for one of the new lightweight quick dry spackles such as Patch N Paint. It dries faster than regular spackle, it is easier for a novice to apply and it works well for small holes. Home Depot has it in a kit. Holes in WallsHow many times have you seen a door handle put a hole in wallboard? You can put caulking tape and caulk over the hole and spend a lot of time trying to “feather” the edges of the repair so that it doesn’t appear as a bump. Or, you can purchase a wall protector circle. It sticks to the wall, covers the hole, can be painted the same color as the wall and prevents another occurrence. It is available from Home Depot Supply in different colors and sizes (item #807835) and probably can be found in hardware stores. If the hole is in the wall where the above solution is not an option, try this. Take a piece of lightweight cardboard (top of a nail box, back of a telephone book, business card, etc.), punch a hole in the middle and insert a piece of string or twine (a twisty tie will do in a pinch). On the backside of the cardboard, tie a small finish nail, piece of wire or a hair pin to the string and arrange it so that you can pull it tight against the cardboard, but not back through the hole. A piece of tape can help secure it. Fold, but don’t crease the cardboard and tuck it into the wall hole. You want the piece of cardboard to open inside the wall. Once it is open, pull the string to hold the cardboard against the back of the hole. Now put some regular spackle in the hole. Don’t try to fill the hole all at once. Put in enough spackle to cover the cardboard and hold it in place. Once this dries, cut the string, add more spackle and continue the process until the hole is filled. Then, sand and paint. Reviving WoodFor wood you don’t intend to paint, an easy revival technique is to rub the wood with Tung oil (a hardware or home improvement store item) using a clean, dry, lint free rag such as T-shirt material. The Tung oil moisturizes the wood and gives it a bit of sheen. StovesThere is nothing like good old Easy Off to clean the inside of a dirty oven, unless you have a steam cleaner. Those little chrome colored drip pans beneath the burners can be purchased as replacement sets for under $15.00 at a home improvement store or an appliance parts store. Replacement is recommended for these because they rarely clean up to a sparkle. Knobs can also be replaced. Take a sample with you to the appliance parts store or find the model and serial number on the stove and call the appliance parts store to find a match. Mirrors
Mirrors over sinks tend to de-silver around the edges. There three potential solutions for this, if you don’t want to replace them. They are given to you here in order with most recommended first. 1. Take the mirror down and have a glass and mirror store cut it smaller to eliminate the de-silvered areas. 2. Purchase mirror edges from Home Depot Supply. They have a kit containing everything you need (item #900423). The kit contains mirror edges that are glued to the exiting mirror, giving it a three dimensional effect. 3. Buy some wallpaper border and glue it to the mirror edges to cover the de-silvering—make sure you miter cut the corners to give it a good finish and that the pattern chosen compliments or enhances the colors in the room. Minimize Repair Clean UpTo minimize repair clean up, find a sturdy box about the size of a large microwave. An empty copy paper box is good too. Take this box with you from room to room as you are making repairs or installing fixtures. Put all your trash, nails, broken bits of drywall or glass, empty containers, etc. in this box. Trash bags are not as good as a box for throw aways that have sharp edges because they can puncture the bag and the box is safer for you when dealing with sharp edges. All your trash is in one place and you have one box to carry out. By having all the trash in one place, you can quickly remove it if a potential buyer shows up early to have a look. House Flipper’s Essentials ToolkitThe items listed below will give you a big jump on getting your flip pointed in the right direction. Once things are clean, it is easier to see what needs replacement or repair. Trash box, paper towels, cleaning rags (such as old T-shirts), trash bags, broom, dust pan, cleaning bucket, toilet and scrub brushes, old toothbrush (for hard to reach corners and tight spaces such as around faucets and knobs), sponges, Zip Lock bags (for small parts, screws or parts you need to take away for matching), permanent marker for labeling, pencil and notepad (to write down to dos and things you find you need), baking soda, bleach, glass cleaner (or one of the cleaning formula recipes from the Burn Buster Kit’s Good Old Fashioned Cleaning booklet), drain cleaner, plunger, phillips and flat head screw drivers, a pair of pliers and/or channel locks, painter’s caulk, caulking gun, spackle, spackle mud knife, dust mask, safety goggles, light bulbs. Make sure the water and electric are on, otherwise take your own water and go in the daytime (take a flashlight too). You should be present when utilities are turned on, especially water and gas. If the water gets turned on when no one is around and there is a leak that you don’t know about, the price of your flip could go up dramatically due to water damage—and a gas leak would not be pretty!
After you have cleaned your tubs and sinks, before you do any finish repair or installation of new fixtures, strip out any old caulk that is discolored or stained and replace. They make a tool for this, but I have found a utility knife and a straight edge razor blade in a holder does a better job. Do not use painter’s caulk for wet areas, it will mildew. I recommend GE Silicone II, a Home Depot item. To give your caulk a professional looking finish, squeeze the caulk along the seam, then use the Homax caulk finishing tool to remove excess caulk (available at Home Depot for about a dollar). Wipe excess caulk from finishing tool frequently with facial or toilet tissue. Finish by gently wiping the caulk with a smooth damp rag. If you plan to keep flipping, invest in a hand held steam cleaner. It gets into corners, cleans tile and grout, toilets, sinks, refrigerators, stoves, just about anything that won’t melt. Steam is also a super disinfectant. Because the steam loosens dirt, it may be as easy as wiping to clean. Now that your fixtures and counter tops are all clean and looking good, just add some updated faucets, spouts and handles—and of course a new toilet seat—voila, looking good. CabinetsWhite kitchens are very fashionable, while that old dark wood is out of style. You don’t have to replace all those cabinets—big bucks. Take off the doors and hardware. Clean and then lightly sand the doors and the cabinet frames. Give them a coat of white primer, then a coat of good white semi gloss paint. Replace the old hinges and handles with updated versions and you have potentially saved yourself thousands of dollars and created a clean look. This process works for bathroom sink cabinets as well. Use white or use a color that compliments the wall color. Use masking tape to mark the doors so you know where they go back and put all your hardware (screws, hinges, handles) in zip lock bags, if you plan to reuse, so they don’t get lost. A product like Greased Lightening will remove grease from kitchen hardware, but remember to clean them immediately, don’t let them soak or they may rust. OdorsA great product for eliminating odors in closets, cabinets, carpets and an assortment of other places is OdoBan. It works well on pet odors too. You can buy this at Sam’s Club (membership is well worth the dollars) or through Home Depot Supply (they can probably special order it for you at any Home Depot store, item #115500). It comes in a gallon jug and you can mix it to any strength needed. Instructions are on the label. Always keep a spray bottle of this around. Cracks and Gaps
Keep a few tubes of painter’s caulk and a caulking gun in your first day kit. Use painter’s caulk to fill small cracks at wall corners or where ceilings and walls meet. It is also good to fill gaps where molding is not fitting tight against walls, where countertop is gaping from the wall or as a quick fill for nail holes when you don’t have any spackle. Be sure to smooth the surface. The best way to do this is with a soft wet cloth. Once you paint over your caulk repair, it becomes invisible and gives your paint job a nice finished look. Spackle (wall board mud) is the standard for drywall repairs. If you are inexperienced with spackle, you may want to opt for one of the new lightweight quick dry spackles such as Patch N Paint. It dries faster than regular spackle, it is easier for a novice to apply and it works well for small holes. Home Depot has it in a kit. Holes in WallsHow many times have you seen a door handle put a hole in wallboard? You can put caulking tape and caulk over the hole and spend a lot of time trying to “feather” the edges of the repair so that it doesn’t appear as a bump. Or, you can purchase a wall protector circle. It sticks to the wall, covers the hole, can be painted the same color as the wall and prevents another occurrence. It is available from Home Depot Supply in different colors and sizes (item #807835) and probably can be found in hardware stores. If the hole is in the wall where the above solution is not an option, try this. Take a piece of lightweight cardboard (top of a nail box, back of a telephone book, business card, etc.), punch a hole in the middle and insert a piece of string or twine (a twisty tie will do in a pinch). On the backside of the cardboard, tie a small finish nail, piece of wire or a hair pin to the string and arrange it so that you can pull it tight against the cardboard, but not back through the hole. A piece of tape can help secure it. Fold, but don’t crease the cardboard and tuck it into the wall hole. You want the piece of cardboard to open inside the wall. Once it is open, pull the string to hold the cardboard against the back of the hole. Now put some regular spackle in the hole. Don’t try to fill the hole all at once. Put in enough spackle to cover the cardboard and hold it in place. Once this dries, cut the string, add more spackle and continue the process until the hole is filled. Then, sand and paint. Reviving WoodFor wood you don’t intend to paint, an easy revival technique is to rub the wood with Tung oil (a hardware or home improvement store item) using a clean, dry, lint free rag such as T-shirt material. The Tung oil moisturizes the wood and gives it a bit of sheen. StovesThere is nothing like good old Easy Off to clean the inside of a dirty oven, unless you have a steam cleaner. Those little chrome colored drip pans beneath the burners can be purchased as replacement sets for under $15.00 at a home improvement store or an appliance parts store. Replacement is recommended for these because they rarely clean up to a sparkle. Knobs can also be replaced. Take a sample with you to the appliance parts store or find the model and serial number on the stove and call the appliance parts store to find a match. Mirrors
Mirrors over sinks tend to de-silver around the edges. There three potential solutions for this, if you don’t want to replace them. They are given to you here in order with most recommended first. 1. Take the mirror down and have a glass and mirror store cut it smaller to eliminate the de-silvered areas. 2. Purchase mirror edges from Home Depot Supply. They have a kit containing everything you need (item #900423). The kit contains mirror edges that are glued to the exiting mirror, giving it a three dimensional effect. 3. Buy some wallpaper border and glue it to the mirror edges to cover the de-silvering—make sure you miter cut the corners to give it a good finish and that the pattern chosen compliments or enhances the colors in the room. Minimize Repair Clean UpTo minimize repair clean up, find a sturdy box about the size of a large microwave. An empty copy paper box is good too. Take this box with you from room to room as you are making repairs or installing fixtures. Put all your trash, nails, broken bits of drywall or glass, empty containers, etc. in this box. Trash bags are not as good as a box for throw aways that have sharp edges because they can puncture the bag and the box is safer for you when dealing with sharp edges. All your trash is in one place and you have one box to carry out. By having all the trash in one place, you can quickly remove it if a potential buyer shows up early to have a look. House Flipper’s Essentials ToolkitThe items listed below will give you a big jump on getting your flip pointed in the right direction. Once things are clean, it is easier to see what needs replacement or repair. Trash box, paper towels, cleaning rags (such as old T-shirts), trash bags, broom, dust pan, cleaning bucket, toilet and scrub brushes, old toothbrush (for hard to reach corners and tight spaces such as around faucets and knobs), sponges, Zip Lock bags (for small parts, screws or parts you need to take away for matching), permanent marker for labeling, pencil and notepad (to write down to dos and things you find you need), baking soda, bleach, glass cleaner (or one of the cleaning formula recipes from the Burn Buster Kit’s Good Old Fashioned Cleaning booklet), drain cleaner, plunger, phillips and flat head screw drivers, a pair of pliers and/or channel locks, painter’s caulk, caulking gun, spackle, spackle mud knife, dust mask, safety goggles, light bulbs. Make sure the water and electric are on, otherwise take your own water and go in the daytime (take a flashlight too). You should be present when utilities are turned on, especially water and gas. If the water gets turned on when no one is around and there is a leak that you don’t know about, the price of your flip could go up dramatically due to water damage—and a gas leak would not be pretty!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Hardwood Floors
Well, there's something that I would like to say! I love wood flooring! And there's a lot of flooring to admire out there. You'll find lots of choices with both hardwood, and engineered flooring.
To help avoid any confusion, let me help you with few definitions. Now hardwood floors are just that- Hardwood. Solid wood floors come in planks, strips, or parquet.
Another choice you'll need to make is whether your solid wood flooring is finished, or unfinished. Now unfinished means, you'll need to sand and seal. I gotta tell you: this is an easy choice for me. A pre-finished floor will cost about a dollar per foot more than an unfinished.
The difference will seem incredibly insignificant after you've been on your hands and knees for 48 hours and your back is completely shot.
Hardwood floors they add a lot of beauty and style. Don't be too floored about the cost. They also add substantial value to your home!
To help avoid any confusion, let me help you with few definitions. Now hardwood floors are just that- Hardwood. Solid wood floors come in planks, strips, or parquet.
Another choice you'll need to make is whether your solid wood flooring is finished, or unfinished. Now unfinished means, you'll need to sand and seal. I gotta tell you: this is an easy choice for me. A pre-finished floor will cost about a dollar per foot more than an unfinished.
The difference will seem incredibly insignificant after you've been on your hands and knees for 48 hours and your back is completely shot.
Hardwood floors they add a lot of beauty and style. Don't be too floored about the cost. They also add substantial value to your home!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
10 Cheap Fixes to Boost Your Home's Value
10 cheap fixes to boost your home's value
Short on cash but ready to renovate? Think new door handles, not new doors, and spiffed-up appliance fronts, not new appliances.
Looking for ways to spruce up your home without putting yourself in the poorhouse? Whether you're getting ready to sell your home or want to spiff it up inexpensively for your own enjoyment, we've got 10 good strategies for you to consider.
The actual cost and payback for each project can vary, depending on both your home's condition and overall real estate market values in your region of the country.
1. Make your kitchen really cook. The kitchen is still considered the heart of the home. Potential home buyers make a beeline for this room when they first view a home for sale, so make sure your kitchen looks clean and reasonably updated.
For a few hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.
If you've got a slightly larger budget, you can give the cabinets themselves a makeover. "Rather than spring for a whole new cabinet system, which can be expensive, look into hiring a refacing company," says serial remodeler Gwen Moran, co-author of "Build Your Own Home on a Shoestring."
"Many companies can remove cabinet doors and drawers, refinish the cabinet boxes, then add brand-new doors and drawers. With a fresh coat of paint over the whole set, your cabinets will look like new."
If you're handy, you can order your own replacement cabinet doors and door fronts from retailers like Lowe's Home Improvement or The Home Depot and install them yourself.
2. Give appliances a facelift. If your kitchen appliances don't match, order new doors or face panels for them. When Nicole Persley, a Realtor with Real Estate of Florida, in Boca Raton, was sprucing up her own home to sell, her mix-and-match kitchen bothered her. The room had a white dishwasher, microwave and wall oven mixed with other pieces that were stainless steel with black trim.
When Persley called the dishwasher manufacturer to see about ordering a new, black face panel, the customer service representative clued her in on a big secret: Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other.
"All I had to do was unscrew two screws, slide out the panel and flip it around. Sure enough -- it was black on the other side!"
Persley, who has remodeled numerous homes for resale, says that a more cohesive-looking kitchen makes a big difference in the buyer's mind -- and in the home's resale price.
3. Buff up the bath. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without a lot of cash. "Even simple things like a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference in the look of the bath," says Moran.
Moran also suggests replacing an old, discolored bathroom floor with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl. "You may not even need to take up the old floor. You can install the new floor right over the old one," she says.
If your tub and shower are looking dingy, consider re-grouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles. A more complete cover-up is a prefabricated tub and shower surround. These one-piece units may require professional installation but can still be cheaper than paying to re-tile walls and refinish a worn tub.
4. Step up your storage. Old houses, particularly, are notorious for their lack of closet space. If you have cramped storage areas, Realtor Moe Viessi of Miami suggests adding do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets.
Firms like ClosetMaid allow you to measure and redesign your closets online. You can also get design details and parts for these systems at many large home-improvement stores. Most closets can be updated in a weekend or less.
In the end, your closets will be more functional while you're living in the house and will make your home look more customized to potential buyers when you're ready to sell.
5. Add a room in a week or less. "If you have a three-bedroom house with a den, the only reason the den can't be considered a bedroom may be because it doesn't have a closet," says Persley. "If you add a closet to that room, you've now got a four-bedroom house. That adds a lot of value."
Persley says it's usually possible to add a custom closet system and drywall it in for less than $1,500.
6. Mind the mechanics. Finley Perry of F.H. Perry Builder in Hopkinton, Mass., advocates spending a few bucks on nitty-gritty stuff. "It's often very worthwhile to hire an electrician and plumber for a couple of hours to look over your electrical services, wrap or fix loose wires, fix any faulty outlets, and check for and fix any water leaks," Perry says. "Those details tell a buyer that someone has really taken care of the home and can really influence its price."
7. Look underfoot. Carpeting is another detail that can quickly update a home and make it look cleaner. A professional carpet cleaning is an inexpensive investment, especially if your rugs are in good shape and are neutral colors.
If your carpet is showing serious wear, cover it with inexpensive, strategically placed area rugs. Unless it is truly hideous, most Realtors don't suggest replacing wall-to-wall carpeting right before you sell your house. The new homeowners may want to choose their own carpeting after they move in.
8. Let there be light. If you have boring recessed lights in your dining and living rooms, consider replacing one of the room's lights with an eye-catching chandelier. Home stores offer a wide range of inexpensive, but nice-looking, ceiling fixtures these days. If you have a ceiling fan and light, you can also buy replacement fan blades (leaving the fan body in place) to update the fixture's look.
9. Reframe your entry. Do you have a flimsy little knob on your main entry door? If so, spring for a substantial-looking handle-and-lock set. "A nice, big piece of hardware on the front door signals to newcomers that this is a solid home," says Viessi.
Also, if you're stuck with a basic steel front door, Persley suggests painting or faux-finishing it for more eye appeal. "It's becoming a trend in Florida to add wood-grain doors to a home's entry or garage. The good news, though, is that you can easily paint existing metal doors with stain and paint," she says.
After using a good metal primer, Persley gives the door a base coat of paint (again, be sure to use one approved for use over metal). For a cherry wood look, Persley uses a burgundy base paint. After it dries, she brushes over the base coat with a cherry wood stain. "It really looks amazing, and it only takes a few hours," she says.
10. Consider curb appeal. Although it sounds obvious, a nicely mowed lawn, a few well-placed shrubs and a swept walkway makes a great first impression. "What buyers see when they first drive by your home is tremendously important," says Viessi.
If you don't have a green thumb, consider hiring a landscaper to install some new sod, plant a few evergreen shrubs and give your front yard a good cleanup. "These kinds of changes can instantly change people's perception of your home and, therefore, increase its value," says Viessi. And hey, your neighbors will love you for it, too.
Wondering How Much Your Home Is Worth?
http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com.preview.z57.com/Charleston_SC_home_sales.shtml
Short on cash but ready to renovate? Think new door handles, not new doors, and spiffed-up appliance fronts, not new appliances.
Looking for ways to spruce up your home without putting yourself in the poorhouse? Whether you're getting ready to sell your home or want to spiff it up inexpensively for your own enjoyment, we've got 10 good strategies for you to consider.
The actual cost and payback for each project can vary, depending on both your home's condition and overall real estate market values in your region of the country.
1. Make your kitchen really cook. The kitchen is still considered the heart of the home. Potential home buyers make a beeline for this room when they first view a home for sale, so make sure your kitchen looks clean and reasonably updated.
For a few hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.
If you've got a slightly larger budget, you can give the cabinets themselves a makeover. "Rather than spring for a whole new cabinet system, which can be expensive, look into hiring a refacing company," says serial remodeler Gwen Moran, co-author of "Build Your Own Home on a Shoestring."
"Many companies can remove cabinet doors and drawers, refinish the cabinet boxes, then add brand-new doors and drawers. With a fresh coat of paint over the whole set, your cabinets will look like new."
If you're handy, you can order your own replacement cabinet doors and door fronts from retailers like Lowe's Home Improvement or The Home Depot and install them yourself.
2. Give appliances a facelift. If your kitchen appliances don't match, order new doors or face panels for them. When Nicole Persley, a Realtor with Real Estate of Florida, in Boca Raton, was sprucing up her own home to sell, her mix-and-match kitchen bothered her. The room had a white dishwasher, microwave and wall oven mixed with other pieces that were stainless steel with black trim.
When Persley called the dishwasher manufacturer to see about ordering a new, black face panel, the customer service representative clued her in on a big secret: Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other.
"All I had to do was unscrew two screws, slide out the panel and flip it around. Sure enough -- it was black on the other side!"
Persley, who has remodeled numerous homes for resale, says that a more cohesive-looking kitchen makes a big difference in the buyer's mind -- and in the home's resale price.
3. Buff up the bath. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without a lot of cash. "Even simple things like a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference in the look of the bath," says Moran.
Moran also suggests replacing an old, discolored bathroom floor with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl. "You may not even need to take up the old floor. You can install the new floor right over the old one," she says.
If your tub and shower are looking dingy, consider re-grouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles. A more complete cover-up is a prefabricated tub and shower surround. These one-piece units may require professional installation but can still be cheaper than paying to re-tile walls and refinish a worn tub.
4. Step up your storage. Old houses, particularly, are notorious for their lack of closet space. If you have cramped storage areas, Realtor Moe Viessi of Miami suggests adding do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets.
Firms like ClosetMaid allow you to measure and redesign your closets online. You can also get design details and parts for these systems at many large home-improvement stores. Most closets can be updated in a weekend or less.
In the end, your closets will be more functional while you're living in the house and will make your home look more customized to potential buyers when you're ready to sell.
5. Add a room in a week or less. "If you have a three-bedroom house with a den, the only reason the den can't be considered a bedroom may be because it doesn't have a closet," says Persley. "If you add a closet to that room, you've now got a four-bedroom house. That adds a lot of value."
Persley says it's usually possible to add a custom closet system and drywall it in for less than $1,500.
6. Mind the mechanics. Finley Perry of F.H. Perry Builder in Hopkinton, Mass., advocates spending a few bucks on nitty-gritty stuff. "It's often very worthwhile to hire an electrician and plumber for a couple of hours to look over your electrical services, wrap or fix loose wires, fix any faulty outlets, and check for and fix any water leaks," Perry says. "Those details tell a buyer that someone has really taken care of the home and can really influence its price."
7. Look underfoot. Carpeting is another detail that can quickly update a home and make it look cleaner. A professional carpet cleaning is an inexpensive investment, especially if your rugs are in good shape and are neutral colors.
If your carpet is showing serious wear, cover it with inexpensive, strategically placed area rugs. Unless it is truly hideous, most Realtors don't suggest replacing wall-to-wall carpeting right before you sell your house. The new homeowners may want to choose their own carpeting after they move in.
8. Let there be light. If you have boring recessed lights in your dining and living rooms, consider replacing one of the room's lights with an eye-catching chandelier. Home stores offer a wide range of inexpensive, but nice-looking, ceiling fixtures these days. If you have a ceiling fan and light, you can also buy replacement fan blades (leaving the fan body in place) to update the fixture's look.
9. Reframe your entry. Do you have a flimsy little knob on your main entry door? If so, spring for a substantial-looking handle-and-lock set. "A nice, big piece of hardware on the front door signals to newcomers that this is a solid home," says Viessi.
Also, if you're stuck with a basic steel front door, Persley suggests painting or faux-finishing it for more eye appeal. "It's becoming a trend in Florida to add wood-grain doors to a home's entry or garage. The good news, though, is that you can easily paint existing metal doors with stain and paint," she says.
After using a good metal primer, Persley gives the door a base coat of paint (again, be sure to use one approved for use over metal). For a cherry wood look, Persley uses a burgundy base paint. After it dries, she brushes over the base coat with a cherry wood stain. "It really looks amazing, and it only takes a few hours," she says.
10. Consider curb appeal. Although it sounds obvious, a nicely mowed lawn, a few well-placed shrubs and a swept walkway makes a great first impression. "What buyers see when they first drive by your home is tremendously important," says Viessi.
If you don't have a green thumb, consider hiring a landscaper to install some new sod, plant a few evergreen shrubs and give your front yard a good cleanup. "These kinds of changes can instantly change people's perception of your home and, therefore, increase its value," says Viessi. And hey, your neighbors will love you for it, too.
Wondering How Much Your Home Is Worth?
http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com.preview.z57.com/Charleston_SC_home_sales.shtml
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