Hardwood is always better then carpet, Laminate is second best to hardwood, carpet is always better than tile except in bathrooms and kitchens, tile is always better than linoleum.
All walls are BEST painted white, even a home that has no color is better than a house with the wrong color! Pick a white with grey undertones, not yellow
Get rid of ALL your curtains! This includes valances and drapes of any kind. Have a handyman fill and paint over the holes that are now visible once they are removed. An open window is always better than one covered in thick drapery that's outdated or ethnic inspired. Im aware those window treatments cost you thousands of dollars years ago but I promise you the next buyer is gonna rip them out and give them to goodwill, your home will benefit from the extra sunlight you let in
Going to Home Depot and buying all new faceplates for your switches and electrical outlets is a quick and cheap way of helping your home look fresh. Pick white plates and if you notice while installing them that the switch itself is now this yellow tint that looks awful near your new white plates, I suggest replacing the switch too. Lots of handymen just choose to paint over the switches and outlets, this works too as long as everything is still in working condition, but this is not our first suggestion
No shower curtain or rod is best. Take them down and put them away for open houses and photography. This will make the bathroom seem larger and brighter and get rid of the 10 shampoo and conditioner bottles as well. Bathrooms should be almost empty to look their best. Fresh white towels and soap dispensers are all you need. Hide everything else and make sure you have deep cleaned the area.
If you are moving out of the home completely while you sell your home then move out completely. Do not leave behind what you think might be useful for the next resident. That includes picture frame nails and wall mount tv stands, drapes, curtains, anything in fridge or cabinets. Do not leave behind furniture that you feel is useful or fitting to a specific area. Square footage is key and being able to show off every inch is more appealing then seeing the footprints of the previous home owner.
Pet's are our friends everyday except when selling your home. I don't care if you have the sweetest dog in the world, or smartest or best smelling.... Get all pets out of the house and into a babysitters house until you close escrow. There are plenty of people allergic to animals or have interesting fears that are going to enter your home only to be turned off by the site of your furry friends. We know and understand your pets are your family but either you are serious about selling your house or your not. NO Pets PERIOD!
What are the most important rooms of your house? The first 15-30 seconds of it! They say it takes 15-30 seconds for potential buyers to know whether or not they want your property. After that the human psyche does the rest of the negotiating by finding ways to reinforce the already made decision. This means the front of your home is more important than the back, your entryway is more important than your master bedroom. Most adults leave out the master bedroom when they are decorating. This is because in the scheme of things people find it more important to have the parts of the home that other people will see, looking their best. This same rule applies to the parts of your home that are going to matter to them the most.
If you don't have any money to do any updates, do yourself the favor and deep clean the heck out of your place. I'm talking washing fingerprints from the walls, cleaning around the toilet bowl, scrubbing the bathtub until it shines, cleaning inside and outside of windows, collecting all cobwebs from the corners of ceilings, removing carpet or floor stains, throwing out all and any items you don't plan on taking with you to the next property, packing away all family photos, and cleaning out all cabinetry, drawers and closets and don't forget wiping away all dust from every piece of furniture and shelf in the home. If you are doing this correctly, it should take you a couple days if not a good week to complete this. Don't underestimate the power of a deep cleaning.
Paint is your friend! You can paint over tile with tile paint. Paint the inside of your fireplace black with high heat paint, even paint your garage floors or decks with stain and epoxy. You can paint kitchen cabinets and bathtubs, just about anything can be painted! The value of paint is endless.
What are buyers requesting in their search for a new abode? Master Suites; this means a large master with a large bathroom and walk-in closets. Kitchens with center islands; they don't have to be large, just big enough to accomodate children eating breakfast or adults sitting to have a drink. Washer and Dryer inside the home; the time has gone for walking to the garage to get your laundry. Last but not least, open concept kitchens; being able to see the rest of the family from the kitchen, even if it means knocking down a wall and getting rid of cabinetry.
Make sure all your light bulbs are LEDs and in working condition. Choose a brightness that is not too white or too yellow. If you can't do LEDs, make sure you change all your bulbs and that they are working.
No Popcorn ceilings.... need I say anymore?
Running to home depot and getting a new dining room chandelier is always worth your time.
Vintage is the new trend, only if updated and trendy is too expensive or large of an overtaking. Just make sure your vintage is in good taste and in good condition.
If your cabinets are uneven, not closing correctly, or seem to be unaligned, pick up a screw driver, open your cabinets and adjust the door hinges by turning clockwise or counter clockwise depending on the adjustment needing to be made. Google kitchen cabinet hinges and decide which kind you have to look for further instructions.
Go to your local hardware store and pick up a couple stain pens to erase any scratches on wood products.
Magic erasers are your friend! Don't just buy any brand, pick up the name brand and wet under the water, ring out, and scrub away. Keep in mind there is bleach inside the sponge, so I wouldn't use on colors you don't want to fade.
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