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Health & Fitness

Plan projects with professional input

What improvements you should or shouldn't make to your home prior to selling, and how to go about figuring that out.

Warm weather (which seems to apply to winter in Atlanta at the moment) is a time when homeowners often consider changes and improvements. Whether your changes are geared toward selling or staying, get professional input.

Consult a Realtor who knows your specific market. I promise I would give the same advice even if I weren’t a Realtor. Why? It is crucial to be in tune with your particular market, what buyers in your area and price range are looking for, and what is helping homes sell in today’s market. Even if a sale is not in your immediate future.

What’s most important is choosing a real estate professional you know or who has been referred by someone you trust. After all, what you need before you undertake a project is someone who will shoot straight with you, not simply affirm what you want to hear. Shoot straight with them too: If you want advice but aren’t selling, just let them know that up front.

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Of course, there are general home-project guidelines that will serve you well. Foremost, do not base your decisions on what you see on HGTV; I love watching it too, but what works for a particular area and price point at a particular time may have no relevance whatsoever to your situation. Real estate is extremely market-specific.

These shows also confuse people in terms of the amount of money it takes to do improvements. They are usually able to do a huge amount of upgrading for a nominal sum because they are getting a team of labor for free and may have sponsors providing materials for which you’ll have to pay full price.

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In assessing potential projects, get more bang for your buck by doing smaller, cosmetic things that will improve the appeal of your home. In other words, putting in a new kitchen and renovating the bathroom isn’t always the answer, and takes both a larger investment and more risk.

A dated kitchen or bathroom can usually be made more appealing by making smaller changes, like painting cabinets or changing hardware. Sometimes it takes just changing out the countertops or the floor. Other small investments like fresh paint, replacement of worn carpet, or changing outdated or broken window treatments will almost always pay off.

If you are headed toward listing your home, things that will cost you nothing and are essential include de-cluttering, as well as moving or removing furniture to create open, inviting spaces. I don’t agree with advisors who say your home has to be completely de-personalized in terms of photos, books, and the like in order to be shown for sale. If your style is extremely strong, or you have potentially offensive materials on display, by all means neutralize.

The moral is that less is more. After all, in today’s market, you don’t really want to lay out a lot of money if you don’t have to. And make sure you are making an informed decision before doing anything. Get professional input up front.

 

Bill Golden is a Realtor with Re/Max Metro Atlanta Cityside. He has been selling real estate in Atlanta for over 25 years and has bought, sold, and renovated many homes himself He can be reached at Bill@BillGoldenHomes.com or through www.BillGoldenHomes.com.

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