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Psst...Thinking of Selling your Home, 5 Things That Could Devalue Your Home

5 Things That Could Devalue Your Home

When it comes to listing your home on the market, a common concern is wanting to increase its value and allow it to stay competitive in the local area. Many people work to remodel their property or make minor upgrades to increase the selling potential of their home. Although you should   take certain steps to increase what your home is truly worth, there are a few mistakes to avoid to prevent reducing its overall value. There are many different factors that determine the property value. If you know which ones are working against your home then you can prevent losing equity

1. Using Bold Paint Colors

To appeal to a larger group of buyers, use neutral paint on the walls and with the trim. Bold colors stand out like a sore thumb in neighborhoods and can allow them to look outdated or too customized.

Similarly, using colors that are quirky or unpopular in the interior space can detract from the property value and is seen as an extra expense for buyer who will want to repaint the space. Stick with contemporary shades and use an accent wall in one or two rooms of the home for added detail that looks modern. A general rule of thumb is to avoid using colors that are too specific to your personal taste.

2. Remodeled Kitchens

Known as the most important room that buyers focus on when shopping for a property, kitchens are often remodeled and upgraded by homeowners in hopes of increasing their property value. Although having a kitchen that includes fancy appliances and a decorative backsplash can look appealing, it can also be overly done and appear awkward in the average house.

Upgrade your kitchen to a certain degree without going overboard and causing the room to look awkward. It should still match the style and design of the rest of the home to ensure that it flows well and feels comfortable. Avoid overly customizing the space, but instead keeping it neutral to ensure that it appeals to more buyers.

3. A Neglected Yard

The yard and landscaping of your home is what ultimately makes the first impression with buyers and will determine their interest in the property. If you can’t win them over with the exterior of the home, then you likely won’t sell them on the interior space if you’ve already left a bad taste in their mouth.

The lawn should be manicured and tidy without children’s toys or yard tools left out. Add shrubs, flowers, and potted plants around the house to fill in bare spots and enhance how welcoming the home looks. If the yard is well-cared for, it will assure buyers that you’ve also worked hard to maintain the property and have kept up with repairs. If the curb appeal is lacking, it will cause buyers to question how much it’ll cost them to redo the landscaping and will work against your chances of getting a higher offer.

4. Bad DIY Projects

With Pinterest and DIY Home Renovation shows a hit in today’s society, it’s common to see homes that have incomplete or poor DIY projects that were performed by the homeowners. Unfortunately, many of projects look unprofessional and hoaky for a feature that can quickly reduce the selling price of the home. Buyers will want to avoid making an offer due to the time and money that they’ll need to invest in redoing the projects themselves or by hiring a professional. Hire a contractor who can redo the projects before listing your home to ensure that everything looks complete and attractive to potential buyers.

5. Wasted Square Footage

Your home may be too big for your family, but it doesn’t mean that you need to neglect the square footage that isn’t being used. Show buyers the potential of every room in the home by creating a purpose for the space. If you have an attic that is filled with junk, transform it into a home office or entertainment room. For basements, consider refinishing the space and using it as a guest room or home gym. Refinishing specific areas will also increase the property value with the added square footage that can be used.

Before listing your home on the market, there are a number of features and rooms to inspect to ensure that you avoid reducing your property value. By preventing common mistakes and maintaining a neutral style, it will work to increase the overall appeal of your property and help you sell at a higher price for a home that you can truly be proud to show to future buyers

From a post by David Bailey, "Creating Clients for Life"

Psst...Thinking of Selling your Home? Tips to DeClutter,Discard and Clean!

Clean, Declutter, Discard: Make a House Shine for Resale

 BY BARBARA BALLINGER

Sentimentality can be a powerful disincentive to declutter. How could a loving daughter sell her family silver, even though she dislikes the pattern? How could parents ever discard a painting by their young budding Picasso, even though he’s now 30 and hasn’t picked up a paint brush in 20 years?

Most home owners avoid those tough decisions and schlep possessions from house-to-house. But it’s far smarter to shed before moving. Not only does it clear out space to make a listing look its best, it also saves on moving costs to transport less stuff.

Are you clinging to keepsakes? Here are 13 steps to help make the task of decluttering less daunting.

Tip: Taking photos may help you look objectively at your house, suggests Amy Trager, certified professional organizer and president of the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

1. Study the entire house. You shouldn’t tackle every room in one fell swoop. Go room-by-room, starting at the front door. You should pretend your're seeing each room for the first time.

2. Make piles. You should organize piles as you clear each room — for example, stack items to keep, give to family or friends, donate to a charity, sell online, get hauled away, and consign. You should bear in mind the size of the home you are moving to, your degree of sentimental attachment, and the financial value of each item. It’s best to put highly personal items aside in the keep pile, such as family photos you don’t want buyers to see during showings.

Tip: Sellers could offer a buyers’ allowance to do their own decorating, says Barry Izsak, owner of Arranging It Allin Austin, Texas, and former NAPO president.

3. Create a spreadsheet. A master list of what rooms will require organizing tasks can be helpful. This will also aid in prioritizing expenses, such as home improvements, paint, and staging elements. To play it safe with finicky buyers, you should go neutral in paint and decor.

4. Empty closets. Often becoming a graveyard for all the belongings home owners don’t know what to do with, clean, spacious closets are a coveted feature among buyers. Eliminate anything not worn or used in the last two years. Aim to dispose of 50 percent of wardrobes since most people only wear 20 percent of their clothes 80 percent of the time.The remaining items should be stored on uniform rods, or in labeled, see-through bins.

5. Clear off counters and bookcases. Get rid of books that won’t be reread, particularly now that so many people read online. Add a few home decor items for sparkle. When in doubt, follow the “rule of three,” a mantra among home stagers, by clustering items into threes to create visual appeal. The final effect should reflect a neutral style.

6. Inspect the home’s exterior. Depending on the time of year, you may need to hire a professional to clear leaves and prune, so that they don’t hide a home’s features. Messiness and wear and tear on the outside indicates to buyers that the inside hasn't been cared for well.

7. Check curb appeal all around. While the front yard is key to making a good first impression, more home owners spend time out back, so you should be sure lawns, shrubs, trees, and amenities like a fence and air conditioning condensers are maintained.

8. Spruce up the kitchen. This is the home’s most popular gathering spot and another place where everything gets dumped—backpacks, car keys, cell phones, etc. The rule of three applies here, too. Do not  stuff anything into a pantry or cabinets; get rid of it if it hasn't been used in a few years. Also, clean out the refrigerator and freezer.

9. Make bathrooms spotless. Not every seller has a spa bathroom to unwind in, but clean grout, tiles, shower door, and vanity can make a big difference in an average bathroom. Clear out the prime real estate of a medicine cabinet, add crisp white or other neutral towels, fresh soaps, and a plant.

10. Purge attics, and garages. These are a home’s purgatories—where stuff goes to never see the bright light of day. Anything that’s been moved at least twice and not opened needs to be reassessed. Separate the items to be stored in see-through bins to reveal their contents; do so by categories, such as holiday decorations; and be sure bins are labeled clearly and have lids to keep out pests.

11. Professionalize an office. With more home owners working from home, a separate room or corner for an office can boost sales appeal.Clear up paper piles and file documents—but remember, most home owners only reference 5 percent of their files. The work area should include good illumination, a comfortable chair, and clean equipment.

12. Get rid of belongings. Now it’s time for you to rethink what to do with everything in piles. Here are some upsides and downsides to these decisions:

• Sell or auction through an online vendor like Craigslist or eBay or at a flea market. Downside: It may take time to get the desired price.

• Leave at a consignment shop to get stuff out of a house now. Downside: Proceeds get shared, and it may take a while to sell.

• Give away to family, friends, or a nonprofit such as freecycle.org. Some communities let residents leave stuff outside their house with a sign, “Take it!” Upside: It gets rid of things fast.

• Have a group haul it away such as 1-800-Got-Junk? Upside: This avoids driving it to a dumpster.

• Donate to a charity. Upside: It gets out of a house, helps someone in need, and provides a deduction. Fill out IRS Form 8283 if total exceeds $500.

• Organize a yard sale. If time is of the essence, the seller could hire a professional who sets up tables, takes money, and gets rid of what doesn't sell. Downside: Proceeds get shared.

13. Don’t repeat collector mania. Once you move into your new home with fewer possessions, purchase carefully. Check out HouseLogic’s REALTOR® Content Resource for helpful home staging, maintenance, and organizing articles.