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10 Tips for Making a Small Space Bigger
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1. Paint With Delicate Hues: Dark colors may seem design-friendly, but they make rooms look smaller. Adam Janovic, former president of New York's Janovic Paints, explains that "the lighter the color, the more open the space appears. White will maximize the space -- a dark color will close it in."
2. Use Shades of the Same Color: One way to introduce variety without shrinking the room's apparent size is to paint the walls, trim, and detailing in different shades of one color, such as white, off-white, and beige. Or try a white that's tinted with green or yellow so you can use the darker shade of the color on the trim and detailing. "By using a monochromatic scheme," says Janovic, "you'll make the room look more open."
3. Give Your Ceiling Texture: While Janovic and many other paint experts say a white ceiling will open up a space, Vera Vandenbosch, director of marketing at Donghia Furniture disagrees. "White is a noncolor -- it just disappears," she says. "But if you give your ceiling texture, it will do something to your room that's a lot more interesting. Metallic textures are much more interesting than white." One of Donghia's specialties is metallic gold "teapaper," applied as wallpaper to the ceiling. "It gives your room a lot more height," says Vandenbosch. Bonus: It also creates a flattering reflection on your face. Donghia's "Looks Like Teapaper" is available to the trade for a suggested retail price of $57 per yard (800-DONGHIA; www.donghia.com). But if this is out of your price range, check out a Chinatown next time you're in a big city -- many Chinese stores carry similar metallic paper.
4. Reflect Your Space: Wall-to-wall mirrors may seem like a '70s design leftover, but using mirrors well can open up your home. New ones are pricey, so cruise flea markets and garage sales for bargains. Even mirrors with surface imperfections can give your room a great atmosphere.
Once you've gathered a collection, display the mirrors together on one wall. (Leave some space between them -- you're going for a "collection" look, not a wall-to-wall-mirror-bachelor-pad nightmare.) The room will seem larger, and the mirrors will act as wall decor.
[Nest Note] This works best if the mirrors are placed on a wall opposite the windows to increase light. Doing this will also reflect the scenery outside, bringing the outdoors in.
5. Get Perspective: Hanging pictures of expansive landscapes with vanishing perspective will trick your eyes into thinking your pad's got depth.
6. Think Big: It's easy to assume you should decorate to scale -- small furniture pieces for your small space -- but Vandenbosch advises otherwise. "It's better to have one well-designed prominent piece that makes a statement than to have smaller pieces of furniture cluttered with tchotchkes and knickknacks," she cautions. "Even one oversize piece of furniture can add character to a room. A well-designed armchair with a nice curve to it will give your room personality."
7. Space Things Out
"People think they're saving space by shoving everything against the wall," says Vandenbosch, "but a piece of furniture sometimes looks better when it's placed at an angle or surrounded by space. Sometimes it makes sense to let a piece breathe more." A creative furniture arrangement will make your place seem more visually dynamic.
8. Make It Clear
If your room is very small, use glass-topped tables. The glass makes you think you're seeing more space and less clutter. "This goes for coffee tables as well as dining tables or work desks," says Vandenbosch. "It's a simple visual trick, but it works really well."
9. Add Multifunctional Pieces
Investing in furniture that serves multiple functions is a great way to save space. A headboard doing double duty as a bookshelf lets you maximize wall space. An ottoman with built-in storage space lets you store magazines (and that TV Guide) and gives you a place to rest your weary feet.
10. Fold It Up
Dining tables that can be made smaller or larger (e.g., drop-leaf or draw-leaf, or with removable leaves) let you make the most out of a combined living-dining area. And a futon bed makes sense in a small bedroom -- especially if you take the time to fold it up during the day.
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5 Money Saving Tips for Summer
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You can save money throughout the year, but the warm temperatures of summer provide a few additional tips that can help you save even more money. Here are some things to try during those warm months.
1. Turn off the air conditioning. This doesn’t mean you have to suffer through sweltering heat, but you should be aware of the weather so that you can maximize efficiency and save money by using it only when needed. For example, if it is going to be a cool night, turn off the air before heading to bed and open a few windows.
2. Cook outside. Using the stove or baking in the oven can create a lot of excess heat that has nowhere to go except in your house. Consider taking meal plans to the barbecue grill outside so that you can keep your cool inside.
3. Let your laundry dry outside. If you have the ability to hang up laundry outside, let the sun and warm summer breeze do the drying for you. Even if you can’t hang up clothes outside, try using your dryer on a lower heat setting or only partially drying your shirts and letting them air dry the rest of the way.
4. Replace your air conditioner filters. This can be easy to overlook, but a dirty filter can increase cooling costs. Dirty filters restrict the airflow and the efficiency of the air conditioner, which translates into more run time and higher cooling costs. Filters are cheap, so replace them regularly.
5. Plan ahead for future home and garden projects. As summer begins to wind down, it is a perfect time to be on the lookout for season ending sales. Landscape plants, tools, and other outdoor project materials tend to go on sale as people begin to look toward autumn and spending less time outside
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10 Inexpensive Ways to Spruce Up
Your Rental or Rehab Property
It's easy to fix up your properties if you have unlimited cash. However, you need to keep your repairs to a Related minimum to stay profitable. You also need to keep your properties in good shape to attract tenants or buyers. There are the basic improvements, such as carpet and paint, but these can still costs thousands of dollars. The following are some inexpensive ways to improve your properties with very little cash.
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It's easy to fix up your properties if you have unlimited cash. However, you need to keep your repairs to a Related Information: "Flipping Properties Course" minimum to stay profitable. You also need to keep your properties in good shape to attract tenants or buyers. There are the basic improvements, such as carpet and paint, but these can still costs thousands of dollars. The following are some inexpensive ways to improve your properties with very little cash.
#1) New Electrical Switch Plates
This is such a minor, yet overlooked improvement. Most rental owners and rehabbers paint a unit and leave the old, ugly switch plates. Even worse, some even paint over them.
New switch plates cost about 50 cents each. You can replace the entire house with new switch plates for about $20. For the foyer, living room and other obvious areas, spring for nice brass plates. They run about $5 each - not much for added class.
#2) New or Improved Doors
Another overlooked, yet cheap replacement item is doors. If you have ugly brown doors, replace them with nice white doors (you can paint them, but unless you have a spray gun it will take you three coats by hand).
The basic hollow-core door is about $20. It comes pre-primed and pre-hung. For about $10 more, you can buy stylish six-panel doors. If you are doing a rehab, the extra $10 per door is well worth-it. For rentals, consider at least changing the downstairs doors.
#3) New Door Handles
In addition to changing doors, consider changing the handles. An old door handle (especially with crusted paint on it) looks drab. For about $10, you can replace them with new brass finished handles. Replace the guest bathroom and bedroom door handles with the fancy "S" handles (about $20 each).
#4) Paint/Replace Trim
If the entire interior of the house does not need a paint job, consider painting the trim. New, modern custom homes typically come with beige or off-white walls and bright-white trim. Use a semi-gloss bright white on all the trim in your houses.
If the floor trim is worn, cracked or just plain ugly, replace it! Home Depot carries a new foam trim that is pre-painted in several finishes and costs less than 50 cents per linear foot. Create a great first impression by adding crown molding in the entry way and living room.
#5) New Front Door
You only get one chance to make a first impression. A cheap front door makes a house look cheap. An old front door makes a house look old. If you have nice heavy door, paint it a bold color using a high-gloss paint. If your front door is old, consider replacing it with a new, stylish door. For about $125, you can buy a very nice door.
#6) Tile Foyer Entry
After the front door, your next first impression is the foyer area. Most rental property foyers are graced with linoleum floors. Consider a nice 12" Mexican tile. An 8' x 8' area should cost about $100 in materials.
#7) New Shower Curtains
It amazes me that many landlords and sellers show properties with either no shower curtain or any ugly old shower curtain in the bathroom. Don't be cheap - drop $40 and buy a nice new rod and fancy curtain.
#8) Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Replacing kitchen cabinets is expensive, but painting them is cheap. If you have old 1970's style wooden cabinets in a lovely dark brown shade, paint them. Use a semi-gloss white and finish them with colorful plastic knobs. No need to paint the inside of them (unless you own a spray gun), since you are only trying to make an impression.
Americans spend 99% of their time in the kitchen (when they are not watching TV). A fancy modern faucet looks great in the kitchen. They can run as much as $150, but not to worry - most retailers (Home Depot, Home Base, etc) often run clearance sales on overstocked and discontinued models. I have found nice Delta and Price Pfister faucets for about $60 on sale.
#9) Add Window Shutters
If you have ugly aluminum framed windows, consider adding wooden shutters outside. They come pre-primed at most hardware retailers and are easy to install. Paint them an offset color from the outside of the house - (e.g., if the house is dark, paint the shutters white. If the house is light, paint them green, blue, etc.).
#10) Add a Nice Mailbox
Everyone on the block has the same black mailbox. Stand out. Be bold. For about $35 you can buy a nice colorful mailbox. For about $60 more, you can buy a nice wooden post for it. People notice these things....and they like them!
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Date: Apr. 20, 2008
Tags: Waco
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Spring Training Fitness Tips
 After a long winter of reduced activity or inactivity you might be tempted to get outside and train as soon as the weather improves. You may also be tempted to exercise at the same level you did at the end of the last season. But such enthusiasm often leads to early season injuries. If you changed your routine for the winter, you need to get back into shape slowly. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you head out the door this spring.
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· Slow but Steady. Don’t succumb to the weekend warrior syndrome. Try to get some exercise 3-4 times per week on alternate days. One of the best ways to get injured or sore is to go hard all weekend and do nothing during the week.
· Monitor Your Level of Exertion. Use the perceived exertion scale, the talk test, or the heart rate range to help you determine an appropriate intensity level. Stay at the lower end of the scale (11-13) and build up over several weeks.
· Increase Your Training Slow. Increasing training (mileage, time or amount of weight lifted) more than 10 percent per week increases your risk of injury. To avoid this, increase your training gradually over the weeks.
· Avoid All-Out Efforts Until You Build a Solid Base of Fitness. Depending upon how much inactivity you had over the winter, it could take as long as 6 weeks to re-establish a solid fitness base. Start your exercise program with slow, steady aerobic sessions. When you add intervals or all-out efforts, make sure you allow enough rest and recovery (at least 48 hours) between those hard effort training days.
· Follow a Training Program and Keep Records. If you really want to build back up to optimal fitness, it helps to establish a training plan and stick with it. There are many training programs for all types of sports and having one is not only good motivation, but it helps keep you from doing too much too soon.
· Cut Yourself Some Slack. If you took the winter off, don't expect to be back to peak fitness in a week or two. It's ok to go slow and just enjoy being outside again. There's plenty of summer left, so don't worry about going a bit slower in the beginning.
· Train With Others at Your Fitness Level. If you can find a few people with the same fitness level and goals as you it can help kept you progressing at a good pace. Training with those who are farther along will only encourage you to overdo it, get injured or feel ‘behind’ in your training. Workouts with more fit people can be motivating and help you improve, but only after you have a good solid base to work with. Otherwise they can be harmful.
· Remember to Have Fun. Keep in mind that this is Spring Training which is a time for fun, light-hearted exercise. You aren't competing and you aren't burnt out yet. So just relax and enjoy your activity.
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INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE
The big housing news last week came out of Washington. Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed in principle to a $15 billion housing stimulus package that could pass as early as this week. Interesting provisions. A property-tax deduction for homeowners who don't itemize. FHA insurance up to $550,000. $100 million for counseling borrowers on the verge of default. A tax credit for buyers of foreclosed homes. Tax-exempt bonds for local housing authorities. Block grants for foreclosed properties. Tax breaks for homebuilders. It needs to get through the House and be signed by the President. But at last there is a strong bipartisan effort to get housing back on track.
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Top Ten Tax Deductions for Landlords
You are probably paying too much in taxes on your rental income.
 No landlord would pay more than necessary for utilities or other operating expenses for a rental property. But, every year, millions of landlords pay more taxes on their rental income than they have to. Why? Because they fail to take advantage of all the tax deductions available for owners of rental property. |
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| Rental real estate provides more tax benefits than almost any other investment. Often, these benefits make the difference between losing money and earning a profit on a rental property. But tax deductions are worthless if you don’t take advantage of them. Here are the top ten tax deductions for owners of small residential rental property.
1. Interest. Interest is often a landlord’s single biggest deductible expense. Common examples of interest that landlords can deduct include mortgage interest payments on loans used to acquire or improve rental property and interest on credit cards for goods or services used in a rental activity.
2. Depreciation. The actual cost of a house, apartment building, or other rental property is not fully deductible in the year in which you pay for it. Instead, landlords get back the cost of real estate through depreciation. This involves deducting a portion of the cost of the property over several years. Residential rental property must be depreciated over 27.5 years.
3. Repairs. The cost of repairs to rental property (provided the repairs are ordinary, necessary, and reasonable in amount) are fully deductible in the year in which they are incurred. Good examples of deductible repairs include repainting, fixing gutters or floors, fixing leaks, plastering, and replacing broken windows.
4. Local travel. Landlords are entitled to a tax deduction whenever they drive anywhere for their rental activity. For example, when you drive to your rental building to deal with a tenant complaint or go to the hardware store to purchase a part for a repair, you can deduct your travel expenses.
If you drive a car, SUV, van, pickup, or panel truck for your rental activity (as most landlords do), you have two options for deducting your vehicle expenses: You can deduct your actual expenses (gasoline, upkeep, repairs) or you can use the standard mileage rate (48.5 cents per mile in 2007; 44.5 cents per mile in 2006). To qualify for the standard mileage rate, you must use the standard mileage method the first year you use a car for your business activity. Moreover, you can't use the standard mileage rate if you have claimed accelerated depreciation deductions in prior years, or have taken a Section 179 deduction for the vehicle.
5. Long distance travel. If you travel overnight for your rental activity, you can deduct your airfare, hotel bills, meals, and other expenses. If you plan your trip carefully, you can even mix landlord business with pleasure and still take a deduction. However, IRS auditors closely scrutinize deductions for overnight travel -- and many taxpayers get caught claiming these deductions without proper records to back them up. To stay within the law (and avoid unwanted attention from the IRS), you need to properly document your long distance travel expenses.
6. Home office. Provided they meet certain minimal requirements, landlords may deduct their home office expenses from their taxable income. This deduction applies not only to space devoted to office work, but also to a workshop or any other home workspace you use for your rental business. This is true whether you own your home or apartment or are a renter.
7. Employees and independent contractors. Whenever you hire anyone to perform services for your rental activity, you can deduct their wages as a rental business expense. This is so whether the worker is an employee (for example, a resident manager) or an independent contractor (for example, a repair person).
8. Casualty and theft losses. If your rental property is damaged or destroyed from a sudden event like a fire or flood, you may be able to obtain a tax deduction for all or part of your loss. These types of losses are called “casualty” losses. You usually won’t be able to deduct the entire cost of property damaged or destroyed by a casualty. How much you may deduct depends on how much of your property was destroyed and whether the loss was covered by insurance.
9. Insurance. You can deduct the premiums you pay for almost any insurance for your rental activity. This includes fire, theft, and flood insurance for rental property, as well as landlord liability insurance. And if you have employees, you can deduct the cost of their health and workers’ compensation insurance.
10. Legal and professional services. Finally, you can deduct fees that you pay to attorneys, accountants, property management companies, real estate investment advisors, and other professionals. You can deduct these fees as operating expenses as long as the fees are paid for work related to your rental activity.
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REMINDER..12 days from today, all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.
YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS.
To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222
It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to block. You cannot call from a different phone number.
HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS. It take about 20 seconds..
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Date: Mar. 14, 2008
Tags: None
When trying to sell your home it is no longer a home you live in, it becomes a property you are selling!
You need to think of your house as a marketable commodity. Property. Real estate. Your goal is to get others to see it as their potential home, not yours. If you do not consciously make this decision, you can inadvertently create a situation where it takes longer to sell your property.
The first step in getting your home ready to sell is to "de-personalize" it.
Russell Cox
Relocation Director
Kelly, Realtors
254 717 6447
www.kellyrealtors.com
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How You Can Make Money in
Any Real Estate Market
Donald Trump makes billions of dollars purchasing run down or vacant properties and building fantastic structures on them. Warren Buffett makes billions of dollars buying "troubled" companies and turning them into financial powerhouses. Little ol' me makes millions of dollars by purchasing hard-to-sell houses and making them dream homes.
There's a theme here. If you look closely at the investing strategies of billionaires, you'll find a single principle hiding in all their actions On the other hand, if you look closely at the investing strategies of struggling investors, you'll rarely find it. What is this principle and how can you profit from it?
The Law of Supply and Demand
You might remember this principle. Your high school Civics teacher probably droned on about it for hours, subjecting you to all kinds of nasty mathematical formulas and charts. If you're like me, you passed it off as economic mumbo-jumbo and went back to sleep.
Big mistake. This one little principle is what separates the struggling investor from the successful one. It separates the bad deals from the good deals. Once I started using it in my favor, I saw my income transform from nothing into over $1 million the first year. Life was so much easier.
Foreclosures: a supply and demand case study
Example: You've heard that the foreclosure market is hot, right? Enthusiastically, you signed up to one of the foreclosure web sites and started bidding on houses in your price range. Then you discovered something. Everyone else is doing the same thing! The clever little banker dumped you into a bidding war, driving up the purchase price and driving out the profit.
What went wrong here? You made an offer on an investment with a low supply and a high demand. Lots of gurus have popularized investing in foreclosures, leading to masses of beginners snatching up all of the lower end houses--for ridiculous prices. If you lost a bidding war, don't feel bad. Chances are, they lost money on the deal.
Foreclosures are an example of The Law of Supply and Demand working against people. You can also make the Law work for you. If you want to buy a good investment, look for the following:
Low supply, high demand: An example of this market is Southern California. Tons of people want to move there and the number of houses are limited. Because of these factors, property is appreciating at extraordinary rates.
High supply, low demand: Sometimes, you'll find a surplus of a kind of property. In Charlotte, NC, for example, the rental market is glutted, leading to high vacancy rates. You can buy multi-unit properties for big discounts.
Making money from low supply, high demand properties in hot markets is simple. Buy the property and sit on it. Monitor the market on a regular basis to see if supply is increasing or demand is shrinking. Eventually, it will happen. You'll notice appreciation rates starting to flatten out. When this happens, you need to sell before the bubble bursts.
The real trick is making money from high supply, low demand investments. For example, if you try to sell them in the same economic condition (high supply, low demand), then you'll most likely have difficulty selling at a reasonable speed at a reasonable profit. The reason? Nothing has changed.
Getting rich from high supply, low demand
We've all heard the secret to real estate is buying low and selling high. Well, you've managed to buy a property for next to nothing. How do you go about raising the price? Once again, the Law of Supply and Demand tells us what to do.
For the price to increase, one of two things has to happen. Either the demand has to increase or the supply has to decrease. Normally, you have little control over the supply of properties in your area, so we're left with one option: increase the demand.
In the residential market, the best way to increase the demand is to make the house more desirable. Rehabbers are familiar with this strategy. They buy fixer uppers for a big discount, make all of the repairs, and sell them for a juicy profit. By making the house more livable, they increase the demand. The result is a drastic jump in price.
You can follow a similar strategy for houses that are in good condition. At any given time, in almost any market, there are oodles of good, well-kept houses that people are having difficulty selling. They're often slightly older houses with a few cosmetic problems. Tidy them up and sell them for a quick gain.
Increase desirability on the cheap
"That sounds expensive," many people whine. My answer is this: Would you spend a few extra dollars to sell the property three times faster? It's also cheaper than you would think. Use the following seven tips to give your house a fast, inexpensive boost in desirability:
1. Spruce up the landscaping
2. Repaint the walls
3. Install additional lighting
4. Replace damaged or cheap fixtures with something nice
5. Add crown molding
6. Decorate the front door step
7. Buy a nice mailbox
Take it a step further
So far, we've stayed inside the limits of your standard, residential investments. You can make decent returns, but if you want to make the big bucks, you need to think outside the box. The best investments are almost always undesirable properties that you can transform into the hottest on the market.
For example, my company is buying a lot of luxury homes right now. Many of them sit on the MLS for one or even two years. We buy them at a steep discount and then turn them into dream homes. When we're done, the house usually sells within three months for twice what we paid for it!
What is the high supply, low demand property in your area? Sometimes it's multifamily, retail, raw land, or other less common types of investments. Whatever it is, go out and survey the market. Find a property that you can buy cheap, make a few changes, and sell for a big profit. Then you'll be investing like the big boys... and you'll start making their kind of profit.
RussellCox
Relocation Director
Kelly, Realtors
1229 Nth Valley Mills Drive
Waco TX 76710
:email: rcox@kellyrealtors.com
Mob: 254 717 6447 Direct
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Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of any real estate transaction. For me, it is the curb appeal that defines everything about my deal. How much will I offer? How much will it take to rehab the property? How does it compare to the surrounding living conditions?
Simply stated,
If the curb appeal is not very good, I know that I can buy the property for a discounted price.
And that's what my business is all about. Buying distressed homes and then raising the curb appeal through repairs to the property that not only raise curb appeal, but also the value too. Here are several ways that I use to bring up the value of houses to maximize my profit at resale.
Your first step--repainting
The most important thing that I can do to improve curb appeal is to repaint the structure. A fresh new coat of paint adds value right from the start. Remember, first impressions count. This will actually get you a higher appraisal than a house without a new paint job.
You want to do the outside of an investment property first--particularly the front. Getting the most noticeable portion in its best shape first will attract buyers immediately. You can't get a buyer to see the interior if they are not first pleased with the exterior.
Add a crisp, clean appearance
If the house is just dirty, and the paint is in good shape, then a pressure washer can be used to clean up the exterior siding, gutters, downspouts, deck, fences, and driveway. I even clean my roofs with one. Use the washer to remove any mold and mildew that can be seen on or near the house.
Pull your car in front of your property and take a hard look at what you see. This is going to be what your potential buyer sees, too. If you see something that sticks out to you, fix it. Make sure there are no leaves piled up on the grass.
Once you have disposed of any debris in the yard, make sure the lawn is mowed nicely. A fresh cut yard is a good sign that the rest of the home has been tended to correctly. Get rid of weeds and tools that are cluttering up any areas that can be seen from the street.
Don't overlook windows or gutters that need to be cleaned. These are simple tasks that do not cost any money to perform, while adding a crisp clean appearance to the home.
You may also want to remove any limbs touching the house or roof. This could scratch paint or cause roof leaks down the road. Another no-cost fix is to use a lawn edger around walkways, driveways and planter areas.
If your house may be looked at near dusk or dark, you want to make sure there is good light available. Add a decorative yard lamp to help the appearance and also add security at the same time.
Some people really like to line the driveway and walkway with little footlights. This adds great character to the house as well as a beautiful soft light shimmering as it leads people to your door.
An inexpensive way to add light would be to add a fixture at your front door either overhead or a wall mounted light. You can afford these on any budget, and the choice of styles is huge.
Landscaping--keep it simple and cheap
Let me mention a few things. Landscape is where some people can make expensive mistakes. Since bushes, trees, and decorative plants can cost thousands in landscape design, you do not want to go overboard--not even on your own home. Keep it simple, and you can keep it cheap too.
Around your mailbox post is a good place for some colorful flowers. You may also have some flower beds near your front entrance. This really looks great and can be done on a budget. Trim all the bushes to the same size and shape if they are in a group. This will make them look uniform as well as fancy.
If I spend the money to plant any decorative trees, I get ones that will look decent all year round. Most of the trees I add are fruit-bearing trees or something that will bloom brilliantly during the year.
On a house this week, we trimmed back bushes that had grown too high and made a very nice design around them using decorative pine straw and wood chips. These items run about $3 a bale for the straw and about $5 a bag for decorative chips. It really dressed up the front of the house, and I am sure will help me sell faster.
Add a few special touches
Just don't blow your budget that could cost big dollars when for a few hundred, you can dress a yard up nicely. It's better to do a lot of little, inexpensive things than it is to do one big, expensive thing. Dress up the front door with a nice color of paint that will go well with the house but still add flair. It's just like dressing up an old suit with a new tie!
Go a little further and add a fancy decorative doorknob and knocker set. Maybe even a brass kick plate. These items don't cost much but can add drama to the house.
Here is something I saw that was great as I was talking to my neighbor. She had been working on something in her yard for a couple of days, so I wandered over to check it out. She had added a fountain in the front of her home, and it was really pretty.
She and her husband bought a kit for the project for about $300. It had some nice stone structures and rocks that the water went through and they had dug out an area the plastic liner was placed into. As the water trickled down the decorative stonework, the liner fit nicely into the ground and had some varieties of fish swimming in it.
I thought this was a great addition--adding curb appeal and value--and a nice calming effect when sitting on the front porch in a rocker looking over the fountain.
The charm of the front porch decorated with flowers, wind chimes, and candles gave me the idea that I could dress up my houses with this same decor to show buyers feel that they could enjoy the same charm if they bought my house.
Last, but not least
If you have homes that have a lot of children living in the area, as well as possible pet owners, you may want to make sure that if the house has a secure fence.
On the house I have for sale now, we had to repair some areas of the fence. It's a six-foot tall wooden fence, and we replaced some of the boards that had been knocked down or broken. This adds security to people with kids and pets. It would have been a deal killer for buyers to see the fence run down and tacky.
We just put in a few new boards, sprayed it with bleach to clean it up and then put a good water sealer on it to make it last. We did the same thing to the deck in the back to clean and preserve it. For a little over $100, we made two areas that may have driven a buyer away look new and inviting again.
A few bullet points to remember...
- Pressure washing is a cheap way to clean up the entire exterior of any property.
- A fresh coat of paint raises the value and appeal.
- Do no-cost things like cleaning windows, mowing lawns, raking leaves, weeding, and trimming hedges, bushes, and branches from the house.
- Light up your home with outside lights and fancy lamps and such.
- Get landscaping ideas that cost a small amount yet make a huge impact
- Ponds and fountains make a dramatic statement.
- Repair fences and decks and use sealers to maintain a good look.
- Make the place feel like home with front porch swings and rockers.
- Decorate with flowers and candles and plant fruit bearing trees.
There are hundreds of ways to add curb appeal--use your imagination! Keep in mind that if people don't like the outside of the house, they will probably never see the inside. You may not realize it, but bad curb appeal could be the main reason a house sits on the market for months.
|
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link :: Email This Entry
|
|
Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of any real estate transaction. For me, it is the curb appeal that defines everything about my deal. How much will I offer? How much will it take to rehab the property? How does it compare to the surrounding living conditions?
Simply stated,
If the curb appeal is not very good, I know that I can buy the property for a discounted price.
And that's what my business is all about. Buying distressed homes and then raising the curb appeal through repairs to the property that not only raise curb appeal, but also the value too. Here are several ways that I use to bring up the value of houses to maximize my profit at resale.
Your first step--repainting
The most important thing that I can do to improve curb appeal is to repaint the structure. A fresh new coat of paint adds value right from the start. Remember, first impressions count. This will actually get you a higher appraisal than a house without a new paint job.
You want to do the outside of an investment property first--particularly the front. Getting the most noticeable portion in its best shape first will attract buyers immediately. You can't get a buyer to see the interior if they are not first pleased with the exterior.
Add a crisp, clean appearance
If the house is just dirty, and the paint is in good shape, then a pressure washer can be used to clean up the exterior siding, gutters, downspouts, deck, fences, and driveway. I even clean my roofs with one. Use the washer to remove any mold and mildew that can be seen on or near the house.
Pull your car in front of your property and take a hard look at what you see. This is going to be what your potential buyer sees, too. If you see something that sticks out to you, fix it. Make sure there are no leaves piled up on the grass.
Once you have disposed of any debris in the yard, make sure the lawn is mowed nicely. A fresh cut yard is a good sign that the rest of the home has been tended to correctly. Get rid of weeds and tools that are cluttering up any areas that can be seen from the street.
Don't overlook windows or gutters that need to be cleaned. These are simple tasks that do not cost any money to perform, while adding a crisp clean appearance to the home.
You may also want to remove any limbs touching the house or roof. This could scratch paint or cause roof leaks down the road. Another no-cost fix is to use a lawn edger around walkways, driveways and planter areas.
If your house may be looked at near dusk or dark, you want to make sure there is good light available. Add a decorative yard lamp to help the appearance and also add security at the same time.
Some people really like to line the driveway and walkway with little footlights. This adds great character to the house as well as a beautiful soft light shimmering as it leads people to your door.
An inexpensive way to add light would be to add a fixture at your front door either overhead or a wall mounted light. You can afford these on any budget, and the choice of styles is huge.
Landscaping--keep it simple and cheap
Let me mention a few things. Landscape is where some people can make expensive mistakes. Since bushes, trees, and decorative plants can cost thousands in landscape design, you do not want to go overboard--not even on your own home. Keep it simple, and you can keep it cheap too.
Around your mailbox post is a good place for some colorful flowers. You may also have some flower beds near your front entrance. This really looks great and can be done on a budget. Trim all the bushes to the same size and shape if they are in a group. This will make them look uniform as well as fancy.
If I spend the money to plant any decorative trees, I get ones that will look decent all year round. Most of the trees I add are fruit-bearing trees or something that will bloom brilliantly during the year.
On a house this week, we trimmed back bushes that had grown too high and made a very nice design around them using decorative pine straw and wood chips. These items run about $3 a bale for the straw and about $5 a bag for decorative chips. It really dressed up the front of the house, and I am sure will help me sell faster.
Add a few special touches
Just don't blow your budget that could cost big dollars when for a few hundred, you can dress a yard up nicely. It's better to do a lot of little, inexpensive things than it is to do one big, expensive thing. Dress up the front door with a nice color of paint that will go well with the house but still add flair. It's just like dressing up an old suit with a new tie!
Go a little further and add a fancy decorative doorknob and knocker set. Maybe even a brass kick plate. These items don't cost much but can add drama to the house.
Here is something I saw that was great as I was talking to my neighbor. She had been working on something in her yard for a couple of days, so I wandered over to check it out. She had added a fountain in the front of her home, and it was really pretty.
She and her husband bought a kit for the project for about $300. It had some nice stone structures and rocks that the water went through and they had dug out an area the plastic liner was placed into. As the water trickled down the decorative stonework, the liner fit nicely into the ground and had some varieties of fish swimming in it.
I thought this was a great addition--adding curb appeal and value--and a nice calming effect when sitting on the front porch in a rocker looking over the fountain.
The charm of the front porch decorated with flowers, wind chimes, and candles gave me the idea that I could dress up my houses with this same decor to show buyers feel that they could enjoy the same charm if they bought my house.
Last, but not least
If you have homes that have a lot of children living in the area, as well as possible pet owners, you may want to make sure that if the house has a secure fence.
On the house I have for sale now, we had to repair some areas of the fence. It's a six-foot tall wooden fence, and we replaced some of the boards that had been knocked down or broken. This adds security to people with kids and pets. It would have been a deal killer for buyers to see the fence run down and tacky.
We just put in a few new boards, sprayed it with bleach to clean it up and then put a good water sealer on it to make it last. We did the same thing to the deck in the back to clean and preserve it. For a little over $100, we made two areas that may have driven a buyer away look new and inviting again.
A few bullet points to remember...
- Pressure washing is a cheap way to clean up the entire exterior of any property.
- A fresh coat of paint raises the value and appeal.
- Do no-cost things like cleaning windows, mowing lawns, raking leaves, weeding, and trimming hedges, bushes, and branches from the house.
- Light up your home with outside lights and fancy lamps and such.
- Get landscaping ideas that cost a small amount yet make a huge impact
- Ponds and fountains make a dramatic statement.
- Repair fences and decks and use sealers to maintain a good look.
- Make the place feel like home with front porch swings and rockers.
- Decorate with flowers and candles and plant fruit bearing trees.
There are hundreds of ways to add curb appeal--use your imagination! Keep in mind that if people don't like the outside of the house, they will probably never see the inside. You may not realize it, but bad curb appeal could be the main reason a house sits on the market for months.
|
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link :: Email This Entry
|
|
Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of any real estate transaction. For me, it is the curb appeal that defines everything about my deal. How much will I offer? How much will it take to rehab the property? How does it compare to the surrounding living conditions?
Simply stated,
If the curb appeal is not very good, I know that I can buy the property for a discounted price.
And that's what my business is all about. Buying distressed homes and then raising the curb appeal through repairs to the property that not only raise curb appeal, but also the value too. Here are several ways that I use to bring up the value of houses to maximize my profit at resale.
Your first step--repainting
The most important thing that I can do to improve curb appeal is to repaint the structure. A fresh new coat of paint adds value right from the start. Remember, first impressions count. This will actually get you a higher appraisal than a house without a new paint job.
You want to do the outside of an investment property first--particularly the front. Getting the most noticeable portion in its best shape first will attract buyers immediately. You can't get a buyer to see the interior if they are not first pleased with the exterior.
Add a crisp, clean appearance
If the house is just dirty, and the paint is in good shape, then a pressure washer can be used to clean up the exterior siding, gutters, downspouts, deck, fences, and driveway. I even clean my roofs with one. Use the washer to remove any mold and mildew that can be seen on or near the house.
Pull your car in front of your property and take a hard look at what you see. This is going to be what your potential buyer sees, too. If you see something that sticks out to you, fix it. Make sure there are no leaves piled up on the grass.
Once you have disposed of any debris in the yard, make sure the lawn is mowed nicely. A fresh cut yard is a good sign that the rest of the home has been tended to correctly. Get rid of weeds and tools that are cluttering up any areas that can be seen from the street.
Don't overlook windows or gutters that need to be cleaned. These are simple tasks that do not cost any money to perform, while adding a crisp clean appearance to the home.
You may also want to remove any limbs touching the house or roof. This could scratch paint or cause roof leaks down the road. Another no-cost fix is to use a lawn edger around walkways, driveways and planter areas.
If your house may be looked at near dusk or dark, you want to make sure there is good light available. Add a decorative yard lamp to help the appearance and also add security at the same time.
Some people really like to line the driveway and walkway with little footlights. This adds great character to the house as well as a beautiful soft light shimmering as it leads people to your door.
An inexpensive way to add light would be to add a fixture at your front door either overhead or a wall mounted light. You can afford these on any budget, and the choice of styles is huge.
Landscaping--keep it simple and cheap
Let me mention a few things. Landscape is where some people can make expensive mistakes. Since bushes, trees, and decorative plants can cost thousands in landscape design, you do not want to go overboard--not even on your own home. Keep it simple, and you can keep it cheap too.
Around your mailbox post is a good place for some colorful flowers. You may also have some flower beds near your front entrance. This really looks great and can be done on a budget. Trim all the bushes to the same size and shape if they are in a group. This will make them look uniform as well as fancy.
If I spend the money to plant any decorative trees, I get ones that will look decent all year round. Most of the trees I add are fruit-bearing trees or something that will bloom brilliantly during the year.
On a house this week, we trimmed back bushes that had grown too high and made a very nice design around them using decorative pine straw and wood chips. These items run about $3 a bale for the straw and about $5 a bag for decorative chips. It really dressed up the front of the house, and I am sure will help me sell faster.
Add a few special touches
Just don't blow your budget that could cost big dollars when for a few hundred, you can dress a yard up nicely. It's better to do a lot of little, inexpensive things than it is to do one big, expensive thing. Dress up the front door with a nice color of paint that will go well with the house but still add flair. It's just like dressing up an old suit with a new tie!
Go a little further and add a fancy decorative doorknob and knocker set. Maybe even a brass kick plate. These items don't cost much but can add drama to the house.
Here is something I saw that was great as I was talking to my neighbor. She had been working on something in her yard for a couple of days, so I wandered over to check it out. She had added a fountain in the front of her home, and it was really pretty.
She and her husband bought a kit for the project for about $300. It had some nice stone structures and rocks that the water went through and they had dug out an area the plastic liner was placed into. As the water trickled down the decorative stonework, the liner fit nicely into the ground and had some varieties of fish swimming in it.
I thought this was a great addition--adding curb appeal and value--and a nice calming effect when sitting on the front porch in a rocker looking over the fountain.
The charm of the front porch decorated with flowers, wind chimes, and candles gave me the idea that I could dress up my houses with this same decor to show buyers feel that they could enjoy the same charm if they bought my house.
Last, but not least
If you have homes that have a lot of children living in the area, as well as possible pet owners, you may want to make sure that if the house has a secure fence.
On the house I have for sale now, we had to repair some areas of the fence. It's a six-foot tall wooden fence, and we replaced some of the boards that had been knocked down or broken. This adds security to people with kids and pets. It would have been a deal killer for buyers to see the fence run down and tacky.
We just put in a few new boards, sprayed it with bleach to clean it up and then put a good water sealer on it to make it last. We did the same thing to the deck in the back to clean and preserve it. For a little over $100, we made two areas that may have driven a buyer away look new and inviting again.
A few bullet points to remember...
- Pressure washing is a cheap way to clean up the entire exterior of any property.
- A fresh coat of paint raises the value and appeal.
- Do no-cost things like cleaning windows, mowing lawns, raking leaves, weeding, and trimming hedges, bushes, and branches from the house.
- Light up your home with outside lights and fancy lamps and such.
- Get landscaping ideas that cost a small amount yet make a huge impact
- Ponds and fountains make a dramatic statement.
- Repair fences and decks and use sealers to maintain a good look.
- Make the place feel like home with front porch swings and rockers.
- Decorate with flowers and candles and plant fruit bearing trees.
There are hundreds of ways to add curb appeal--use your imagination! Keep in mind that if people don't like the outside of the house, they will probably never see the inside. You may not realize it, but bad curb appeal could be the main reason a house sits on the market for months.
|
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link :: Email This Entry
|
|
Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of any real estate transaction. For me, it is the curb appeal that defines everything about my deal. How much will I offer? How much will it take to rehab the property? How does it compare to the surrounding living conditions?
Simply stated,
If the curb appeal is not very good, I know that I can buy the property for a discounted price.
And that's what my business is all about. Buying distressed homes and then raising the curb appeal through repairs to the property that not only raise curb appeal, but also the value too. Here are several ways that I use to bring up the value of houses to maximize my profit at resale.
Your first step--repainting
The most important thing that I can do to improve curb appeal is to repaint the structure. A fresh new coat of paint adds value right from the start. Remember, first impressions count. This will actually get you a higher appraisal than a house without a new paint job.
You want to do the outside of an investment property first--particularly the front. Getting the most noticeable portion in its best shape first will attract buyers immediately. You can't get a buyer to see the interior if they are not first pleased with the exterior.
Add a crisp, clean appearance
If the house is just dirty, and the paint is in good shape, then a pressure washer can be used to clean up the exterior siding, gutters, downspouts, deck, fences, and driveway. I even clean my roofs with one. Use the washer to remove any mold and mildew that can be seen on or near the house.
Pull your car in front of your property and take a hard look at what you see. This is going to be what your potential buyer sees, too. If you see something that sticks out to you, fix it. Make sure there are no leaves piled up on the grass.
Once you have disposed of any debris in the yard, make sure the lawn is mowed nicely. A fresh cut yard is a good sign that the rest of the home has been tended to correctly. Get rid of weeds and tools that are cluttering up any areas that can be seen from the street.
Don't overlook windows or gutters that need to be cleaned. These are simple tasks that do not cost any money to perform, while adding a crisp clean appearance to the home.
You may also want to remove any limbs touching the house or roof. This could scratch paint or cause roof leaks down the road. Another no-cost fix is to use a lawn edger around walkways, driveways and planter areas.
If your house may be looked at near dusk or dark, you want to make sure there is good light available. Add a decorative yard lamp to help the appearance and also add security at the same time.
Some people really like to line the driveway and walkway with little footlights. This adds great character to the house as well as a beautiful soft light shimmering as it leads people to your door.
An inexpensive way to add light would be to add a fixture at your front door either overhead or a wall mounted light. You can afford these on any budget, and the choice of styles is huge.
Landscaping--keep it simple and cheap
Let me mention a few things. Landscape is where some people can make expensive mistakes. Since bushes, trees, and decorative plants can cost thousands in landscape design, you do not want to go overboard--not even on your own home. Keep it simple, and you can keep it cheap too.
Around your mailbox post is a good place for some colorful flowers. You may also have some flower beds near your front entrance. This really looks great and can be done on a budget. Trim all the bushes to the same size and shape if they are in a group. This will make them look uniform as well as fancy.
If I spend the money to plant any decorative trees, I get ones that will look decent all year round. Most of the trees I add are fruit-bearing trees or something that will bloom brilliantly during the year.
On a house this week, we trimmed back bushes that had grown too high and made a very nice design around them using decorative pine straw and wood chips. These items run about $3 a bale for the straw and about $5 a bag for decorative chips. It really dressed up the front of the house, and I am sure will help me sell faster.
Add a few special touches
Just don't blow your budget that could cost big dollars when for a few hundred, you can dress a yard up nicely. It's better to do a lot of little, inexpensive things than it is to do one big, expensive thing. Dress up the front door with a nice color of paint that will go well with the house but still add flair. It's just like dressing up an old suit with a new tie!
Go a little further and add a fancy decorative doorknob and knocker set. Maybe even a brass kick plate. These items don't cost much but can add drama to the house.
Here is something I saw that was great as I was talking to my neighbor. She had been working on something in her yard for a couple of days, so I wandered over to check it out. She had added a fountain in the front of her home, and it was really pretty.
She and her husband bought a kit for the project for about $300. It had some nice stone structures and rocks that the water went through and they had dug out an area the plastic liner was placed into. As the water trickled down the decorative stonework, the liner fit nicely into the ground and had some varieties of fish swimming in it.
I thought this was a great addition--adding curb appeal and value--and a nice calming effect when sitting on the front porch in a rocker looking over the fountain.
The charm of the front porch decorated with flowers, wind chimes, and candles gave me the idea that I could dress up my houses with this same decor to show buyers feel that they could enjoy the same charm if they bought my house.
Last, but not least
If you have homes that have a lot of children living in the area, as well as possible pet owners, you may want to make sure that if the house has a secure fence.
On the house I have for sale now, we had to repair some areas of the fence. It's a six-foot tall wooden fence, and we replaced some of the boards that had been knocked down or broken. This adds security to people with kids and pets. It would have been a deal killer for buyers to see the fence run down and tacky.
We just put in a few new boards, sprayed it with bleach to clean it up and then put a good water sealer on it to make it last. We did the same thing to the deck in the back to clean and preserve it. For a little over $100, we made two areas that may have driven a buyer away look new and inviting again.
A few bullet points to remember...
- Pressure washing is a cheap way to clean up the entire exterior of any property.
- A fresh coat of paint raises the value and appeal.
- Do no-cost things like cleaning windows, mowing lawns, raking leaves, weeding, and trimming hedges, bushes, and branches from the house.
- Light up your home with outside lights and fancy lamps and such.
- Get landscaping ideas that cost a small amount yet make a huge impact
- Ponds and fountains make a dramatic statement.
- Repair fences and decks and use sealers to maintain a good look.
- Make the place feel like home with front porch swings and rockers.
- Decorate with flowers and candles and plant fruit bearing trees.
There are hundreds of ways to add curb appeal--use your imagination! Keep in mind that if people don't like the outside of the house, they will probably never see the inside. You may not realize it, but bad curb appeal could be the main reason a house sits on the market for months.
|
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link :: Email This Entry
|
|
Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of any real estate transaction. For me, it is the curb appeal that defines everything about my deal. How much will I offer? How much will it take to rehab the property? How does it compare to the surrounding living conditions?
Simply stated,
If the curb appeal is not very good, I know that I can buy the property for a discounted price.
And that's what my business is all about. Buying distressed homes and then raising the curb appeal through repairs to the property that not only raise curb appeal, but also the value too. Here are several ways that I use to bring up the value of houses to maximize my profit at resale.
Your first step--repainting
The most important thing that I can do to improve curb appeal is to repaint the structure. A fresh new coat of paint adds value right from the start. Remember, first impressions count. This will actually get you a higher appraisal than a house without a new paint job.
You want to do the outside of an investment property first--particularly the front. Getting the most noticeable portion in its best shape first will attract buyers immediately. You can't get a buyer to see the interior if they are not first pleased with the exterior.
Add a crisp, clean appearance
If the house is just dirty, and the paint is in good shape, then a pressure washer can be used to clean up the exterior siding, gutters, downspouts, deck, fences, and driveway. I even clean my roofs with one. Use the washer to remove any mold and mildew that can be seen on or near the house.
Pull your car in front of your property and take a hard look at what you see. This is going to be what your potential buyer sees, too. If you see something that sticks out to you, fix it. Make sure there are no leaves piled up on the grass.
Once you have disposed of any debris in the yard, make sure the lawn is mowed nicely. A fresh cut yard is a good sign that the rest of the home has been tended to correctly. Get rid of weeds and tools that are cluttering up any areas that can be seen from the street.
Don't overlook windows or gutters that need to be cleaned. These are simple tasks that do not cost any money to perform, while adding a crisp clean appearance to the home.
You may also want to remove any limbs touching the house or roof. This could scratch paint or cause roof leaks down the road. Another no-cost fix is to use a lawn edger around walkways, driveways and planter areas.
If your house may be looked at near dusk or dark, you want to make sure there is good light available. Add a decorative yard lamp to help the appearance and also add security at the same time.
Some people really like to line the driveway and walkway with little footlights. This adds great character to the house as well as a beautiful soft light shimmering as it leads people to your door.
An inexpensive way to add light would be to add a fixture at your front door either overhead or a wall mounted light. You can afford these on any budget, and the choice of styles is huge.
Landscaping--keep it simple and cheap
Let me mention a few things. Landscape is where some people can make expensive mistakes. Since bushes, trees, and decorative plants can cost thousands in landscape design, you do not want to go overboard--not even on your own home. Keep it simple, and you can keep it cheap too.
Around your mailbox post is a good place for some colorful flowers. You may also have some flower beds near your front entrance. This really looks great and can be done on a budget. Trim all the bushes to the same size and shape if they are in a group. This will make them look uniform as well as fancy.
If I spend the money to plant any decorative trees, I get ones that will look decent all year round. Most of the trees I add are fruit-bearing trees or something that will bloom brilliantly during the year.
On a house this week, we trimmed back bushes that had grown too high and made a very nice design around them using decorative pine straw and wood chips. These items run about $3 a bale for the straw and about $5 a bag for decorative chips. It really dressed up the front of the house, and I am sure will help me sell faster.
Add a few special touches
Just don't blow your budget that could cost big dollars when for a few hundred, you can dress a yard up nicely. It's better to do a lot of little, inexpensive things than it is to do one big, expensive thing. Dress up the front door with a nice color of paint that will go well with the house but still add flair. It's just like dressing up an old suit with a new tie!
Go a little further and add a fancy decorative doorknob and knocker set. Maybe even a brass kick plate. These items don't cost much but can add drama to the house.
Here is something I saw that was great as I was talking to my neighbor. She had been working on something in her yard for a couple of days, so I wandered over to check it out. She had added a fountain in the front of her home, and it was really pretty.
She and her husband bought a kit for the project for about $300. It had some nice stone structures and rocks that the water went through and they had dug out an area the plastic liner was placed into. As the water trickled down the decorative stonework, the liner fit nicely into the ground and had some varieties of fish swimming in it.
I thought this was a great addition--adding curb appeal and value--and a nice calming effect when sitting on the front porch in a rocker looking over the fountain.
The charm of the front porch decorated with flowers, wind chimes, and candles gave me the idea that I could dress up my houses with this same decor to show buyers feel that they could enjoy the same charm if they bought my house.
Last, but not least
If you have homes that have a lot of children living in the area, as well as possible pet owners, you may want to make sure that if the house has a secure fence.
On the house I have for sale now, we had to repair some areas of the fence. It's a six-foot tall wooden fence, and we replaced some of the boards that had been knocked down or broken. This adds security to people with kids and pets. It would have been a deal killer for buyers to see the fence run down and tacky.
We just put in a few new boards, sprayed it with bleach to clean it up and then put a good water sealer on it to make it last. We did the same thing to the deck in the back to clean and preserve it. For a little over $100, we made two areas that may have driven a buyer away look new and inviting again.
A few bullet points to remember...
- Pressure washing is a cheap way to clean up the entire exterior of any property.
- A fresh coat of paint raises the value and appeal.
- Do no-cost things like cleaning windows, mowing lawns, raking leaves, weeding, and trimming hedges, bushes, and branches from the house.
- Light up your home with outside lights and fancy lamps and such.
- Get landscaping ideas that cost a small amount yet make a huge impact
- Ponds and fountains make a dramatic statement.
- Repair fences and decks and use sealers to maintain a good look.
- Make the place feel like home with front porch swings and rockers.
- Decorate with flowers and candles and plant fruit bearing trees.
There are hundreds of ways to add curb appeal--use your imagination! Keep in mind that if people don't like the outside of the house, they will probably never see the inside. You may not realize it, but bad curb appeal could be the main reason a house sits on the market for months.
|
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link :: Email This Entry
|
|
Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of any real estate transaction. For me, it is the curb appeal that defines everything about my deal. How much will I offer? How much will it take to rehab the property? How does it compare to the surrounding living conditions?
Simply stated,
If the curb appeal is not very good, I know that I can buy the property for a discounted price.
And that's what my business is all about. Buying distressed homes and then raising the curb appeal through repairs to the property that not only raise curb appeal, but also the value too. Here are several ways that I use to bring up the value of houses to maximize my profit at resale.
Your first step--repainting
The most important thing that I can do to improve curb appeal is to repaint the structure. A fresh new coat of paint adds value right from the start. Remember, first impressions count. This will actually get you a higher appraisal than a house without a new paint job.
You want to do the outside of an investment property first--particularly the front. Getting the most noticeable portion in its best shape first will attract buyers immediately. You can't get a buyer to see the interior if they are not first pleased with the exterior.
Add a crisp, clean appearance
If the house is just dirty, and the paint is in good shape, then a pressure washer can be used to clean up the exterior siding, gutters, downspouts, deck, fences, and driveway. I even clean my roofs with one. Use the washer to remove any mold and mildew that can be seen on or near the house.
Pull your car in front of your property and take a hard look at what you see. This is going to be what your potential buyer sees, too. If you see something that sticks out to you, fix it. Make sure there are no leaves piled up on the grass.
Once you have disposed of any debris in the yard, make sure the lawn is mowed nicely. A fresh cut yard is a good sign that the rest of the home has been tended to correctly. Get rid of weeds and tools that are cluttering up any areas that can be seen from the street.
Don't overlook windows or gutters that need to be cleaned. These are simple tasks that do not cost any money to perform, while adding a crisp clean appearance to the home.
You may also want to remove any limbs touching the house or roof. This could scratch paint or cause roof leaks down the road. Another no-cost fix is to use a lawn edger around walkways, driveways and planter areas.
If your house may be looked at near dusk or dark, you want to make sure there is good light available. Add a decorative yard lamp to help the appearance and also add security at the same time.
Some people really like to line the driveway and walkway with little footlights. This adds great character to the house as well as a beautiful soft light shimmering as it leads people to your door.
An inexpensive way to add light would be to add a fixture at your front door either overhead or a wall mounted light. You can afford these on any budget, and the choice of styles is huge.
Landscaping--keep it simple and cheap
Let me mention a few things. Landscape is where some people can make expensive mistakes. Since bushes, trees, and decorative plants can cost thousands in landscape design, you do not want to go overboard--not even on your own home. Keep it simple, and you can keep it cheap too.
Around your mailbox post is a good place for some colorful flowers. You may also have some flower beds near your front entrance. This really looks great and can be done on a budget. Trim all the bushes to the same size and shape if they are in a group. This will make them look uniform as well as fancy.
If I spend the money to plant any decorative trees, I get ones that will look decent all year round. Most of the trees I add are fruit-bearing trees or something that will bloom brilliantly during the year.
On a house this week, we trimmed back bushes that had grown too high and made a very nice design around them using decorative pine straw and wood chips. These items run about $3 a bale for the straw and about $5 a bag for decorative chips. It really dressed up the front of the house, and I am sure will help me sell faster.
Add a few special touches
Just don't blow your budget that could cost big dollars when for a few hundred, you can dress a yard up nicely. It's better to do a lot of little, inexpensive things than it is to do one big, expensive thing. Dress up the front door with a nice color of paint that will go well with the house but still add flair. It's just like dressing up an old suit with a new tie!
Go a little further and add a fancy decorative doorknob and knocker set. Maybe even a brass kick plate. These items don't cost much but can add drama to the house.
Here is something I saw that was great as I was talking to my neighbor. She had been working on something in her yard for a couple of days, so I wandered over to check it out. She had added a fountain in the front of her home, and it was really pretty.
She and her husband bought a kit for the project for about $300. It had some nice stone structures and rocks that the water went through and they had dug out an area the plastic liner was placed into. As the water trickled down the decorative stonework, the liner fit nicely into the ground and had some varieties of fish swimming in it.
I thought this was a great addition--adding curb appeal and value--and a nice calming effect when sitting on the front porch in a rocker looking over the fountain.
The charm of the front porch decorated with flowers, wind chimes, and candles gave me the idea that I could dress up my houses with this same decor to show buyers feel that they could enjoy the same charm if they bought my house.
Last, but not least
If you have homes that have a lot of children living in the area, as well as possible pet owners, you may want to make sure that if the house has a secure fence.
On the house I have for sale now, we had to repair some areas of the fence. It's a six-foot tall wooden fence, and we replaced some of the boards that had been knocked down or broken. This adds security to people with kids and pets. It would have been a deal killer for buyers to see the fence run down and tacky.
We just put in a few new boards, sprayed it with bleach to clean it up and then put a good water sealer on it to make it last. We did the same thing to the deck in the back to clean and preserve it. For a little over $100, we made two areas that may have driven a buyer away look new and inviting again.
A few bullet points to remember...
- Pressure washing is a cheap way to clean up the entire exterior of any property.
- A fresh coat of paint raises the value and appeal.
- Do no-cost things like cleaning windows, mowing lawns, raking leaves, weeding, and trimming hedges, bushes, and branches from the house.
- Light up your home with outside lights and fancy lamps and such.
- Get landscaping ideas that cost a small amount yet make a huge impact
- Ponds and fountains make a dramatic statement.
- Repair fences and decks and use sealers to maintain a good look.
- Make the place feel like home with front porch swings and rockers.
- Decorate with flowers and candles and plant fruit bearing trees.
There are hundreds of ways to add curb appeal--use your imagination! Keep in mind that if people don't like the outside of the house, they will probably never see the inside. You may not realize it, but bad curb appeal could be the main reason a house sits on the market for months.
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Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of any real estate transaction. For me, it is the curb appeal that defines everything about my deal. How much will I offer? How much will it take to rehab the property? How does it compare to the surrounding living conditions?
Simply stated,
If the curb appeal is not very good, I know that I can buy the property for a discounted price.
And that's what my business is all about. Buying distressed homes and then raising the curb appeal through repairs to the property that not only raise curb appeal, but also the value too. Here are several ways that I use to bring up the value of houses to maximize my profit at resale.
Your first step--repainting
The most important thing that I can do to improve curb appeal is to repaint the structure. A fresh new coat of paint adds value right from the start. Remember, first impressions count. This will actually get you a higher appraisal than a house without a new paint job.
You want to do the outside of an investment property first--particularly the front. Getting the most noticeable portion in its best shape first will attract buyers immediately. You can't get a buyer to see the interior if they are not first pleased with the exterior.
Add a crisp, clean appearance
If the house is just dirty, and the paint is in good shape, then a pressure washer can be used to clean up the exterior siding, gutters, downspouts, deck, fences, and driveway. I even clean my roofs with one. Use the washer to remove any mold and mildew that can be seen on or near the house.
Pull your car in front of your property and take a hard look at what you see. This is going to be what your potential buyer sees, too. If you see something that sticks out to you, fix it. Make sure there are no leaves piled up on the grass.
Once you have disposed of any debris in the yard, make sure the lawn is mowed nicely. A fresh cut yard is a good sign that the rest of the home has been tended to correctly. Get rid of weeds and tools that are cluttering up any areas that can be seen from the street.
Don't overlook windows or gutters that need to be cleaned. These are simple tasks that do not cost any money to perform, while adding a crisp clean appearance to the home.
You may also want to remove any limbs touching the house or roof. This could scratch paint or cause roof leaks down the road. Another no-cost fix is to use a lawn edger around walkways, driveways and planter areas.
If your house may be looked at near dusk or dark, you want to make sure there is good light available. Add a decorative yard lamp to help the appearance and also add security at the same time.
Some people really like to line the driveway and walkway with little footlights. This adds great character to the house as well as a beautiful soft light shimmering as it leads people to your door.
An inexpensive way to add light would be to add a fixture at your front door either overhead or a wall mounted light. You can afford these on any budget, and the choice of styles is huge.
Landscaping--keep it simple and cheap
Let me mention a few things. Landscape is where some people can make expensive mistakes. Since bushes, trees, and decorative plants can cost thousands in landscape design, you do not want to go overboard--not even on your own home. Keep it simple, and you can keep it cheap too.
Around your mailbox post is a good place for some colorful flowers. You may also have some flower beds near your front entrance. This really looks great and can be done on a budget. Trim all the bushes to the same size and shape if they are in a group. This will make them look uniform as well as fancy.
If I spend the money to plant any decorative trees, I get ones that will look decent all year round. Most of the trees I add are fruit-bearing trees or something that will bloom brilliantly during the year.
On a house this week, we trimmed back bushes that had grown too high and made a very nice design around them using decorative pine straw and wood chips. These items run about $3 a bale for the straw and about $5 a bag for decorative chips. It really dressed up the front of the house, and I am sure will help me sell faster.
Add a few special touches
Just don't blow your budget that could cost big dollars when for a few hundred, you can dress a yard up nicely. It's better to do a lot of little, inexpensive things than it is to do one big, expensive thing. Dress up the front door with a nice color of paint that will go well with the house but still add flair. It's just like dressing up an old suit with a new tie!
Go a little further and add a fancy decorative doorknob and knocker set. Maybe even a brass kick plate. These items don't cost much but can add drama to the house.
Here is something I saw that was great as I was talking to my neighbor. She had been working on something in her yard for a couple of days, so I wandered over to check it out. She had added a fountain in the front of her home, and it was really pretty.
She and her husband bought a kit for the project for about $300. It had some nice stone structures and rocks that the water went through and they had dug out an area the plastic liner was placed into. As the water trickled down the decorative stonework, the liner fit nicely into the ground and had some varieties of fish swimming in it.
I thought this was a great addition--adding curb appeal and value--and a nice calming effect when sitting on the front porch in a rocker looking over the fountain.
The charm of the front porch decorated with flowers, wind chimes, and candles gave me the idea that I could dress up my houses with this same decor to show buyers feel that they could enjoy the same charm if they bought my house.
Last, but not least
If you have homes that have a lot of children living in the area, as well as possible pet owners, you may want to make sure that if the house has a secure fence.
On the house I have for sale now, we had to repair some areas of the fence. It's a six-foot tall wooden fence, and we replaced some of the boards that had been knocked down or broken. This adds security to people with kids and pets. It would have been a deal killer for buyers to see the fence run down and tacky.
We just put in a few new boards, sprayed it with bleach to clean it up and then put a good water sealer on it to make it last. We did the same thing to the deck in the back to clean and preserve it. For a little over $100, we made two areas that may have driven a buyer away look new and inviting again.
A few bullet points to remember...
- Pressure washing is a cheap way to clean up the entire exterior of any property.
- A fresh coat of paint raises the value and appeal.
- Do no-cost things like cleaning windows, mowing lawns, raking leaves, weeding, and trimming hedges, bushes, and branches from the house.
- Light up your home with outside lights and fancy lamps and such.
- Get landscaping ideas that cost a small amount yet make a huge impact
- Ponds and fountains make a dramatic statement.
- Repair fences and decks and use sealers to maintain a good look.
- Make the place feel like home with front porch swings and rockers.
- Decorate with flowers and candles and plant fruit bearing trees.
There are hundreds of ways to add curb appeal--use your imagination! Keep in mind that if people don't like the outside of the house, they will probably never see the inside. You may not realize it, but bad curb appeal could be the main reason a house sits on the market for months.
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