From Uexpress
Six low-cost hints for cash-strapped home sellers
Copyright 2004 Ellen James Martin
As a home seller, you may be
elated to know your property will probably command a handsome price
when you close on its sale. Yet if you're like an increasing number
of sellers, you may lack the cash to make all the pre-sale upgrades
your real estate agent recommends.
Inflation, it turns out, can work both for and
against you. It enhances property values but makes more people
struggle just to pay for routine expenses -- such as prescription
drugs, child care, utility bills and local taxes.
To be sure, many homeowners could borrow against
the expected proceeds of their sale to fund minor remodeling jobs,
such as kitchen cabinet resurfacing or the installation of new
wall-to-wall carpeting. But that may not be feasible, especially if
you're counting on every dime from your current home to buy a larger
or fancier place.
So if you have to forgo even minor home remodeling
work because of a cash shortage, you need not despair. Many sellers
don't require a lot of money to make their homes much more
presentable to prospective buyers.
"Cleaning and un-cluttering can take care of over
50 percent of a buyer's first impression. And that costs absolutely
squat," says Martha Webb, author of "Dressing Your House for
Success," a book on home sale preparation.
Indeed, as Webb says, some of the highest-impact
changes require little more than rolled-up sleeves and elbow grease.
That's the consensus of "home stagers," a new breed of consultants
skilled in the art of making properties seem more beguiling to
would-be buyers. Here are six ideas for no- to low-cost home
improvements to help cash-strapped sellers:
- No. 1: Ask Aunt Matilda
for short-term use of an attic or garage space. America's "mini
storage" industry is booming as more people rent units to stash
everything from college dorm room collections to superfluous
clothing. But the fees for rental of a storage space can mount up
quickly. So to save cash, why not take advantage of a willing
relative's unused space?
"Obviously, the first place to go for help with storage, or almost
anything else you need when you sell, is to family and friends,"
says Tracy Susick, who's operated a home-staging firm for more
than 20 years.
- No. 2: Use decorative
mirrors to add depth and sparkle. Staging experts like Webb say an
inexpensive mirror can do wonders when properly placed in a small
room or foyer. She has an attractive mirror, framed in gold and
hunter green, that she often uses during staging demonstrations to
show the dramatic difference a good mirror can make.
- No. 3: Make your place
leafy green inside. Fresh-cut flowers look wonderful in almost any
residential space. But the expense of floral arrangements can be
forbidding. As a substitute, Susick suggests using greenery from
the trees and bushes in your own yard to add freshness and appeal
to your home. But look for long-lasting cuttings, she says, and be
sure to pick up leaves when they fall.
- No. 4: Become your own
window-cleaning service. Calling in professionals to do this chore
can set you back several hundred dollars. Instead, she says those
who tackle the task can usually do so cheaply.
- No. 5: Install
high-wattage light bulbs and add more lamps. Using stronger bulbs
should make your interior seem more spacious. Also, you can
highlight a room's interior architecture, such as fine crown
moldings, with extra light fixtures, she says.
Susick is especially fond of small accent lights that can be
placed on the floor to illuminate dark corners. These typically
cost under $10 each. For a free online brochure called "Lighting
to Highlight Your Home's Decor," visit the Web site of the Lowe's
home store chain (www.lowes.com).
- No. 6: Ask friends with
good taste to help "stage" your property for sale. A professional
stager or "redesign" specialist typically charges no more than $50
to $100 an hour and can often make a home look considerably better
in just one afternoon. (Many who stage homes receive training
through a group called "Interior Industry Redesign Specialists."
To find a local person affiliated with this organization, known as
"I.R.I.S.,"
you can visit its Web site:
www.weredesign.com)
Those who can't afford to
hire a professional stager may gain some valuable assistance from
friends or relatives who have a good eye. Besides helping rearrange
furnishings, they may suggest the use of a few items that help
prospects envision how they could live in your place in a gracious
and relaxed way. Such visual suggestions could include an open
cookbook or a beautiful serving dish left on a kitchen counter,
fresh logs in a fireplace or an afghan throw draped over an easy
chair with a novel on a table next to it.
"People need to feel connected with the house
emotionally, to know it's a welcoming place to live," she says.
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