Your're going to LOVE your home! PROJECT #4

In true spring fashion, we will talk about getting outside!

Project # 4:  Extend your living areas outdoors. Create an outdoor oasis!

by +Sarah Marrinan - Keller Williams Premier Realty 

The National Outdoor Kitchen and Fireplace Association pegs the average cost of an outdoor kitchen at $12,000 to $15,000 on average – so, if you can cut costs, find appliances on sale or do some of the work yourself, you might just be able to get one in your own backyard for the $10,000 price point.
Elaborate set ups sound like too much for your budget?  Even just a simple paver patio with a BBQ frill and umbrella table will create an extra living space to enjoy!

Outdoor kitchens can be as simple as a table and grill, or as complex as having wood-burning ovens, refrigerators and big-screen televisions.

Whatever route you go, the appliances are likely to be the single most expensive line-item of an outdoor kitchen. If you can tolerate the high-class problem of bringing your food from indoors, you can very cost-effectively create an outdoor living room complete with weather-proof furniture and lighting, in your backyard instead.

The major remodeling return-on-investment indices don’t track the return on outdoor living spaces, but experience tells me that well-executed outdoor kitchen and living rooms are both extremely fun to live with – and extremely desirable to the buyers to whom you will eventually be marketing your home.

Do you have a great outdoor space?  Please share a photo with us!


**Looking for tips on getting your home ready to sell?  Call me at 651-964-0289 for a personal consultation!
Sarah

You are going to LOVE your home! PROJECT #3: Curb Appeal

Make your house scream "Welcome Home!"

Here is Project #3 in my list of things you can do if you’re in your home and planning to stay put for a while:

by +Sarah Marrinan - Keller Williams Premier Realty 

1. Crank up the curb appeal.
We usually talk about curb appeal in the context of sprucing your home up to prep it for sale but there’s just something about loving the way your home looks when you drive up to it day after day, or when you have people over, that dramatically increases your enjoyment of home.

Depending on which projects you’d like to do and whether you’re interested in doing any of the work yourself, you can crank up your curb appeal for just a few hundred dollars or a few thousand. Here are a few vision-starting curb appeal-boosting projects to consider:

Exterior paint or power wash
Paint or install a new garage door
Paint or install a new front door
Paint or install new trims (shutters, eaves, etc.)
New exterior hardware (door kickplate, mailbox, house numbers, etc.)
Exterior or landscape lighting
Front yard landscaping spruce-up or makeover
Curb appeal is one of the most cost-effective home improvement projects for homeowners who are staying put in terms of life-improving bang for the home improvement buck.

Stay Tuned for more tips!

**Looking for tips on getting your home ready to sell?  Call Sarah for a personal consultation!

Here are more tips to spruce up your home.

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5 Steps to getting your house ready to sell

The costs of expensive upgrades are rarely recouped at the time of sale and studies show that smaller, simpler actions can yield a bigger return on your investment of time and money.

Here are five inexpensive, yet highly effective, ways to prepare your home for sale.

1) Create curb appeal
The outside of your home is the first thing buyers see. Trim hedges, maintain the lawn, power wash the siding and deck (and clean stains from the shingles if possible) and try to inject some color with potted flowers and plants (you can take them with you!). Make a great first impression on buyers!

2) Just store it (or sell it or throw it...)
Less is more when it comes to showing your home so put your knick-knacks, clear the paperwork off the counters, remove stacks of books and clear your fridge-covering artwork. Be sure to avoid stashing personal items in your closets because empty, clutter free closets are more appealing to buyers.


3) Lighten and brighten
Extra sunlight lends an airy feeling to your home, and interior lights provide warm glow. Wash your windows, keep curtains and blinds open, replace burnt-out bulbs, and add outdoor lighting to your landscaping, if possible. Also, keep your lights on in the evenings in the event that potential buyers drive by after-hours. With the lights on, your home will look inviting instead of dark and gloomy.  You always leave a light on for guests, right?


4) Paint an appealing atmosphere
A new coat of paint will freshen up any "lived-in" room but stick to neutrals such as light grays and tans. Also, consider repainting rooms that are currently bright, fun colors or busy designs - this can divert a buyer’s attention away from the home and toward money-costing “projects” that would come with buying the home.  I am sure you know, the wall paper must go.  A buyer sees pain and expense when they see wall paper - even if it is just a border.

5) Clean floors
New carpet or flooring can be expensive.  But you should spot clean stains and have carpets cleaned to freshen up the appearance (and smell). Using a wood floor or laminate floor cleaner can restore life to tired floors.  Be careful to use the right product for your floor so it doesn't become a slipping hazard!

With the help of your REALTOR® and a little hard work, these tips should help you increase your home’s appeal to more buyers without breaking the bank and even help you sell your home more quickly if you are priced right.

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Front Yard Landscaping Design Principals

Sometimes, too much information is overwhelming and it's time to go back to basics.
Follow the good garden and landscape basic design principles below and you’ll have a front yard garden and entry that will be fresh, comfortable and welcoming.

- Balance the design – use symmetry or asymmetry
- Keep the focus on the front door and welcoming guests
- Repeat color, shapes and textures
- Keep design elements simple
- Don't do more than you have time to maintain
- When in doubt, natural settings are classic – use boulders, native plants and bushes, small trees

Please note: Before making any major changes, it’s recommended that you check with your association, town or city zoning committee and building codes to make sure you’re not breaking any neighborhood rules or regulations.

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Top 10 house landscaping tips for before a sale

Let's be honest, one of the most stressful parts about selling a house for many people is getting it "showing ready" and keeping it that way.

The outside of your house is the first thing people see when I drive up so let's start there.

Here are 10 tips to enhance your curb appeal without breaking the bank or eating (all) your time.

1. Don't waste your money on a big project. Your house is for sale and you won't recoup the money.
2. Remove all weeds.  A buyer will think that if you don't care enough about your house to remove the weeds, what else did you neglect. Consider your budget and time and decide if you need to hire a professional or do it yourself.
3. Cut the lawn every week. Maybe twice if your lawn grows quickly. again you may need to hire a service if you can't do this yourself.
4. Trim bushes. A buyer should be able to see your house; the windows shouldn't be covered up by overgrown bushes.
5. Trim the trees. Get rid of all those little saplings at the base of the tree and trim any low branches. Climb up on the roof, trim any branches that touch and remove any sticks that fell on it. This also eliminates any issues with the inspection later. While you're up there, clean out the gutters, too.
6. Clean your front door. Wipe it down so it's free of dust and grine and remove cobwebs. Replace the welcome mat or remove it all together.
7. Freshen up the mulch in flower beds and clean debris from rock gardens. Remove any dead or dying plants. No need for planting anything new. Let the buyer see the "potential".
8. Group potted plants at the front door if you have the space. Remember if your house is for sale, the landscaping at your front door area should be welcoming. Keep it simple.
9. Whether you have a deck, patio, porch or lanai think about this area when you are landscaping your house for a sale. Think of it as another room in your house -declutter and keep it clean. Simple patio furniture with room to move around is all you need to show off the space.
10. Stay on top of seasonal landscaping duties. Shovel the snow. Rake the leaves. Keep the lawn watered. Buyers are not going to trudge through the snow to see your house. In fact, they probably won't even get out of the car.

Though it's not in the top 10, if you have a blacktop driveway consider a fresh seal coating.
Now that wasn't so bad was it? Most of these items are part of your normal maintenance routine already but give them just a little extra attention because you're selling.

MORE:
Home Renovation  |  Curb Appeal  |  Home Selling Tips

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