Raleigh Home Enhancement Guide

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The First Impression
• The Exterior of the Home
• The Interior of the Home
• Packaging the Interior
• Entry Foyer
• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• The Extra Details
• The Bottom Line

Raleigh Real Estate Introduction

As professional, dependable advisors, our goal is not simply to sell your house. Our goal is to help you maximize the return on your investment in the shortest time possible. To help achieve this goal, we have developed this Home Enhancement Guide.

Based on proven marketing techniques, this informative guide will introduce you to practical ideas on how to successfully prepare your home for sale. These suggestions require a minimum amount of time and expense to complete and are designed to make your house stand out from the competition

Our professional team is ready to assist you in developing a home enhancement plan for your property that will take full advantage of the ideas presented in this guide

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The First Impression

The First Impression!
You have probably heard how first impressions can be, but did you know that within 15 seconds a buyer has developed an opinion of your property? This is why establishing the right first impression is critical to achieving a successful sale. The following is an outline of those elements which create the overall first impression, including suggestions on how to make sure the buyer reacts as favorably as possible.

Within 15 Seconds a buyer has developed an opinion of your property!

The best way to make a buyer feel "at home" is to create an environment similar to that found in a model home. Obviously, you cannot recreate the feeling of a perfect display home without starting from scratch, but there are some valuable tips and tricks to be learned. When walking into a model home you will notice several key points:

• The environment is neutral
• The colors and interior decorating accent the home's features
• The smell is new and clean
• The sound is either quiet or enhanced by subtle background music
• All details are looked after, from manicuring the lawn to a floral arrangement in the entry

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The Exterior of the Home

Your property's landscape is not limited to the lawn and shrubs but also includes everything from the street to your doorstep. For this reason, you must make sure each component of the visual landscape looks its best. This is commonly referred to as "Curb Appeal"

• Street - Make sure the street in front of your home is free of debris and if necessary, give it a fresh sweep


• Sidewalk - Sweep your sidewalk if needed and remove weeds that may be growing between the cracks in the cement


• Fence - A freshly painted fence gives a home a crisp look. You should never let a peeling, tired looking fence or a squeaky gate stand between a prospective buyer and a positive first impression


• Front Door, Mailbox & Light Fixtures - A quick painting of the front door and an old mailbox will let the buyer know you care about the details. If outdoor lamps look rusted and worn out, new ones will cast a positive light on your property


• Look Through Buyer's Eyes and evaluate the following:
  • Does your yard look well maintained?
  • Are the trees and bushes trimmed?
  • Is your lawn cut and edged?
  • Is your lawn free of weeds?
  • Are the decks and patios clean?
  • Does your house need painting?
  
  
• Landscaping - Neatly trimmed shrubs are essential. Taking the time to do this does not cost anything other than your time, but has a big impact. In addition to being freshly cut and trimmed, a lawn should look healthy. If there are spots that look beyond help, a little sod goes a long way to restoring the look of a well maintained lawn.


• Front Walkway - Like the sidewalk, the walkway should be clean and free of weeds. If sections are badly cracked, consider having them repaired


• Driveway - There are 2 elements of the driveway with which you should be concerned. The first is its surface condition. If it is stained or otherwise worn, consider power washing and giving it a thorough cleaning. Second, is the appearance of the car parked in the driveway. A newly waxed, well-maintained car will make a much different statement about you and your property than an unattractive, poorly cared for car. If you think your car will be a detriment to the look of your property, then park it down the street


• Paint - A fresh coat of paint can be one of the best investments you can make to increase the value of your property. If you do not want to spend the money to paint the entire house, consider just the shutters and the front door and porch railing


• Siding - If you have vinyl or aluminum siding, have a cleaning service wash or repaint it using a product designed for these materials


• Windows - Attractive windows can help increase the appeal of your property.
  • Replace any cracked or broken glass
  • Make sure the windows are sparkling clean
  • Repaint the wood trim around all windows & sills
  • Install window boxes with bright flowers
  • Apply touch-up paint where needed
  
  
• Roof - The roof may be the single most important aspect of your home front. A well maintained roof will say a lot about the overall condition of the property:


• Replace any broken or missing shingles or tiles
• Repair flashing where needed
• Is your chimney in good shape?
• Paint eaves and fascia boards
• If the roof is old and needs to be replaced, consider having the work done before showing the property


• Gutters & Downspouts - Neat and trim looking gutters and downspouts make a house look like everything is in order. Consider replacing highly visible ones if they are in need of serious repair. If run off areas are eroded, you can install flexible underground piping to direct water away from your home


• Doorway - The doorway is the focal point of your home and is usually the first thing buyer's remember:


• Repaint the door
• Apply new door hardware
• Install a new kick plate
• Replace house numbers
• Put a flower box or planter alongside the door
• Install a new front light fixture

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The Interior of the Home

Appeal to the Senses - There are many ways to create a more exciting and enticing interior, at surprisingly little cost. We will briefly discuss the sensory selling tools that can have enormous impact, then provide you with suggestions on how to improve each room in your house.

• Light - It is proven that people react more favorably to property shown under bright light than dark. The following steps should help you keep your room as bright as possible:


• Keep windows clean
• Use adequate wattage in light bulbs
• Consider replacing old fluorescent lamps, with new bright ones
• Use mirrors to magnify the feeling of light and space
• Use halogen track lights to create a flexible lighting space
• Use light wall colors
• Open drapes and blinds and turn on all lights prior to showing


• Color - A fundamental rule when selling your house is to keep colors neutral and light. The following are specific suggestions:


• White, beige and gray are the most popular exterior colors
• Shades of white, off-white and beige are the best choices for the interior to appeal to the largest number of buyers
• Avoid wallpaper whenever possible
• Try to limit bright colors to accents like fresh flowers


• Sound - The sounds of peace and quiet are some of the best sounds to have when your home is being shown to a prospective buyer. But there are other sound considerations of which you should be aware:


• Avoid barking dogs if possible
• Avoid loud interior sounds like a washing machine or dishwasher during showings
• Make sure there are no sounds of mechanical problems like banging pipes or faulty appliances
• Light classical or instrumental music can be effective in creating a pleasing atmosphere


• Smell - Smell has more impact than you might expect. It can work for or against you:


• The smell of newness is positive. This scent can be achieved by applying a fresh coat of polyurethane to natural wood or latex paint to walls
• The smell of cleanliness is important to the selling environment of your house. Beyond actually cleaning, lemon oil or lemon wax can create a lasting scent of freshness. Fresh flowers can be effective
• For a real hart-warming touch, place a dish of vanilla in a warm oven to create the aroma of fresh baked cookies or bread
• Sweeten the refrigerator with a box of baking soda
• Smells to avoid include strong pet odors, tobacco, cooking and oil or gas

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Packaging the Interior of the Home

When considering a home to purchase, the buyer often visualizes what it would be like living there. If the home is dominated by strong personal statements, buyers are less likely to feel comfortable, and therefore less able to visualize the property as their own. Personal statements are reflected in many areas:

• Unusual wall colors or heavily patterned wallpaper
• Heavy odors from pets, tobacco, or cooking
• Sounds of loud music or television
• Barking dogs
• Strong political or religious statements
• Unusual art or furnishings
• Are your carpets clean and in good condition?
• Do your carpets need stretching?
• Do your walls have any cracks or holes?
• Do your walls or ceilings need painting?
• What about wallpaper?
• Do your ceilings have any water stains, cracks or peeling?

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• Entry - The entry is where the first impression of the interior is created. Here you have the opportunity to make a big statement in a small area


• Repaint the entry using light, neutral colors
• Move a prized antique or attractive furnishing to the entry, where it will have maximum impact
• Apply a fresh coat of polyurethane to a wood floor
• Tile flooring should shine
• Replace old or broken plastic switch and outlet covers with new ones
• A new light fixture can make a great impression
• Make sure the room is well lit



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• Kitchen - The kitchen is perhaps the most important room in the house. It can have a major impact on the value of your property. If your kitchen needs some real help, you may want to make extensive improvements. The following is a list of ideas to increase the appeal of your kitchen without spending a great deal of money:


• Make sure the room is virtually spotless and smells fresh. Try putting a quarter section of a lemon in the disposal and grinding it up


• Consider replacing outdated light fixtures with new lighting


• If your appliances are dated by colors from previous decades, consider having them professionally refinished in a new color like almond or plain white. This will make appliances look new at a fraction of the cost of actually replacing them


• Spruce up kitchen cabinets by installing new knobs or hardware


• If your cabinets look especially old, you can have a professional replace the doors or door fronts


• Organize your kitchen cabinets to demonstrate how much room you have. Cabinet organizers are a good investment


• Remove small kitchen appliances and gadgets from countertops to create an uncluttered look


• Chipped or damaged countertops should be repaired or replaced


• Is your tile grout clean?


• A freshly painted kitchen may be well worth the investment



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• Bathrooms - The bathroom has become an important selling feature in today's home. It is a room that has moved from the utilitarian to the exciting. There are many ways you can improve deficiencies and create interest through various levels of enhancement.


• Place a vase of fresh flowers on the vanity
• Replace an old toilet seat with a new one
• Replace an old light fixture with a new style
• Refinish an old porcelain tub using a professional finishing service
• Place all personal care items out of sight
• Freshen the air with lemon scented products
• Replace an old towel rack with a new one
• Add color and richness with new towels and shower curtain
• Do your sinks drain freely?
• Are your toilets in good condition?
• Do your bath tubs need caulking?
• Is your floor in good condition, dirty grout, etc.?
• Are your vanities and mirrors in good condition?

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• Living Room - The living room is an area we do very little living in yet it is a major selling point of a house. Buyers look for elegant and impressive living rooms to make the right statements to their friends and relatives


• Use mirrors whenever possible to enhance the perception of size. The strategic placement of a mirror over a mantle or across from a window can make a room look brighter and larger.
• A fireplace is one feature that everyone can appreciate - show it off to its best advantage. Sweep it clean and make sure the screen is in good condition. If your house is being shown during the winter, make a cozy, crackling fire. During warmer months, you can dress up the hearth with fresh indoor plants or dried flowers.
• Professionally clean your carpets and area rugs, and refinish stained hardwood floors
• Clean windows and light fixtures
• Make sure all cosmetic drywall cracks are repaired
• Use lemon oil on hardwood furniture to create the right look and aroma
• Liberal use of fresh flowers and plants will enhance the environment
• Are all drapes, blinds, and shades clean and working properly?
• Area any window screens bent?
• Do all windows and doors open and close properly and easily?
• Are all of the window sills clean?
• Do any doors sag or stick?
• Do the locks work?
• Do the doors and windows seal tightly

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• Bedrooms - The bedrooms can do as much to sell your house as they can to turn off a buyer


• Make sure the bedrooms are absolutely spotless. Rugs should be cleaned, windows washed and fresh smells from flowers or lemon oil should be in the air
• Organize closets to increase their perceived size. Closet organizers do a great job of creating space by fully utilizing your storage
• Bedrooms should be well lit
• Ceiling fans can be an attractive and functional accent to any bedroom

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• Basements and Attics - The look of the basement or attic can say more about the condition of your house than you may be aware. A buyer who sees a meticulously clean and organized basement or attic will have much more confidence in your property than if it were in a state of disarray


• Paint a bare cement floor oil-based gray
• Paint the stairway down to the basement and the stairway up to the attic
• Clean the furnace/mechanical room
• Make sure there are no signs of pest infestation. If needed, call in a pest control company to remedy the problem before the property is shown
• Hang as many objects as possible on the walls to minimize floor clutter
• Clean and organize your laundry area
• Make sure all lights are working
• Eliminate any dampness with a dehumidifier


• The Garage - A well organized garage says a lot about your house


• Keep the garage neat, clean and organized
• Clean up any oil stains from your car and lawn equipment
• Paint the garage floor
• Install a garage door opener
• Hang gardening and lawn tools and loose articles on the wall
• Hold a garage sale to dispose of unused items that create clutter and may distract a potential buyer


• Swimming pools and spas - The swimming pool or spa should be sparkling clean and in good operating condition


• Repair or replace any broken tiles
• Patio and deck around pool should be clean and cracks repaired
• Pool filter and heating equipment area should be cleaned
• Replace worn or broken pool equipment (brushes, hoses, sweeps, pool covers, etc
• If your pool is stained, you may want to have a professional service drain and acid wash or refinish the surface



Small details make big statements about the perceived condition of your property. A house that shows poorly as as result of some of the items we have already discussed may create the overall feeling that the property has not been cared for. If your house leaves a buyer with this impression, it could cost you valuable time and money

The End Result - By showing attention to detail and understanding the buyer's need to visualize your house against a neutral backdrop, you can dramatically increase the sales potential of your property. We are happy to assist you with specific recommendations to help your house sell for the highest return in the shortest possible time

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Please don't hesitate to contact us with all of your questions. We are happy to help you with all of your home selling and buying needs.