Posted by DOT on September 29, 2000 at 17:04:38:
Give the house curb appeal. First impressions are the most IMPORTANT!! Clean yard,paint or put siding on at least the front of the house.
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What are the best home improvements/repairs? - Posted by Teresa Munn
Posted by Teresa Munn on September 29, 2000 at 12:59:54:
What home improvements/repairs are the best to increase the market value of a home that you want to by at a discount, re-hab, and then sell for a profit?
Re: What are the best home improvements/repairs? - Posted by Jim C
Posted by Jim C on September 30, 2000 at 24:33:15:
I know that the two previous responses suggested this already, but I just want to stress how important it is. I’ve heard that 90% of houses are sold (or walked away from) at the curb when the potential buyer pulls up to see it. I have also heard that bathrooms and kitchens are the most important rooms in the house. You have to impress them with those because that is what women really look at, and do you think that a man would agree to buy a house if his wife doesn’t like it? If you have a nice looking house from the outside, one that people pull up to and think “WOW!” and you have impressive kitchens and bathrooms, then you should be good to go, just as long as the rest of the house is clean and in decent shape. Good Luck!!!
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Re: What are the best home improvements/repairs? - Posted by Nelson
Posted by Nelson on September 29, 2000 at 21:46:12:
Teresa,
Curb appeal? You bet ya. It can add percieved value especially if it’s a house in a nice area where the bulk of the others are nicer-even more expensive than it is. Some painting you know…nothing major if you can help it. Work the five senses on it. Can you make it look real good with a little cleaning up? Maybe some minor spackling under paint. Is the rug maybe a bit tore up…smelling it up a bit? Consider tearing it out-maybe lay some decent linolium tiles. It’s amazing how some paint and new affordable flooring can cure a lot of sins. Get the kitchens and baths sparkling clean. If you’re handy a little and can install a dishwasher, get yourself a good used one and put it in. You see them folks ain’t gonna want to pay you 70, 80, 100 thousand dollars if they have to wash the dishes that night too, you know. Different areas have different climates and certain things that you can do to help it increase value won’t work in other places you know. Storage is something that can add perceived value particularly if say, closet space is limited and there isn’t a basement or garage…you see people need a place to put their things and if your place isn’t the most generous as far as storage is concerned, then it may be a good idea, again if you’re handy to go to say, a building supply place and buy you a shed kit and put one up. Of course having all the windows working and crystal clean can give an instant impression when showing it to them. But you see market value too is affected by some things that are outside of your control. Is it located near good schools…is it in an exclusive area where taxes are generally higher? So what you want to do is buy it at discount and then control your costs in-so-far as the rehab is concerned so you can keep more of your money in your pocket;-) Good Luck!
Nelson
Definitely Updating Kitchen and Bathrooms, painting and flooring. Staging can also be a great investment.
Steve Keighery
Home Buyer Louisiana
You’re spot on about curb appeal, but I’d also suggest paying close attention to the functionality of plumbing, electricity, and roofing when rehabbing a property. Buyers might love the fresh paint and landscaping, but a home’s core systems are what truly seal the deal.
Fix any leaks, update old fixtures, and ensure proper water pressure in the plumbing. With electricity, modernizing the panel, rewiring outdated systems, and adding GFCI outlets in key areas will show buyers the home is safe and up to code.
As for the roof, even minor repairs like replacing missing shingles or cleaning debris can go a long way, but if the roof is too old or damaged, a replacement with durable materials is a worthwhile investment. These foundational upgrades might not be flashy, but they’ll make the home more reliable, marketable, and profitable when it’s time to sell.