40 Moneymaking Home Improvement Hints

The makeover that makes sense and money

So you’re thinking of selling your home. It’s a great place in a great neighborhood. It offers quick access to local malls and grocery stores, and the nearby schools and parks are some of the best in the city. But a quick tour makes you wonder whether you can ask top dollar for your home. The living room carpets are a little tired. The upstairs bathroom has exposed pipes from a recent repair and the garage is beginning to look like a war zone.

Where do you start?

There are a number of affordable things you can do to give your home a minor makeover without taking a major bite out of your pocketbook. Lets a look at some fixes that can considerably raise the asking price of your home when its time to sell.

The Landscape

The first thing potential buyers see when they come to your home is the greenery. Trees, hedges, flowerbeds, the front lawn, all of these make a crucial first impression on prospective a purchaser. Here are a few ways to put your best foot forward.

1. Consider putting in a flowerbed
2. Revitalize and re-green your lawn
3. Trim all hedges and bushes; bark chips are often a nice touch
4. Resurface the front walk if needed
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The Homefront

Go out the front door stand at the curb. Take a long look at the front of your home. Now try to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. What would you change if you could?

Some ideas:
5. Replace your front door with a newer, "homier" model
6. Invest in a good roof cleaning and flush out your rain gutters
7. Replace any cracked or broken windows
8. Scrub the oil spots off of your driveway; re-pave if necessary
9. Re-paint the trim around windows and doors
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The Inside Story

Before touring the rest of the home, let’s take a look a few general indoor tips.

10. Clean all carpets, and replace if necessary
11. Replace worn or faded curtains and blinds
12. Fix any nail holes in wall
13. Paint peeling and worn trim
14. Polish or re-varnish hardwood floors
15. Remove any objectionable odors or physical damage caused by pets
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The Kitchen

The kitchen, along with the bathroom, is the room that will have the biggest impact on a prospective buyer.

This will get you started:
16. Re-surface faded, chipped, and burnt countertops
17. Repair that broken garbage disposal
18. Replace old, unsightly home appliances
19. Buff the kitchen floor until it looks brand new
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The Bathroom

Your bathroom can make or break a sale, so its crucial that it’s in tip-top shape.

Here’s a handful of pointers:
20. Scrub and disinfect all floors, tiles, sinks and toilets, paying special attention to mildew and water buildup.
21. Replace broken or damaged mirrors, toilet seats, faucets, and other bathroom hardware
22. Invest in a new shower curtain and a decorative set of towels and bath mats
23. Clean out messy cabinets and medicine chest
24. Fix leaky faucets and other plumbing problems
25. Re-grout tiles and floors as needed
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The Bedroom

According to a 1994 report by the National Association of Realtors, "the master bedroom is the third most important room in the house." It’s true. If a prospect can’t feel at home where they sleep, they may not pay much attention to rest of your home.

Try these few suggestions:
26. Make sure that both cable and phone jacks are available in every bedroom
27. Think of installing ceiling fans for comfort and energy efficiency
28. Purchase the new bedroom set you’ve been admiring
29. Paint or wallpaper children’s bedroom to give them character
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The Family Room

From watching television or reading a book to simply kicking off your shoes and relaxing a while, your family room needs to be all things to all people.

Here are a couple of hints:
30. Install that extra cable jack at the other end of the room so prospects can feel they can decorate, as they like
31. Invest in track or recessed lighting to give the room atmosphere
32. Cover any stains or tears on furniture so the prospect can focus on the room
33. Find some attractive, inexpensive prints or paintings to give the room some depth
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The Dining Room

Dining rooms are making a startling comeback the 90’s, and anyone hoping to sell their home would be wise to give this room its due.

Here’s a beginning:
34. If you can find an attractive, affordable new dining set, do it
35. Bring that china cabinet out of storage and showcase it
36. Invest in an inexpensive centerpiece for your dining room table
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The Garage

Some people use it as a place to house the family boat. Others use it as a part time workshop or tool shed. But no matter how a family wants to use its garage, one thing is certain: it needs to be as roomy and all purpose as possible. Along with moving out all those messy boxes and repacking, you’d do well to try these few suggestions:

37. Replace that old garage door with a newer model, and install an electric door opener
38. Tear down the old shelves that line the walls and install sturdy new ones
39. Power-scrub the floor to remove tire marks and oil stains
40. Install new fluorescents to replace that dangling light bulb
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