Selling and Buying a Home

Marketing Your Home Concentrate on Curb Appeal  Mow, weed, trim your lawn regularly & add mulch  Plant flowers  Paint or thoroughly wash your homes exterior  Make the front door pop  Place a welcome mat  Wash windows  Exterior lighting  Remove vehicles from driveway & close garage  Polish house numbers  Replace damage screens, repair gutters, fences You only have one chance to make a first impression!

Preparing Your House For Sale Create Neutral & Welcoming Living Areas  Entryways are important  Fireplace should be clean and mantel organized  Open shades and bring in the light  Remove family photos or scale down  Paint walls a neutral color  Rearrange furniture to create open feeling  Make sure carpet is spotless and fresh smelling  Wipe down all fixtures and make them sparkle  Remove cob webs  Clean draperies & blinds  Create comfortable and inviting environment Details Make The Difference!

Preparing Your House For Sale Highlight the Kitchen and the Bathrooms  Place seldom used appliances in cupboards  Update knobs & fixtures  Make sure your mirrors and appliances shine  Inspect cabinets and de-clutter the countertops  Check for leaky faucets and caulk sinks and tubs  Deodorize garbage disposal, dishwasher & trash cans  In the bathroom, create a mini-spa with guest soaps, candles and plants  Scrub and polish all sinks & tubs  Replace old shower curtains  Repair missing grout and tile

Preparing Your House For Sale Focus on the Bedrooms & Offices  Vacuum under the beds  Place candles on the nightstands  Replace worn comforters  Put away toys  Use lots of pillows in every bedroom  Put scented paper or sachets in closets  Organize closets, put away seasonal clothing  Donate clothes  Beautify spaces by adding books, art & pottery  Make sure your laundry room is clean and clutter free

Preparing Your House For Sale Don’t forget the Basement & Backyard  Keep basement clean and de-clutter  Clean floors  Put tools in bins in the garage or shop  Refresh patios by power washing  Give decks a new coat of stain  Create living spaces outside in the patio  Lighting is important, replace burnt out light bulbs  Make sure litter boxes are kept clean  Keep pets out of the house or secure during all showings

Inexpensive Payoffs ImprovementTypical costIncr. in sale priceAvg. return Lighten & brighten$86-$110$768-$935769% Clean & de-clutter$305-$339$2,093-$2,378594% Fix plumbing & electrical$338-$381$922-$1,208196% Landscape & trim$432-$506$1,594-$1,839266% Staging$812-$1,089$2,275-$2,841169% Kitchen & bath upgrades$1,546-$2,120$3,823-$4,885138% Repair flooring$1,531-$1,714$2,267-$2,58950% Paint exterior walls$2,188-$2,381$2,907-$3,23334% Replace carpeting$2,602-$2,765$3,585-$3,90039%. HomeGain's Home Sale Maximizer, an online calculator based on a survey of 2,000 real estate agents nationwide, indicates that moderately priced home improvements, ranging in cost from $80 to $2,800, that are made immediately before a home's sale actually yield the highest returns

Home Improvements That Pay Off

Improvements That Add Value Basement  Media Rooms  Game Rooms  In-Law Suites Kitchen  Cabinets  Countertops  Appliances Bathrooms Master Bedroom Exterior Decks

Remodeling Returns on Investment 2006 National AveragesRegion - South Atlantic ProjectJob CostResale Value % Cost Recouped Job CostResale Value % Cost Recouped Attic Bedroom Remodel $44,073$35, %$39,081$35, % Basement Remodel $56,724$44, %$51,141$46, % Bathroom Addition $28,918$21, %$25,867$21, % Bathroom Remodel $12,918$10, %$11,778$10, % Deck Addition $14,728$11, %$13,975$11, % Family Room Addition $74,890$53, %$67,797$53, % Home Office Remodel $20,057$12, %$18,504$12, % Major Kitchen Remodel $54,241$43, %$50,860$43, % Master Suite Addition $94,331$68, %$84,883$67, % Minor Kitchen Remodel $17,928$15, %$17,095$15, % Roofing Replacement $14,276$10, %$12,052$10, % Siding Replacement (vinyl) $9,134$7, %$8,285$7, % Sunroom Addition $49,551$32, %$46,378$34, % Two-Story Addition $105,297$87, %$96,502$88, % Window Replacement (wood) $11,040$9, %$9,974$8, % Window Replacement (vinyl) $10,160$8, %$9,162$7, % Hometech Information Systems