Getting the Most from Quick and Inexpensive Renovations

BY LEE NELSON

Whether your client wants to increase their home value before they sell, or you just sold them a home they need to renovate, assure them there are budget-friendly improvements that will make an impact.

Value-boosting changes and easy upgrades can enhance the feel of a home—inside and out.

I do a detailed consultation when a homeowner who wants to put their home on the market,” said Simone Healey, broker associate and Realtor® at Vikki Healey Properties. “I customize a plan for each person. The most common things I try to help them with are the simple things to get the home in better shape with the highest return on investment.

Healey understands when her customers don’t have the time or knowledge to prepare their house for sale or make the improvements they want. She often helps those clients find vendors who fit their needs, are reliable, and costeffective.

Fast and Economical Revamps to Curb Appeal

Some homeowners with some remodeling talent and the right tools can do weekend projects themselves to increase the curb appeal of the home and elevate some of the most important rooms without breaking the bank.

It all starts with the façade of the home. Adding shutters to existing windows can be a quick and easy way to add interest and add another color,” said Jay Cipriani, President of Cipriani Remodeling Solutions.

Cipriani estimates shutters might cost $100 per window for materials, and can be affixed to siding. They can also adhere mantels for roughly the same price as shutters. They sit on top of the windows and add elegance or a bit of a colonial look.

You can also put mantels on top of garage doors or your front door,” said Cipriani. “It gives a classical look. A few corbels or brackets on the front porch can also make it look stately or even more contemporary, depending on the material used.

Changing out your mailbox to a more unique one can add interest to your home and isn’t expensive, Cipriani suggests.

Remodeling Magazine’s latest Cost Vs. Value survey showed that a steel garage door replacement at $4,000 was the highest cost recoup of all remodeling projects at 94%.

The garage door might be a lot of money, but that’s like part of the bones of the house,” said Audrey Tesora, professional organizer, and founder of Right Touch Organizing Services. When Realtors® in her area need help getting a house ready for sale or just helping their clients declutter, she is their go-to person.

“Buying a new garage door isn’t glamorous, but curb appeal is very important,” said Tesora.

Bargain Enhancements for the Inside

Most experts admit that a few gallons of paint can brighten rooms plus be appealing to all types of people. Tesora suggests not going to pure white colors, which can seem stark and unwelcoming. The most popular color for the exterior and for many rooms inside the house is known as greige, a combination of gray and beige, she adds.

Sometimes, we just pick one room like the first room that people walk in, and put on a fresh paint,” said Healey. “It keeps things light, bright, and clean, in general. But you need to tailor the plan to each homeowner.

Healey also believes that if someone wants to get more money for their house or to live more comfortably after buying a different house, they need to splurge to hire a professional cleaner to do a deep clean, which can be $500 to $1,000 or more.

We don’t want our clients to spend a lot of time and money if it won’t have a return on the success of a sale,” said Healey. “But no one ever regrets having their house so clean.” Decluttering and organizing can be free, but if anything in the house needs to be repaired, do it before it’s on the market, said Healey.

“That slow leak in the bathroom or that loose banister needs to get fixed. You don’t need to get it all perfect, just done,” said Healey.

Healey also believes a client could pull up carpet and refinish hardwood floors, even if it’s just one room to impress buyers and show them what is underneath the rest of the carpeted floors.

Do it in a high-impact room, unless it’s brand-new carpet,” said Healey.

Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes, and Cipriani said that just changing out light fixtures in both of these rooms can add more pizzazz. By bargain hunting online and at big box stores, those pendants and ceiling lights don’t have to cost a lot to modernize an area over the island or bathroom mirror.

When buyers walk into the kitchen, they want to see the condition of the appliances, and they want to know what color they are,” said Cipriani. “If you have dated appliances in olive green or harvest gold, it might be time to put a little investment into new appliances.

Putting in a new backsplash in above the kitchen countertops can make a big impact, too.

It’s a great way to make a statement and add another texture or color to the kitchen,” said Cipriani. “There are thousands of choices of sizes of tiles, plus glass, porcelain, stone, and ceramic.

You can also use mirrors, antiqued mirrors, beadboard, recycled wood, corkboard, peel-and-stick tiles, and many other items—sometimes items in your attic or garage can be used.

Hiring someone to install a single row of 4 inch ceramic tiles along the countertops costs the lease at $150, according to Fixr.com. The website helps homeowners with cost guides, comparisons, and term cheat sheets for hundreds of remodeling and installation projects. The average installation of a backsplash is $900 to $2,500.

Other Ways to Help Clients with Inexpensive Renovations or Changes

Give references for everything.

Make sure to have a list of the best and reliable vendors, according to Healey. If your homeowners are too busy, then they need to have a list of people and companies you trust to do everything from painting to landscaping to replacing windows.

Paint the kitchen cabinets.

Instead of ripping out your bathroom or even kitchen cabinets, it can be a weekend job to paint them and add updated knobs, according to Tesora. “It all depends on what kind of house it is and the price point. If it’s a starter house, then great, paint them,” said Tesora. But the way homes are selling these days – some sight unseen – some new homeowners might want to just rip out the old and put in a new kitchen.

Make the yard look more appealing.

Sometimes landscaping is overlooked. “But it’s always a great investment. Perennial gardens are very valuable to people,” said Healey. She recommends also putting bright flowers in the front where people drive or walk by to make it welcoming. Don’t forget to clean the gutters, rake leaves from under shrubs, and powerwash any mold on siding or doors.

Make a statement the moment someone steps inside.

When someone first walks into a home, the color of the walls and flooring materials should say something to them, according to Cipriani. “Paint the walls, and put better lighting up from the ceiling, or add a lamp and table,” said Cipriani. Make it inviting that they want to see the rest of the house.

Take down old curtains and shades.

Smells and dust collect on window coverings. Plus, potential buyers want to see more natural light. Take the time to remove them, clean the windows and windowsills, and let the sun shine in, said Tesora.

Build up your DIY skills.

If you’re a little unsure about installing materials or doing a small project, Cipriani suggest watching YouTube videos. “Even the manufacturers are putting out YouTube videos so there is no warranty issue on certain products. They are even making us contractors take their course online.”

Making your home clean, maintained, uncluttered, bright, and embracing to all that enter can make it more appealing to a wide audience, said Healey.

If the house appeals to a larger group of people, it drives the best price.