“Advice for Homeowners” (continued)
WHAT TO FIX BEFORE YOU SELL
Photo courtesy of Quality Hardwood Floors
HARDWOOD FLOORING IS ‘KING’ FOR CHARACTER, UNIQUENESS Walter O. Nevin Sr.’s official title is president of Quality Hardwood Floors of Spokane. He’s better known and recognized as “The King of Hardwood,” a title earned from the 65 years his family business has installed and refinished hardwood floors throughout the Inland Northwest and beyond. The secret to success? It’s connected both to the quality of the product and the quality of the craftsmen. Hardwood is truly unique flooring. It exhibits a rich, natural strength and beauty that is long lasting. It puts on display natural colors, beautiful grain — and no two boards are the same. This provides a beautiful design base for any room, giving it a nostalgia and character you just can’t get from “cookie-cutter” flooring options. A product this valuable should have
craftsmen to match. Or, as Quality Hardwood Floors’ motto puts it: “A job worth doing is worth doing well.” Four generations of the Nevin family have earned repeat customers and referrals by focusing on expertise, customer service and “Old World Craftmanship.” The community has taken notice: Quality Hardwood Floors received 2018 Spokane Business Hall of Fame distinction following six consecutive years earning the “Best of Spokane” award. From installing and maintaining gymnasium floors throughout the state, to restoring a century-old floor to its former glory, to new installations with fancy inlaid borders — Quality Hardwood Floors does it all. For more on Quality Hardwood Floors, call 483-8401 or see ad on page 26.
Experience the Difference of
Pentecost
www.cornerstonespokane.com Sunday at 11am and Tuesday at 7:30pm • 21326 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake, WA
28 Liberty Lake 2019
You’ve lived with those ugly kitchen countertops for a decade. Should you replace them now that you’re ready to sell your house? That’s not a simple yes or no question, says Scott Thompson, a certified real estate appraiser whose work has taken him inside hundreds of homes in the Spokane area. Thompson doesn’t put much faith in across-the-board industry estimates of the resale value for specific home improvements designed to attract buyers. Rather, he suggests sellers take an objective look at their property in relationship to others on surrounding blocks. “For the best value, aim for a house that is up to neighborhood standards but not the fanciest house on the block,” Thompson says. “Take the middle path.” In a high-end neighborhood that might mean tackling significant improvement projects. Typically, though, the best use of dollars is to freshen what you have, because “buyers don’t want a house that feels worn out.” “It’s the boring stuff like paint and carpets that gets you the most bang for the buck” when it comes time to sell, Thompson says. “Bigger home improvements don’t return as much in value, generally speaking.” Of course, remodeling isn’t strictly about dollars and cents unless resale is in the immediate future. Real estate appraisers say it’s perfectly valid to consider “value in use,” meaning investing in a home to improve its livability and comfort. For more advice about improving your home for resale ― including low-, moderate- and major-cost projects ― read STCU’s financial-education blog at stcu.org/learn/blog. For more on STCU, see ad on page 20.