Is Your 2009 New Year’s Resolution to Sell Your Central Ohio Home?

If your New Year's Resolution is to sell your Central Ohio home, I would like to share a few simple changes to improve the value of your home and get it ready to sell.

With the buyer in mind, take a tour of your home, making a list of the good, the bad, and the not so bad. The Central Ohio real estate market will not permit you to invest in major renovations before selling your home. You simply won't get your money back out of large projects. Instead, your goal is to spend a little money to make the good areas eye-catching and fix the rough areas.

Here are a few of my suggestions for getting your home “buyer ready:”

Landscaping:

The first thing a buyer notices is the outside of your Central Ohio home. First impressions are very important. You’ll want to trim the bushes and rake the leaves to make the house seem more inviting. This time of year you want to make sure the snow is removed from the walks and drive way as much as possible.

As spring approaches, you want to evaluate your wood porch or deck to make sure it is not looking a little run down If needed, buy a couple of cans of outdoor stain’n’seal and give it a few coats. It will instantly brighten up the front of your house.

Note: I cannot tell you how often realtors will share stories about driving up to a house and having a buyer refuse to go into a home. First Impressions Matter!

Your Home’s Interior:

Most real estate experts will agree that sprucing up the bedrooms, the bathrooms, and especially the kitchen can really improve the value of your home. Let’s start at the beginning of the list:

· Bedrooms: Paint the walls of the room a light, neutral color to really open up the space. Replace any old light fixtures with new modern ones and consider adding a ceiling fan to each bedroom to increase the room's appeal.

· Bathroom: If your tub has seen better days, have it resurfaced. Or, if you're handy, you can resurface your bathtub yourself.

· Kitchen: The kitchen might also benefit from sprucing up. Do not gut renovate your kitchen. Today's real estate market won't give you back the money you'll spend to do this. Instead, refinish the cabinets and install new handles. You could also put in a new backsplash, if needed.

If your New Year's Resolution is to sell your home as quickly as possible and for the most money, call me today at 614-273-6406 or email me at Vanessa.simmons@realliving.com

KEYWORD: Columbus, Pickerington, Gahanna, Worthington, Reynoldsburg, Canal Winchester, Ohio home

LINKS:
1. Resurface your bathtub: http://ezinearticles.com/?Bathtub-Resurfacing---Doing-It-Yourself&id=545158 2. Stain’n’Seal: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=LawnGarden/ClnSealDk.html

3. Paint: http://www.behr.com/behrx/workbook/index.jsp