What are the best tips to prepare your home to sell without spending money we do not have?

Question

We have been told to put in new carpet and paint. But I feel like a paint and carpet allowance would be better to let the new owner make those decisions. We have no money to do renovations. Please help me out.

Answer 1

YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN SOME PRETTY SOUND ADVICE. GIVE YOUR CARPETS A REAL GOOD CLEANING. IF YOU HAVE ANY ROOMS PAINTED IN LOUD OR BRILLIANT COLORS, TONE THEM DOWN. EVEN WHITE PAINT WOULD BE GOOD. IF THE HOUSE IS SPOTLESS, MINUS THE CLUTTER OF ITEMS AND EVEN AN ACCESS OF FURNISHINGS IT WILL LOOK MORE PRESENTABLE TO POTENTIAL BUYERS. A CLEAN WELL MAINTAINED HOUSE TELLS A BUYER THAT THEY ARE BUYING SOMETHING OF VALUE. EVEN IF IT'S IN NEED OF SOME REPAIR THEY SHOULD FEEL THAT IT WILL BE WORTH THEIR EFFORT TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT. KEEP THINGS CLEAN AND SIMPLE AND THE HOUSE SHOULD GO PRETTY FAST.

Answer 2

I have to agree w/ every1 here. Clutter is Ur downfall. If U're not sure about a room. Take everything out & then, move an item back into the room. Remember, U dont have to keep a room squared w/ furniture. Try turn'g it at an angle to find a focal point.

As for paint, there's a way to get it & it shouldnt cost U any more than the gas to pick it up.

Yahoo Groups. Go to that & in the search field, type in the name of the town U live in & then type in the word Freecycle.
Look for a Group w/ the word Freecycle in the name. If nothing, type in a city that U are close to & then type in Freecycle again. Sometimes U have to scroll down aways but,

these groups r of people giving stuff away for free. ie, plants ~ real or fake. Paint ~ & yes U can get lucky sometimes & get enough paint to do a room or 2. So far, I've gotten neutrals & enough to do the bathrooms. As well as take the ones I didnt like, & painted outdoor pots & whatever w/.

Give this a shot. U may just find something that will help U out.

If U need any help, feel free to e me. I have my email turned on here on Answers.

Answer 3

These are the things to do to sell your home quickly. The first item is what to do and the second is the percentage of how much more money you will make from doing this when you sell the house. So it's simple. Take the cost of say, upgrading your lighting and you will make about a 769% return on your expenses from it...

Home Staging - 169%

Lighten & Brighten - 769%

Clean & De-Clutter - 594%

Fix Plumbing, Electrical - 196%

Landscape & Trim - 266%

Kitchen/Bath Upgrades - 138%

Repair Flooring - 50%

Paint Exterior Walls - 34%

Replace Carpeting - 39%

Basically, what you want to do is make your home appeal to the largest possible number of potential buyers. So if you have purple walls, you can imagine that this will not appeal to many potential buyers. Neutral colors do.

Make your house clean, de-clutter it, make all glass sparkle, get rid of the cat and litter box, and make space. People need to be able to see themselves living in your home or they won't buy it. So make it neutral. Get rid of all personal photos, take out any religious items. Start packing now, you'll be moving soon anyway.

Good luck... and perhaps you might want to get in touch and hire a home stager in your area... it really is worth the money!

Answer 4

Spend the money for the paint and carpet.Off white semi-
gloss in paint and tan in carpet. You will be glad you did when
it sells and you get your money back.
Next get rid of clutter. It turns people off. Too much extra unnessary stuff, sell it off or have a relative store it.
Next is curb appeal. spend some money on flowers to spruce
up your yard. If it looks bad, people will think if it's bad on the outside, the inside won't be any better and just drive by.
Next, if selling yourself list your phone number in the add, but
not your address, so they will call for information. I return you
will get information you need from them by asking before
they come over "if they have a pre-approved mortgage." This
is very important and saves a lot of time .
Next when showing the home, get rid of all pets to relatives or
neighbors and hide the ash trays. Many people have
allergies.
Next, when people come to see the house, put on a pot of
coffee so the kitchen smells nice, since that is the first main
attraction,
Next, clean and sanitize the bathroom. They not only want to
see it and flush the toilet to make sure it works properly. They
may need to use it while viewing the house.
And last. If they want the refrigerator with the house to make
the sale, let them have it, your probably ready for a new one.

Answer 5

Firstly de-clutter. Make sure there is space in your home.
A home that is full to the brim will look smaller than the same house that is leaner. This includes furniture as well as nic-nacs. Also de-clutter the built in cupboards and ward-robes, it makes it seem like there's more storage space. It may be worth while to hire a storage unit for the extra stuff while your trying to sell your home.
Don't forget to do the same with the garage and sheds. Use this as an excuse to get rid of all the things that aren't worth the moving expense. Even have a yard sale and make a little extra for yourselves.
Secondly clean. Sparkling windows and cleaned paintwork make the house look newer, without the expense of repainting. Wash drapes, maybe steam clean the carpets to freshen them up. Wash floors and skirting boards, and dust away any cobwebs. Don't forget to clean the light fittings and fly-screens. This lets more light in making the house brighter.
If you must re-paint do it yourselves and stick to the main living areas - lounge, kitchen, and hallway if you have one. Keep colours nuteral.
Clear the yards of overgrowth. Make sure the lawns are kept neat and trimmed. Clean concrete drives and paths of oil stains or moss. They will look newer then. No storage of items out in the open. A few punnets of flower seedlings planted out is cheap way of adding colour to a garden. Put out garden furniture if you have a nice sitting area.
Put out matching towels in the bathroom, de-clutter benches and make sure everything is clean. Put out pretty soaps, or even candles.
Add pot purri, fresh flowers, or scented arrangements, or use a spray air freshener, to keep the house smelling fresh. Open windows and air the house thoroughly if you know in advance that someone wants an inspection. But if its cool, make sure the house is warm and cosy when they get there.
Keep pets outside if you have any. Some people don't want a home that animals are in. If they are inclined to make a lot of noise have someone else mind them during inspections.

All of this takes time and effort, but doesn't cost a lot, but can make a big difference to the saleability of your home. Good luck with the move.

Answer 6

I would paint it (if it's really needed) but I would also give a carpet allowance.... paint doesn't cost that much compared to carpet. I would still clean the carpet. You could also put big items that aren't really needed at the moment in storage. That's what I did when we were selling.. it makes a difference. Also, make it smell good! I liked that when I was looking to buy.

Answer 7

There are many articles on this, but here are some ideas.
Paint is not expensive. Paint the place. Use neutral to white colors.
Clean everything to be immaculate. This includes inside the oven, the fridge etc.
Get rid of any evidence that you have pet.
Make sure the yard is neat.
Get rid of all that stuff on the kitchen counters when people come to look. This means can openers, toaster ovens, etc.
Get rid of all the "cute" stuff on the fridge door.
Make the house look clean, fresh and almost not lived in.
Fragrances and music are nice on the day of showing. Maybe make some cookies or a pie.
Good luck.

Answer 8

The advice you have been given is accurate. If you can not afford to replace the carpets then at least paint in a neutral color. Get rid of all the clutter (if you have any) and most importantly get rid of anything personal when showing the house to sell. People need to be able to picture in there mind what there furniture would look like in the house.

Answer 9

Get rid of clutter. Paint is cheap and you can do it yourself.
The market favors buyers right now and you need to look at the competition of other comparable homes that are selling also
Price your home realistically, not what you think it should sell for.
A Realtor can help you with all of this and is well worth their commission, you'll get more using one then if you try to sell it yourself.
Many people get emotionally attached to their homes and try to sell at a price that is too high, hoping to come down later.

If your home is priced too high you'll drive away many potential buyers wha won't want to waste their time when there is so many other homes on the market.

If your house is a fixer upper you'll need to price it accordingly, advertise it so, people are always looking for a deal!

Answer 10

Many things

1. get rid of clutter. in and outside of the house. including closets.

2. make sure everything is clean.

3. re arrange furniture to optimize space.

4. landscaping, get rid of weeds, trim trees, bushes, shrubs.
a little mulch would help and it's only $2.00 a bag.

You're better off not remodeling. I bought my house when it was a dump because I wanted a blank slate for my own colors, floring, window treatments etc. even landscaping.