5 Inexpensive Value Adding Repairs

If you’re looking for some inexpensive repairs you can do to your home to add resale value you’re looking in the right place!  All of the entries on this list have reasonable price tags, and some of them won’t cost you anything but a little elbow grease and time to help you effectively stage your home:

1. Clean up.  That’s right.  Not really a repair, I know, but think about the last time you walked into a home that smelled like the family dog, or had stacks of clutter everywhere you looked.  Let your mantra be “Pick up, put away, get rid of, clean!”  The house will be more presentable, and the rooms will look larger with less in them.  Vacuum then shampoo carpets.  Wash all your windows.  Fall is here with winter just around the corner.  If weather becomes prohibitive focus on the inside, and plan ahead for the outside…
2. Exterior.  We’re talking curb appeal!  Same thing as above, just outside.  Now that the inside of your home is clean and presentable, don’t turn buyers away with yard clutter, the old broken down lemon in the driveway, or a mailbox slumping sideways on its post.  Tidy up and restore order, both in the front yard and back, before heading into winter.  In the spring and summer don’t let prospective buyers get stuck at the curb by dead grass, weeds, overgrown shrubs, peeling paint.  How about some colorful flowers?  Your mantra here is, “Mow, trim, paint, plant.”  If the entire exterior doesn’t need a paint job, consider painting just window and door trim to freshen things up.
3. Flooring.  Buyers notice dirty carpets, rough wooden flooring, and chipped tile right away.  Yes, I’ll say it again, shampoo carpets!  Also clean and wax wood floors, and replace damaged tiles.  It may be necessary to completely replace flooring in certain rooms.  Be sure to go with neutral colors if you’re selling in the next few months or planning ahead to do so in the next few years.
4. Bathroom and Kitchen sink fixtures.  Remodeling bathrooms and kitchens can be cost prohibitive.  Consider replacing leaking or outdated plumbing fixtures with something contemporary.  This is a great inexpensive fix that gives you a lot of bang for your buck.
5. Let there be light!  Change dim outdated lighting for more fashionable and brighter alternatives.  If painting interiors, going from dark to more neutral colors will make rooms feel larger.  Raise blinds and open curtains to let in more natural light!

Here’s a great resource to get an idea of your return on investment for more costly professional versus do-it-yourself projects.