‘Quick fixes’ increase value without breaking bank

REALTOR magazine recently published a list of eight “quick fixes” that increase the value of a home to potential buyers without draining the sellers’ pocketbooks. Here are its recommendations:

1. Improve curb appeal: Buyers are more likely to want to take a look inside if they’re impressed with how a house looks on the outside. Make sure the condition of the exterior – from the landscaping and paint to the door knocker and window coverings – have plenty of curb appeal. Big flower pots or an antique bench can help your home stand out from its competition.

2. Brighten up the walls: Paint isn’t expensive but the right colors – not necessarily white or neutral – can enrich a home’s interior. Soft yellows and pale greens, among other gentle colors, are inviting, draw the eye from one room to the next and flatter skin tones. Paint ceilings a lighter shade.

3. Update the kitchen and bathroom: These rooms can make or break a sale but, in addition to making sure they are clean and clutter-free, update the pulls, sinks and faucets. Add a modern appliance, such as an espresso maker, to the kitchen and hang a flat-screen TV in the bathroom to make viewers feel like they’re in a five-star hotel.

4. Touch it up with Old World patina: Install crown molding at least 6 to 9 inches in depth, proportional to the room’s size and architecturally compatible. For ceilings 9 feet high or higher, add dentil detailing, small tooth-shaped blocks used as a repeating ornament.

5. Screen hardwood floors: Buyers prefer wood over carpet, but costly and time-consuming refinishing may not be necessary. Instead, try screening, which includes a light sanding – not a full stripping of color or polyurethane – then a coat of finish.

6. Clean and organize closets: Closets should be only half-full so viewers can determine whether they can fit their stuff in them, so sort through all of your belongings and get rid of what you don’t need and haven’t used for a while – and probably won’t again.

7. Review and renew window treatments: Exchange dated fancy, dark drapes for energy-efficient shades and blinds that diffuse light and add privacy.

8. Hire a home inspector ahead of time: Don’t let a deal fall by the wayside, thanks to unforeseen problems uncovered by a buyer’s home inspector. By hiring your own home inspector, you can identify problems and fix them – and impress potential buyers with your responsibility – before putting your house on the market.