Tenomania.com

Are you selling a home? Did you know that even though home buyers are all looking for something different, the majority of them will turn around and walk back out of your door if they notice one or more of these Top 10 problems.

1. Odors

House odors are number one on the home selling uh-oh list. And narrowing it down, odors from cigarette smoke and pets take top billing, with mildew not far behind.

If you smoke indoors–the house smells like cigarettes. If you have pets, the house might smell bad–even if you don’t notice it. Ask someone who doesn’t live there to take a sniff, and don’t get angry when they tell you the truth.

Eradicate the odors so that you can present potential buyers with a clean, fresh atmosphere–not a house that’s full of perfumes to cover up the odors.

2. Dogs that Meet You at the Door or in the Driveway

Dogs frighten some people and irritate others. You’ll have a much better response from showings if you control your pets–dogs, cats, whatever.

You say you plan to put them in a bedroom or garage and then ask people not to open the door to that area? Bad idea. Would you buy a house you can’t inspect? Of course not.

Remove pets during showings if possible. If you can’t, contain them in crates for their own safety and to show respect for the feelings of potential buyers.

3. Dirty Bathrooms

Grimy bathrooms are an instant turnoff. Scrub them, paint them, buy a new shower curtain, rugs and towels–do what it takes to make them shine. If you’re serious about selling the home, the extra work is a must.

4. Dimly Lit Rooms

Dark homes are a turnoff to most home buyers, so try to brighten them up:

• Replace dim light fixtures
• Install additional light fixtures
• Install (quality) sun tunnels or skylights
• Remove heavy drapes to let the light stream through windows
• Repaint some rooms with colors that reflect light
• Trim tree limbs that shadow the house

Dirty and fogged windows are another buyer turnoff. Clean them inside and out to bring in more light. If possible, replace any double-pane windows with broken seals. You can find them by looking for a foggy residue that cannot be removed.

5. A House Full of Busy Wallpaper

Busy wallpaper in every room turns off most buyers, and even people who love wallpaper rarely like what you’ve chosen. It’s a personal decorative touch that they want to select themselves.

It’s the masses you must appeal to when you’re selling a home, so take a hard look at your wallpaper and decide if it should be removed and replaced with paint. Don’t paint over it, because it will be obvious that you did–and buyers know that makes removing it even more difficult.

6. Damp Basements

Dampness or damp smells in the basement throw up a red flag to buyers that the foundation leaks!

Most problems we see are not caused by faulty foundations. They occur because rainwater is being diverted towards the foundation instead of away from it.

• Clogged underground drains
• No rain gutters along roofline
• Downspouts aimed the wrong way

Go outside the next time it rains and determine where runoff water is going.

7. Bugs

Roaches, spiders, any insect that shouldn’t be in the house. Get rid of them.

8. Poor Curb Appeal

You must grab a buyer’s interest from the curb if you want to sell the home for top dollar. Home buyers often refuse to go into a house with an unkempt yard, sagging doors or peeling paint. You say you can’t afford to paint? Okay, but get that yard in tip-top shape and grab a screwdriver to fix those doors.

9. Gutters with Plants Growing in Them

I’m serious. Some people never clean their gutters, and it always makes buyers wonder what else hasn’t been maintained.

Remember the drainage issue in #6? Cleaning packed gutters might help.

10. Sellers Who Hang Around for Showings

Yes, you… leave the house during showings. Home buyers feel awkward about opening closet doors and lingering for a really good look at the house if the seller is home.

If you’re selling by owner, give them some space, don’t hover.

Parting Words

Most of the Top 10 problems are home selling issues you can correct without spending a lot of money. Do it now, before you put the house on the market, because if your house develops a reputation among agents as the house that smells, the house with the huge barking dog or the house where the owner won’t leave people alone, it will be too late. Your house will be last on their list to show potential buyers.

When you want to move abroad or anywhere new, you will want to research before you make the physical move in order to feel as comfortable as possible once you arrive.

1. Books

As with nearly any subject, you will find a great resource for cultural customs and general living tips in the many travel books at your local bookstores and libraries.

2. Maps

What is interesting about maps is that you can actually learn more about a culture from the way that they set up their cities, than you can from guidebooks in some cases.

Cities with narrow streets and a local city center seem to be more focused on community events and gatherings, for example.

3. Internet

Needless to say, the Internet is an invaluable resource for those that are trying to research any subject. It has countless travel sites, sites for those that want to travel and live abroad, etc. The only limitation is that the sources can be difficult to judge, so the information is not necessarily valid.

4. Chat rooms

On the Internet, you will find hundreds of message boards and chat rooms that can help you learn more about the area that you are looking to live in. By typing in the area as well as chat room into a search engine bar, you should be able to find at least one place where you can meet others that can help you with your questions.

5. Other expatriates

There is always good information to be found in those that have already been in your shoes. By finding expatriates in your chosen home or via the Internet, you can find out much more than many books or travel guides could ever tell you.

6. Language courses

When you find a local language course either in your new home or before you move, you will learn about the culture through the way that they speak. Some cultures are very quick and fast moving so is their tone and accent while others tend to be slower, more fluid and their speech tends to be less formal and enunciated.

7. Local groups

There are also a number of groups that tend to cultural studies that can help you learn more about your new home before you arrive. Going to France? Head to the local chapter on French related studies.

8. Vacations

Of course, there is no better way to learn about your new home than to spend some time in it. But you won’t be looking at the area as a tourist; you’ll be looking at it as a prospective homeowner.

9. Travel agencies

While you might not be planning a vacation to your new home, travel agencies are very good at collecting information about regions and local customs. Talk to your local travel agent to see what kinds of information they can help you find.

10. Community courses

There are also many courses available for those that are looking to learn more about a certain area. Many classes are primarily focused on learning about the local culture and customs while others are focused on making plans to relocate.

No matter how new your home may be there are always improvements that can be made whether for necessity or sheer desire to better your homes’ appearance for your own satisfaction. When mortgage rates are high purchasing a new home may not be economically feasible. However, remodeling your current home may reduce your urge to sell the home or until selling is more practical. By determining a project budget, researching ways to do as many improvements yourself and shop around for fairly priced materials you will notice that some or all of your planned projects aren’t as financially devastating as you may have thought. If money is no object when remodeling your home, it is still encouraged to do research to be certain that your chosen contractor is highly knowledgeable and seasoned in his or her specialty of remodeling. Research will also make you better aware of what going rates are for materials and labor so that you don’t fall victim to being taken advantage of by a contractor.

The list is nearly unlimited when conjuring up projects that can be done to improve a home. Projects range from changing a room’s paint color up to extravagant room additions. Below are 10 of many ways a home can be transformed by an experienced do-it-yourself to improve a home’s appearance and value.

1. Modify paint colors

Painting a room is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to improve the appearance of a home’s interior. Interior walls that are painted undesirable colors well outside of the neutral color family may be used as a way to negotiate price due to so many rooms needing to be repainted lighter, neutral colors. Exterior paint colors tend to weigh more on the value and curb appeal of a home when selling. Not every homeowner wants to paint the exterior of their new home right away due to the sheer size of the project. Painting interior walls can be quite time consuming and bothersome for a homeowner. Many may consider painting the exterior a much more tedious, dutiful task due to needing long extension ladders, removal and replacement of storm doors and windows, and having to climb on roofs in some cases.

2. Upgrade to tile

There are so many new flooring products that have come available over the years. Research shows that installing floor tile rather than linoleum in high traffic or damp areas is much more appealing and valuable to homeowners and potential home buyers. Homeowners who have never installed or researched tile installation tend to think it will be too difficult to do themselves. This may ring true for those who just aren’t proficient at tackling new do-it-yourself tasks outside of the very basics like painting or speckling holes. However, if you are up for the new experience and can gain access to the necessary tile tools, you may be pleasantly surprised that tiling isn’t as hard as you may have thought. You could potentially save yourself several hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars by tiling floors and back splashes yourself. For instance, depending on the going rate for tile labor in a chosen state or city, excluding material costs you can expect to spend $6 – $15 per square foot of tile to be installed when hiring a professional.

3. Open the floor plan

Open floor plans help make the interior of a home appear larger than what it is. Aside from the open appearance having an open floor plan also adds possibilities when decorating, arranging furniture and when entertaining large amounts of guests. There are a few things that can be done to open up a floor plan without costing thousands of dollars. One way for a do-it-yourself homeowner to open up rooms throughout the home is by widening doorways that do not require doors such as kitchens, dining rooms and kitchens.

You may not want or need to go to the extent of knocking down entire walls, but you may find it very appealing to simply widen walk ways 6 to 12 inches. Keep in mind that no matter how little you widen an opening, always be sure to extend the header above the opening to give adequate support over the opening. Before attempting to open up a room or floor plan, be sure to consult with a contractor who is highly knowledgeable in framing and architecture of homes to help assure no structural problems arise later on.

4. Update plumbing and electrical fixtures, cabinet and door hardware

Updating plumbing, electrical fixtures, and hardware throughout the home are tasks that rank high with do-it-yourself due to the ease of completion in comparison to larger home improvement projects. If you have basic plumbing and electrical skills, you have the potential to give your home a mini makeover. In just one or two weekends you could possibly replace all cabinet and door hardware, bathroom faucet and shower fixtures, outdated light fixtures, switches and outlets throughout the home.

5. Replace old windows and doors 

Replacing old, inefficient windows isn’t only for aesthetic reasons but also to raise the home’s heating and cooling efficiency rating. Aluminum framed windows and sliding doors have the lowest efficiency rating of all windows and doors, especially if they are constructed with only single pane glass. Well made double and triple pane vinyl or wood windows tend to be a bit pricey for the windows themselves. However, if you are able to replace windows yourself you will have the choice of replacing just a couple at a time rather than all at once. In the long run, you will not only feel more comfortable in your own due to higher efficiency, you will also see a decrease in your heating and cooling bills.

6. Add switches, outlets and light fixture openings

Not all homes, old or new, have a sufficient amount of outlets or ceiling lights throughout. Lack of outlets and ceiling fixtures can be quite an inconvenience for homeowners. Luckily, this is another issue that an experienced do-it-yourself can tackle on their own in many cases. With basic electrical knowledge and experience it is fairly easy to run 12 or 14 gauge wire to and from an existing power source. Adding outlets, ceiling fixtures and 3 way light switches throughout a home will add a great amount of accessibility when using lamps, small appliances and the luxury of turning on 1 light from 2 or more locations.

7. Remove undesirable ceiling textures 

Popcorn texture was extremely popular years ago, but is rapidly loosing its appeal amongst homeowners now. On the other hand, "knock down" texture is the highly sought after for many homeowners, much more appealing than flat or popcorn textured ceilings. Although you don’t need to be a professional to remove or add ceiling texture, it does take quite a bit of patience and preparation to do it properly. With the proper tools and materials it is possible for a homeowner to remove hard to paint, undesirable popcorn texture to either make way for a flat ceiling surface or prepare to spray a more updated knock down texture.

8. Create sufficient built in storage areas

Storage space or lack thereof has been and always will be a key factor when updating or selling a home. When there isn’t enough adequate storage space throughout a home there tends to be a build up of unnecessary clutter where there doesn’t need to be. With basic carpentry skills and planning, shelves can be added to most any closet, garage walls or ceilings. For the more experienced do-it-yourself homeowner, installing or building built-in cabinets throughout areas where storage space is needed will not only become home for non decor items but also very appealing to the eye.

9. Refinish wood floors and cabinetry

All too often homeowners tend to think that old, scratched wood floors or cabinets simply need be replaced due to the poorly maintained finish. However, finish is one of the aspects of wood that can be fixed and made to look like new or close to it. Before figuring out how many several thousands of dollars it will cost to replace wood floors and cabinetry check the quality and integrity of the wood itself underneath the scuffed paint or stain finish. If there aren’t numerous broken or cracked pieces of wood throughout, consider sanding the surfaces down to bare wood, then apply fresh paint or stain to bring back the floor and cabinet beauty. When tackling your own improvement projects as opposed to hiring a professional you could see potential savings of 2, 5, even an upwards of 50 thousand dollars, depending on the size of the remodeling project. Typically homes increase in value by simply maintaining its current appearance and integrity. By performing a number of improvement projects you can potentially raise your home’s value by 10 – 20 thousand dollars in just one or two years.

10. Install wood window shutters

Whatever the task at hand, try not to jump the gun and commit to hiring a remodeling professional. First, assess the issues that need attention and determine if you are capable of performing said projects on your own. Once you determine whether you can or can not complete the given task, then take the next step by either planning your do-it-yourself project or start contacting licensed remodelers and shop around for the best matched contractor. Don’t get discouraged if you have a few projects around the home that you wish you could do yourself due to not having the extra money to pay a professional. With adequate research and the advice from friends or family who already possesses the know-how, give that project a shot yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions.