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TOP 20 EASY FIXES FOR PARK CITY SELLERS

By: Don and Kathy Vallee

Believe it or not, it’s the little things that buyers usually notice when looking to possibly purchase your home. It’s usually a given that the major things will be in good order because that’s what attracted them in the first place. When the appraiser or buyer comes to view the home, though, they’ll be looking to how well your property delivers on the details.


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1 Improve Your Driveway

Clean off those oil stains and, if needed, look into repaving your driveway. This is one of the most important areas of the home’s exterior and it gives buyers an immediate indication of what they can expect from the property as a whole. The driveway should be pleasant to the eye and free from stains and cracks. If you have a single car driveway and the property space is there, look into expanding it as well to suit a multi-car family.

2 Upgrade Your Entrance

The next piece of the value-driven home puzzle is to make sure that your entrance is as inviting as possible. This doesn’t require going over-the-top with accessories. This can be as simple as installing a more attractive door and knob or even repainting the current one. Be sure that the sidewalk leading to the door and the porch (if applicable) are updated and well-kept. No one wants to step over cracked pavement to be greeted by an old, unattractive door.

3 Beautify Your Landscaping

The driveway looks great and the entrance is inviting, but, how does your lawn and garden look? Always be sure to keep your grass cut to an attractive height and seed any blank spaces to fill out the lawn. Bushes should be well-shaped and if you have a garden, it should be filled with pleasant flower types. Don’t be afraid to enlist the assistance of a professional landscaper even if it’s only for tips.

4 Redo Your Flooring

Once you step into your home you’ll notice that the floors are one of the first things that catch your eye. Make sure yours are up-to-date and presentable. There are a lot of DIY options that you’ll find when it comes to flooring. This is an investment that will pay off greatly as a lot of brokers report new floors costing around $600 could yield upwards of a $2000 boost in home value. Whether you choose new carpeting or glossy hardwood be sure it fits the decor.

5 Don’t Ignore Your Windows

The eyes are the windows to the soul and the windows of your home serve a very similar purpose. More than just fancy holes in walls, your windows should always be upgraded whenever possible. This isn’t simply for aesthetic reasons, but, the right windows can also save hundreds in energy costs. These are the talking points that help intrigue a buyer and push the value of your home higher.

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6 Make Space in Your Home

Unless you plan on expanding the home, the space you have is the space you have. As any good decorator will tell you, it’s about what you do with what you have that counts. Make your house appear more spacious by eliminating or reorganizing clutter. Rearrange furniture to give the sense of additional square footage and adding windows to a room will visually open it up quite a bit.

7 Spruce Up Your Kitchen

An outdated kitchen can be a deal breaker (there’s another that we’ll speak on shortly). Kitchens are the heart of the home and should be updated/upgraded whenever possible. This doesn’t have to involve swapping out appliances (consider this if severely needed, though). Some more basic improvements could include cabinetry and flooring or sink and faucet upgrades. Revising the kitchen alone will add thousands to the home value..

8 Add Accents to Give it Personality

Details matter more than you know. Take a look at each room of the home and ask yourself what can be improved. Adding something as simple as crown molding to a room can make it more appealing. Ceiling fans can also add value and will even help with the energy savings of the home as the central air conditioning has to work less to cool the home. It’ll all be worth it in the end.

9 Remodel The Bathrooms

Aside from kitchens, bathrooms are the other major deal breaker when it comes to what buyers need to be impressed with. The bathrooms in the home will need to have nice flooring and the fixtures and plumbing free of leaks and corrosion. Showers and bathtubs should not be out of date and consider redoing the cabinetry (if applicable) and possibly even swapping out the commode for one that can help save water.

10 Go With Some Architectural Accents

Give your home some life and energy. It doesn’t have to remain in the same design as when you first took ownership. Do a walk around looking at it through the eyes of a potential buyer and ask yourself would you appreciate crown molding in one area or wainscoting in another? Add-ons such as these give your home a personality and buyers will be attracted to it.

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11 Add-Ons are Awesome

Speaking of add-ons, take a look at some nontraditional ways to upgrade the home. Assess some top worries (hot button items) that are currently of concern to home buyers and go from there. Utility costs will be up there so consider looking into solar panels. This isn’t a cheap upgrade, but, can skyrocket your asking price due to the savings the buyer can look forward to. A water filtration system is also another idea that can add value. Think outside of the box.

12 Clean Up the Place

Seems simple enough, right? Yet, it is so often overlooked. Your home is on full display to buyers and believe me they will analyze every nook and cranny. That means you’ll need to not only do a general cleaning of the nooks, you’ll need to really get in there and polish those crannies. Underneath sinks, behind commodes, ceiling corners, and anywhere else that is usually overlooked will be where you want to start. Buyers don’t purchase dirty homes.

13 Let the Light Shine In

Lose the granny curtains. They’re dark and they’re dreary. Replace them with light and airy ones or just stick to blinds. You can look into upgrading those as well with dozens of attractive options such as wood variations. Whatever you do, the goal is to let the sun raise the value of your home. The best part about letting the light come in is not only does it give the semblance of more space, it’s FREE. You can’t get much better than that.

14 Try an “Un-decorate”

Don’t overdo it when it comes to decorating your Park City home. Less is certainly more in this aspect. Do a walk around and try to declutter your space. That may involve removing things that you may love but a potential buyer may see as an eyesore. This is also another great way to give visual space to the area which, again, is a huge selling point.

15 Insulate Where You Can

As you’ve read earlier, energy conservation is a huge selling point. Would you buy a home that is bleeding money via drafty windows or an unfinished attic/basement? I would hope not. Park City buyers want to have peace of mind that they’re not signing up for huge energy bills when they purchase your home. Ease their concerns by caulking windows and investigating the basement/attic space to make sure they’re insulated properly.

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16 Upgrade Light Fixtures

Often overlooked are the little things. You’ve lived in the home so long that you’ve become “blind” to certain items that may need to be changed out. The light fixtures are typically one of those items. I mean, honestly, who looks at light fixtures? The answer is: your potential buyer. So bring in a third party to give them a fresh look and see if they need to be replaced. Having lighting from 1965 isn’t going to get your property sold any time soon.

17 Get an Appraisal

Be proactive. Don’t be afraid to get a home appraisal before the buyer asks for one. This helps you in two ways; the first is that you’ll know upfront what your home is worth and what repairs need to be done. The second is that it shows your possible buyer that you have nothing to hide and that you’re proud of your home. This emotion transfers on to them and they really begin giving your property a second look. So go for the gold.

18 Change Your Mailbox

This isn’t as trivial as you may think. Typically in the personalization of homeownership, we tend to make changes that we like because, well it’s our home. These may not transfer well to the new owners, however. So if you took the liberty to install that cute yellow and pink mailbox with lovely scribe on it, it’s time to take it down and prepare to take it with you. Replace it with a neutral, generic (yet nice) mailbox that doesn’t catch the buyer off guard. It really lends to the curb appeal of the home.

19 Grab that Paintbrush

Okay, Picasso. You’re up. Grab those buckets, that roller, and those paint brushes and let’s get to work beautifying this place. Try and stick with neutral colors such as white because buyers love a blank canvas. Also keep in mind that lighter colors proved the illusion of space while darker ones have the opposite effect. Stay away from them at all costs. Be sure to also touch up the exterior of the home as needed with a fresh coat or spot jobs.

20 Make All Needed Repairs

It’s time to put away the procrastination. All of the little home repairs (and whatever major ones) that have been lingering for a while now need to be resolved. You can’t expect a buyer to make an offer on a home that has holes in the roof and walls or one with broken gutters. Make a list of everything that needs repair or upgrading and slowly attack that list over time. When you’re done, it’s time to show off your property!

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