Mountain homes

Mountain home repairs get your money's worth

Many homeowners make home improvements because they want to upgrade the look and comfort level of their homes. However a good majority do so to improve the value of the home, something that can turn a higher profit if the house is ever sold. The trouble is, inexperienced homeowners might not realize the best ways to make the most out of dollars spent.

If you are thinking about fixing up your home in an effort to boost it's salability, consider these important tips.

Make improvements count:

People's preferences in a home are varied, therefore making major changes that are out of character with the home's architectural style or the neighborhood might not bode well come resale. Experts agree that neutral colors and universal improvements will score you a higher value over personalization's that may scare people away, such as adding a huge garage or over the top color palettes.

Maintain your home and Property:

While regular maintenance will not provide huge gains in home value, it certainly will prevent the house from declining in value. A prospective buyer wants a home that is relatively attractive from curb appeal perspective and one that is in good working order. Don't risk having to make costly repairs as a bargaining chip at the time of sale, you'll end up spending more than if you just maintained your home during the duration of time spent living there. Plus a few simple and relatively inexpensive touches can have a maximum impact. A warm and inviting front yard that is clean and dotted with some shrubs and flowers can attract buyers.

Best rewards on Repairs:

It is a common misconception that making improvements to a home will reap parallel profits. In other words, many homeowners think that $10,000 in repairs equals a $10,000 increase in value. This is not the case. Research has found that kitchen and bath repairs offer some of the highest returns - 80% of money spent. Therefore, if the budgets are tight and you want improvements that count, stick to these rooms.

Conceal or kick out clutter:

A prospective buyer wants to imagine themselves in your home. If your house is overrun with clutter it may be harder for the buyer to engage an imagination. Plus, clutter makes spaces seem smaller and less appealing. Consider thinning out your collections and general stuff to help boost the impact of your mountain home.

Do your Research:

Some of the best ways to learn about home values and comparable sale prices in your area is to find out what your neighbors have done. If a similar house in a relatively similar condition sold for a particular price, you can probably assume yours will be the same price range. As such, you can price it in a competitive fashion, or make improvements you know will be appreciated by the buyers. With this in mind however, don't get stuck in believing houses currently on the market that are priced high reflect true selling prices, many times homes are sold for much less than the asking price, so this is not a good judgment of the value of your home. Only base it on true sells and condition. Extra bathrooms and bedrooms do make for higher values but location can also mean the difference in a high or low value. Be fair in judging the value of your home, don't allow emotions to play in to it, doing so will just set yourself up for a huge let down if the offers coming in are less then you thought. Your best bet on determining your mountain home's value is to get an appraisal from a respectable company..

see these other articles on the subject:

Selling your Mountain home

Appraising Mountain Property