A home make-over on a budget

If you are one of the very many homeowners who will be putting their home on the market, I’m sure you’ve given the house a once over and thought, “There is SO much to be done.”  Every homeowner understands the importance of making the home look its best and of course, for many of us with older homes, that might mean very costly updates.

The truth is there are great ways around this that will not only give your home an impressive facelift, but do so with minimal expense.  House systems and structural concerns aside, most of the cosmetic features in our homes can be enhanced rather than changed outright.  Here are some design tips to consider before plunging in headfirst.  All of the prices quoted reflect supplies only from national home improvement chains.  Plan on doing the work yourself and save yourself a bundle.

Consider the age, style, and location of your home.  If you are living in an urban area and your buyer is likely to be a young, professional, consider more contemporary colors and designs.  On the other hand, if you are moving from a historic, farmhouse, you’ll need to consider the practicality of certain upgrades as they apply to your target market -   your buyer!  Consider hardware upgrades in pewter, brushed nickel, polished silver, wrought iron, or antique brass.

Kitchens:

Faucets – $80 – $100

Sink – $200 – $300

Hardware – $3 – $6/each knobs/handles

Paint or refinish/reface cabinets – $200

Light fixtures – $200

Under Cabinet lighting – $30

Bathrooms:

Painted or refinish/reface cabinets – $100

Hardware – $3 – $6/each knobs/handles

Light Fixtures – $60

New toilets – $200 – $300

New Mirrors – $80

 Throughout:

Painted Trim – $75

Paint using soft, neutral colors – creams, soft yellows, earth tones – $150

Remove wallpaper – labor

Replace flat panel doors to 6 panel doors – $50 – $70 each OR

If keeping flat paneled doors, use two tone paint on trim and door to accentuate

Investments you can take with you:

Throws, pillows, accent pieces – create a color palette to coordinate and accent paintings, furnishings, area rugs

Coordinate Linens

Update furniture

Flowered pots outside

Invest in what you can take with you.  If you have furnishings from the 70′s or 80′s and you’re going to be moving into a new home, are you going to take all that old furniture with you?  If not, perhaps it’s time to have a yard sale before the home goes on the market.  Get a little extra cash, minimize and buy solid pieces you’ll enjoy for years to come.  In the process, you’ll be staging your home to look more updated and sleek which will enhance your home.  You and the buyer know the furniture won’t convey with the sale but the furnishings are important to complete the packaging of the “product”…your home!

Here’s a GREAT, free tool powered by Armstrong for designing your room before you lift one finger.

Irene Morales Ward, Northern Virginia Real Estate

Put that candle out before you leave!

 

As homeowners, we’ve all been tempted to light a nicely scented candle to get rid of some underlying odor – pets, smoke, the lingering odor of garlic from dinner, or just a stale smell.  Never is this practiced more that at the holidays.  We not only want our home smelling festive, but lighted candles add a wonderful glow which electric lighting simply cannot duplicate.  It doesn’t matter what holiday we are celebrating, candles are a universal symbol of warmth and beauty.

The Consumer Protection Safety Commission has released today a list of tips for those of us decorating for the holidays.  This is especially helpful for those of us decorating and SELLING our homes during the holidays.  We all know a beautifully staged home for the holidays is a wonderful way to increase buyer traffic and give the home an added “wow” factor.  However, simple oversights can have alarming consequences.

 ”CPSC estimates there are more than 14,000 candle-related fires each year, which result in about 170 deaths and $350 million in property loss. Dried-out Christmas trees are involved in about 200 fires annually, resulting in 10 deaths, and about $10 million in property damage. During November and December of each year, about 10,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms as a result of falls, cuts, shocks and burns related to holiday decorating.”

While many of us apply common sense when dealing with holiday decorations, it is particularly important to review some of these tips provided by the CPSC to help ensure our family’s safety.

Trees and Decorations:

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean the tree won’t catch fire, it does indicate the tree is more resistant to burning.
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry out live trees rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic, and do not block doorways.
• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
• In homes with small children,
  • take special care to avoid sharp or breakable decorations,
  • keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children who could swallow or inhale small pieces,
  • and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
• To avoid eye and skin irritation, wear gloves when decorating with spun glass “angel hair.”
• To avoid lung irritation, follow container directions carefully while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

 

Lights:

• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Use only newer lights that have thicker wiring and are required to have safety fuses to prevent the wires from overheating.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.
• If using an extension cord, make sure it is rated for the intended use.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• When using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected receptacles or a portable GFCI.
• Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

 

Candles:

• Keep burning candles within sight.
• Keep lighted candles away from items that can catch fire and burn easily, such as trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.
• Always use non-flammable holders and keep away from children and pets.
• Extinguish all candles before you go to bed, leave the room or leave the house.

 

Fireplaces:

• Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that, if eaten, can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting. Keep them away from children.
• Do not burn wrapping paper or plastic items in the fireplace. These materials can ignite suddenly and burn intensely, resulting in a flash fire.
• Place a screen around your fireplace to prevent sparks from igniting nearby flammable materials.

Source:  US Consumer Protection Safety Commission

Irene Morales Ward, Northern Virginia Real Estate