When
planning a home improvement project you may have favorite 'must do' projects,
but it pays to design with resale in mind:
Select
neutral colors: It creates a blank canvas effect for
potential buyers.
Upgrade your
kitchen first:It's the one room buyers use consistently
to determine how well a house has been maintained.
- advertisement -
Paint,
paint, paint: It's the quickest and most inexpensive
makeover technique. If the exterior paint is faded or weather-beaten, a fresh
coat of paint is a cost-effective sales tool.
Hide
those flaws:Textured wallpapers and faux wall
finishes hide a multitude of surface flaws.
Focus
on floors: Whether wood, tile, laminate or vinyl, make
sure they're inviting, not cracked or discolored. Again, neutrals sell best, natural
wood best of all.
Cost-cutting:
Use wood or tile to dress up laminate countertops; stencil that backsplash instead
of installing tile; consider marble sheets instead of ceramic tile for that tub
surround.
Keep all options
open: One man's workshop is another man's wine cellar.
Don't eliminate options when you remodel rooms.
Jay
MacDonald is a freelance writer based in Mississipp
