![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
Real Estate Information |
|
![]() |
The Costs of Transforming Your Home into a Buyers Dream House
Turning your house into the home of a buyer's dreams doesn't have to cost a great deal of money. In fact, armed with some paint and the determination to work hard, most home sellers usually need to invest only about $500 to spruce up their homes for a quick sale. A little paint, inside and out, and some good, old-fashioned "sweat equity" will go a long way toward transforming the look and feel of your home. If you have a Restore outlet (the thrift store for Habitat for Humanity) near you, you'll also be able to save considerably on lighting fixtures, "oops" paint, and other building materials. If you shop carefully, you can also find great sales at the various home building supply stores that are springing up around the country. They carry just about anything you'll need, and their prices are generally quite good, compared to department and retails stores. So how much should you spend on transforming your house? As I mentioned earlier, if your home needs only paint, you can spend $500 or less to get it looking great. But if you have to upgrade fixtures or carpeting, the cost of completely going through your home may run up to $8,000. When you begin to approach that upper figure, it's worthwhile to do a cost vs. benefit analysis to see how much added value your home will gain, and how much quicker it will sell once the work is done and the fixtures upgraded. If your home sits on the market for several months, those added mortgage payments may end up costing you more than a new built-in range or new carpet. So weigh each upgrade to see if it will help sell your home quicker, and for more money. Most of the time, it's not necessary to replace every appliance and carpet in your home to get a quick sale. Elbow grease can replace cash outlay in most cases, and will help transform your house into a home that a potential buyer won't be able to live without. (c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved. Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm
MORE RESOURCES: Real estate CEO warns of growing ‘exodus’ as people have ‘given up’ on California — but where are they going? Yahoo Finance A tale of two Floridas: Real estate industry torn over DeSantis' push to eliminate property taxes Fox Business Russian Demand for U.S. Real Estate Surges 78.5% The Moscow Times What renters really want | Real Estate Newsletter Inquirer.com Providence Hill Real Estate owners buy office building near Tuckahoe HQ Richmond BizSense NYC Real-Estate Execs Throw Money Behind Adams to Counter Rise of Mamdani The Wall Street Journal Livvy Dunne Tried to Buy Babe Ruth’s Former Apartment. An N.Y.C. Co-op Board Said ‘No’. The New York Times Luxury Real Estate Company Unveils ‘Flathead Lake Club’ Proposal in Lakeside at First Public Hearing Flathead Beacon ‘It’s all looking great’ for the M’s of M2 Property Group in Texas Real Estate News by RealEstateNews.com Milestone Real Estate owner realizes dream with Downtown Fresno office thebusinessjournal.com Lee & James Real Estate Photography Launches Back-to-School Special for Portland Area Realtors Akron Beacon Journal Dave Ramsey Saves Listener With $1 Million in Her 401(k) From Becoming a ‘Victim of the Real Estate Market’ Realtor.com Banner Real Estate Group breaks ground on The Faywell multifamily community in downtown Wheaton Chicago Agent Magazine Home prices in Colorado Springs hit record high, even with many homes for sale Colorado Public Radio Brooklyn Real Estate Market Report: 2Q 2025 Inhabit by Corcoran Real Estate: June 2025 Coronado Market Update Coronado Times Hybrid ‘buyer agent’ blends AI with the human touch Real Estate News by RealEstateNews.com Mortgage rate uptick leaves summer market on standby Real Estate News by RealEstateNews.com Current Real Estate Roundup - July 10, 2025 Nantucket Current Real Estate Roundup: YKK Sells Anaheim Building for $39 Million Orange County Business Journal Saudi Arabia Enacts New Real Estate Foreign Ownership Law: A Calibrated Opening for Foreign Investors The National Law Review Mom, I’m Going Into Real Estate The Jewish Link $400 Million Family Lawsuit Involving Prominent Fullerton Real Estate Figures Part 2 Fullerton Observer Report: 7 of 12 Luzerne County school districts increased real estate taxes for 2025-26 Times Leader As Sovereign Debt Loses Its Luster, Economist Sees Investors Turning to Real Estate and Other Hard Assets Urban Land Magazine Commercial real estate update: As big box brands buckle, the three A's can save the day Tallahassee Democrat Signs of Recovery: Boston Lab Market Shows Momentum in Q2: JLL Report Boston Real Estate Times Compass Acquires PorchLight Real Estate Group Mile High CRE How downtown Natick MA has become a focal point for redevelopment MetroWest Daily News Bosco Crane Company Acquires 348 Turnpike St. in Canton for $4.75M in Strategic Expansion Move Boston Real Estate Times The Competition Bureau’s recent focus on real estate: Property controls and rental pricing - Dentons Is private real estate underestimating risk for US life sciences? Private Equity Real Estate | PERE Real Estate Transactions: July 11, 2025 Greenfield Recorder Homes for Sale in Manhattan and Brooklyn The New York Times ARX Launches First PPE Brand Designed Specifically for Women, Redefining Safety on the Jobsite Boston Real Estate Times CNBC is expanding its real estate coverage Talking Biz News This Week in Jacksonville - Business Edition: Navigating the Florida real state market in transition News4JAX Zillow vs. Compass: Real Estate’s Ultimate Showdown (and Why You Need a Pro in Your Corner) Alexandria Living Magazine Real estate investors are purchasing more U.S. homes as high prices lock out would-be buyers CBS News Mortgage Rates Today: The States Offering Lowest Rates – July 10, 2025 Norada Real Estate Investments Trump's $5 Million 'Gold Card' Visa Draws 70,000 Applicants — Foreign Investors Target American Real Estate Yahoo Finance Lancaster County hits new real estate record LancasterOnline Logistics real estate firm Panattoni forms dedicated European data center team Data Center Dynamics Apartment investor closes second funding round at $373 million The Business Journals AG Coleman files federal lawsuit accusing company of unlawful price fixing for KY renters The Courier-Journal Fetner, MCB Real Estate, Farallon Capital Buy 240 Willoughby Street for $210M Commercial Observer Department of Taxation and Finance dos.ny.gov NJ real estate influencer indicted for $17M Ponzi scheme New York Daily News As Californians Fought Corporate Landlords, YIMBY Action Partied with Big Real Estate’s Cash CityWatch LA Rob Long taps real estate, food service industries to raise $35K in Q2 for HD 90 bid Florida Politics Report: Leasing lags, but Dayton bets big on defense and development The Business Journals Delistings Surge Nearly 50% as Sellers Who Can't Get Their Price Quit the Market in Frustration Realtor.com Mid-America Real Estate Brokers Sale of 67,146-Square-Foot Retail Center in Oak Brook, Illinois Shopping Center Business Real Estate: John M. Lee Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
RELATED ARTICLES
Selling by Owner = Saving by Owner? According to the National Association of Realtors, For Sale By Owner (FSBO) home sellers comprised nearly 14% of all home sales in the United States in 2003. The Boston Globe reported that nearly 25% of homes sold in that area during that same time period were FSBOs. Why You Need a Lender to Sell Your Home Home sellers who are prepared to help buyers find financing will sell their homes faster, and for a larger selling price. Think about your potential buyers: some of them will have already arranged for financing, but many don't know how to buy a house. How Do I Bring Consulting Into My Lease Purchase Business As you are making your cold calls on property, you will run into sellers that are having a hard time selling, however, the numbers just don't work for you to take on the deal. Do you just say, "I can't work with those numbers". Buying Your First Investment Property "Begin With The End In Mind"I first heard the phrase "Begin with the end in mind" in a Steven Covey book called "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". This expression makes a lot of sense because the fact is, you can't get where you're going, unless you know where you want to go. Decorating to Sell a House by Meeting Three Key Needs Specific marketing campaigns are no longer just for automobiles and designer clothes. Targeted marketing techniques are now applied to houses that are for sale. How Professional Property Investors Interpret and Use Capital Growth Statistics Understanding and using yearly price growth statistics in an area of interest is critical to making successful property investments decisions.Property price growth is usually expressed in terms of a percentage i. Sell Your California Home For Top Dollar HOW TO SELL YOUR HOME FOR TOP DOLLAR1. Make your home look like a model - even if it isn't. Investing in Residential Real Estate: Achieving Positive Cash Flow When investing in real estate, it is highly desirable to achieve positive cash flow on a month-to-month basis. This is true even if you are counting on property value appreciation to supply the bulk of your desired return on investment. Real Estate Values or Just Bad Habits There are several small businesses that retain hundred year old traditions. Hand-dipped chocolates, fresh flowers and cloth napkins on every table in a restaurant, or mints and roses on a guest's pillow at a B&B. Why Selling on Lease Options is Glorified Landlording I might upset some folks with this one, but that's okay as I think it's important to get some of my experiences into the light of day. If you fully believe the hype that you won't have any landlording responsibilities by selling on a lease option, go ahead and stop here. Easing Your Way Into Homeownership: A Guide To Low Down Payment Mortgage Programs There's no question about it: Buying a first home is a big financial commitment. In most cases, a home is the largest single purchase an individual or family will make in a lifetime. An Often Overlooked Secret of Marketing and Negotiating for Real Estate Investors Looking for Deals When you call sellers, what do you say? When you sit down to write a marketing postcard to find deals, what do you write? When you go to negotiate price and terms, how do you present it?These are scary situations and it is not unusual to be at a loss for words at such times. In fact, you may avoid these situations all together just so you don't have to face the overwhelming fear. Appraisal or Home Inspection? People sometimes confuse a home inspection and an appraisal when they are in the process of buying a home.Most mortgage applications involve an appraisal, which can be a physical inspection of the property plus a written analysis of similar homes that have recently sold in the area. Buying a House in Scotland Buying a house in Scotland is slightly different from buying a house in other parts of the UK. It's not particularly complicated, and buying north of the border can often be quicker, but for those relocating from England and Wales there are a number of points you need to bear in mind. Selling Your Home Yourself - Pricing It Appropriately When you're selling your own property, whether it's a house, townhouse, condo, apartment, a finished lot, raw land, a farm, a ranch, or whatever, the first thing to get right is the price you ask for it. If you work with a broker, the legwork is done for you. The Many Ways To Profit From O.P.P.s Multiple Cash Streams In a previous article we introduced you to the concept of O.P. The Value of Foreclosed Property The discount on a foreclosed property is not as great if the state allows deficiency judgments by lenders against borrowers. In contrast, the discount is larger if the property is being sold in a state that requires foreclosures to proceed through the judicial system. Personal Branding Techniques for Real Estate Agents and Brokers Branding can be done to any product, or any person. Before undertaking an exercise in personal branding, however, consider your distinctive strengths and abilities and what they offer the market place. The Best Way To Get Real Estate Listings The Real Estate Industry is HUGE and is a golden opportunity for real estate agents. National average home sales exceed $200,000. Hey Landlord! Is Your Lease Legal? The longer you are a landlord the more you strive to create the perfect lease/rental agreement. Landlords learn in the school of hard-knocks that some tenants are certified trouble makers and we try our best to protect ourselves with a carefully structured restrictive lease. ![]() |
home | site map |
© 2006 TIGER MEDIA |