Should you do renovations?

During consultations, I always get asked what the homeowners should do in the way of renovations, updates, or upgrades before they list their house.  I wonder why they didn’t do some of these beforehand for their own enjoyment.  Sometimes, however, they did enjoy their choices, but know that their choices were quite taste-specific.

Textured Walls or Ceilings

A main bathroom had a type of textured paint or skim coat on the walls.  The client asked whether they should paint over this or remove the texture.  Textured walls or popcorn ceilings harbor dust and are very difficult to paint over.  I recommend removing any texture and then paint with a neutral palette.

Paint Colors

Almost everyone asks whether they should paint before listing.  It depends.  Paint colors go out of style in about 8 years.  Some colors are classic and are almost timeless.

The green color was not the right shade for this area.  The whole house interior received new paint colors in three shades:  light gray, light-bluish gray, and an off-white gray.

This orange color was used sparingly in this hallway and on one office wall.  However, there were touches of orange in the fabrics, rugs, and wall art that coordinated with this color.  It was a hit with the new homeowners.

Kitchens and Bathrooms

These are the two rooms that will give you the most return on your investment.  It is imperative that these rooms are squeaky clean and fresh-looking.  That might mean replacing the laminate counter tops with a quartz-like material.  It might mean re-facing the cabinet fronts, or painting them.  It might mean replacing the bathroom vanity with a taller unit.  It also might mean replacing the cabinet hardware or light fixtures.

Summary

Before you do any renovations, make sure your house is de-cluttered and cleaned.  Then do the minor repairs such as: tighten a leaky faucet, replace a torn screen or non-functioning item, and refresh the landscaping. After that, tackle the code requirements, such as installing GFI outlets where needed or smoke/CO2 detectors on each level.

You might want to consult with a home stager or realtor to advise on the renovations that will recoup some or most of your investment.  A lot of times, I recommend fewer changes than the homeowner thinks.

Call Premiere Stagers & Realty for a consultation at 608-345-9396.