As a home seller, you have way too much competition to let little items sabotage a sale.
These seven problems are among the biggest buyer turn-offs, and most of them are easy to fix without spending a lot of money.
1. Haunted-House Landscaping
If your yard looks like the set of a
Besides mowing the lawn, your to-do list should include trimming scraggly trees and shrubs and removing anything that's dead or beyond resuscitation. Edge, weed and mulch garden beds. Plant annuals in a plot or pot for color (see Cheap Ways to Improve Curb Appeal).
Cost to fix: To hire a landscaper to prune and groom a small tree and a couple of shrubs will cost about
2. Your Personal Paint Palette
Paint over colors that reflect your taste but may put off potential buyers, such as a scarlet-red accent wall, a lemon-yellow child's bedroom or a forest-green den. "Fun colors are for living, but neutral colors are for selling," explains home stager
Avoid using stark-white paint, though. Choose a warm neutral color -- beige, ivory, taupe or light gray -- that makes your rooms look inviting, larger and brighter. Redo painted trim in white.
Cost to fix: The national average for a pro to prep and paint a 15-by-20-foot room with one coat of latex paint is
3. Popcorn-Finished Ceilings
If you've lived with a popcorn ceiling, you know that it accumulates dirt, defies cleaning and is hard to paint. Worse, if your home was built prior to the mid-1980s, it may contain asbestos (it was banned in ceiling products in 1977, but existing supplies may have been used later).
First, have the ceiling sampled and tested for asbestos by a licensed inspector. For more information, check out the
Removal is a messy and laborious process, with or without asbestos. The material must be wetted down and scraped and the underlying wallboard wiped clean. Once the popcorn is gone, the ceiling must usually be repaired with joint compound and repainted. Even if there's no asbestos, you probably should hire a drywall or painting contractor for the job. (For a glimpse of the process, visit www.ronhazleton.com).
Cost to fix: About
4. Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
Buyers these days expect hardwood floors even in starter homes. If carpet hides your home's floors, remove it to expose them, even if the wood isn't in the best condition. If you don't have hardwood, you may want to consider having it installed in a first-floor living area. If you must keep the carpeting, make sure it looks and smells its best by having it professionally cleaned, especially in high-traffic areas or if you have pets.
To find a cleaner certified by the
Cost to fix: A pro can clean 500 square feet for about
5. Brass Fixtures
From switch plates to chandeliers, builder-grade, shiny yellow brass is out. Replace it with chrome- or satin-nickel-finish fixtures for a contemporary look, or an oil-rubbed bronze or black finish to update a traditional room. This is a pretty straightforward do-it-yourself job.
For instructions, watch these YouTube videos: How to Replace and Install a Chandelier from Build.com and Buildipedia DIY's How to Replace a Light Fixture.
Cost to fix: You could buy two chandeliers (to put, say, over the kitchen and dining-room tables) and a few flush-mounted lights for about
6. "Crystal" Faucet Handles
Acrylic knobs in the bathroom look cheap and can be hard to use by young, aged or soapy hands. Replace them with a faucet and handle set that matches the existing fixture's configuration (centerset or widespread) and meets the standard of the Americans with Disabilities Act with flipper- or lever-style handles. Polished-chrome finish will cost you the least and still be durable. Plus, the
Cost to fix: You'll pay at least
7. Vanity Strips
Nothing says 1970s like a Hollywood-style strip of bare, round lights over your bathroom mirror. Replace it with a fixture that includes a shade for each bulb in a style and finish that complements your faucet set.
If you have a one-person mirror, you could replace the vanity strip with a wall sconce on either side of the mirror to achieve better lighting for shaving or applying make-up.
Cost to fix: A 48-inch-wide, six-light fixture with shades starts at
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Pat Mertz Esswein is Associate Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance.