Eye for Design
Attract Buyers with Easy Updates
By Dianna Hosta-Stickney
Thinking about selling your house? Try looking at it through buyers’ eyes.
Shiny brass light fixtures, maroon walls and sculptured carpeting may be fine for you, but those outdated details could be a turnoff to prospective buyers.
Realtors see it all the time. Many people, especially as they age, get a bit lackadaisical with keeping up on the latest decorating trends. Brass-tone fixtures, deep paint colors and wall-to-wall carpeting had their heyday decades ago. Today, they’re a turnoff for younger buyers, who take design cues from HGTV shows and glossy home décor magazines.
Simple Updates
On the positive side, sellers in their 50s, 60s and 70s generally keep their homes well maintained. The roof, furnace and other major items often are in good shape for buyers. But what about the rest of the house — particularly the inside — if a move is in your future?
Consider freshening up one or two rooms or tackling a design project each year until the entire house is updated. Design experts say trends such as paint color tones and decorative finishes generally stay in style for 10 to 12 years, so use that as a general guide.
If you like green, try a tone that’s more in line with today’s style trends. Yesterday’s hunter green is today’s sage or pistachio green. Pay attention to the tone, not just the color. Unsure of design trends? Check out one of the many home improvement shows on HGTV or grab a few design magazines and see what’s popular. Right now, grays are hot.
Visit a home improvement store and pay attention to the display in the lighting department. If you don’t see anything hanging there that’s similar to what’s in your home, consider an update.
What Buyers Want
Expensive updates usually aren’t necessary before selling a home. But if you’re doing renovations with an eye on a future move, here a few things to consider:
- Hardwood floors are better than carpet. No one wants to live with someone else’s carpeting, regardless of how clean it is.
- Granite kitchen countertops remain the top choice for buyers. For the backsplash, small glass tiles or white subway-style tiles are favorites.
- Stainless steel appliances remain popular, but unless existing appliances are impossible to get clean, don’t bother buying new ones just to make the house more marketable.
- Plan on leaving window treatments behind when you move.
Sometimes a few gallons of paint and new light fixtures are all you need to update the inside of your house. Paying attention to design trends today can mean a more profitable sale tomorrow.
Dianna Hosta-Stickney is a real estate consultant with Cutler Real Estate in Middleburg Heights and Strongsville. Contact her at 440-785-6800 or DiannaSellsHomes.com.
