The Big Move: Six Minor Renovations That Really Pay Off

It’s always best to renovate and customize your home so you enjoy living there. Major work should not be done in order to make a sale.

Let’s say you put in a brand new kitchen with cherry cabinets to increase the value prior to putting your home on the market. People who don’t like your taste (sorry) will be turned off because of the guilt involved in tearing out a new kitchen — same goes for bathrooms.

What’s an owner to do? Take care of some minor things that have a big impact.

1. New front door — first impressions are lasting impressions.
2. New lighting fixtures outside your home.
3. New garage door with electric door opener.
4. New appliances for the kitchen.
5. New counter tops in kitchen and/or baths.
6. New pavers.

The Most Important Things to Leave Behind

1. Collect all those warranties and owners manuals that you’ve collected over the years and leave them on the counter.
2. The garage door opener.
3. An extra set of keys.
4. The name and phone number of the alarm company if not discontinued.
5. A list of local suppliers — plumbers, gardeners, dry cleaners, pizza places, etc.
6. The name and phone number of your cleaning service, if you use one.
7. The garbage pick-up schedule.
8. A map of the town (you can usually find one in the local yellow pages).

As always, please feel free to email me with questions. Thanks!

Cathy Vingelli, Licensed Realtor, Hal Knopf Realty (cathyvinre6@verizon.net)