Selling your home? Easy improvements to attract buyers

by | Mar 2, 2014 | 17, 18, 19, 3, 4, Articles

<h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt"><font size="3" color="#990000">Selling your home? Easy improvements to attract buyers</font></h2><p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">(ARA) – Real estate pros often coach their clients on the value of making ‘curb appeal’ improvements to help sell their homes. Outside painting and minor repairs signal that the house has been well cared for.</span></p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt"><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">That’s a great marketing tactic, but an even better advantage is offering multiple bathrooms. So if you’re planning to put your house on the market and want to make it stand out, consider going a step further and adding a new bathroom.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">A spare bath is a great investment. Second only to kitchen remodels for recouping resale value, bathroom additions boast a 63.5 percent rate of return, according to Remodeling Magazine’s 2008-2009 "Cost vs. Value" report. And when an up-flushing, macerating toilet – or "up toilet" – is used for the project, its comparatively low installed-cost makes a bathroom addition very affordable.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">An up toilet can be installed virtually anywhere in the home. That’s because this type of plumbing system operates above the floor, using small-diameter piping to pump waste and water up, not down, and into sewer or septic lines. As a consequence, there is no need for the mess and heavy expense of digging through flooring, especially the concrete variety in the basement.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">"An up toilet is a super alternative, and it can go where traditional plumbing cannot," says Mike Coletto, an independent plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical contractor in Illinois with extensive experience installing and servicing up toilets manufactured by SFA Saniflo.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Macerating technology is ideal for adding a bath in tight spots, Coletto notes, such as under a stairway or inside a closet. The simple installation process drives the cost savings. "With no digging," says Coletto, "I can install a Saniflo system in about half a day."</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/3a.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/3a.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Best of all, this type of home renovation reaps instant rewards, improving the quality of life now and paying dividends later.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">So, if you are thinking of selling your home, now is the time to plan your new bath installation. Last year’s federal, first-time homebuyer tax credit fueled an impressive increase in the home-resale market. The incentive helped drive year-over-year gains for nine straight months in 2009, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Thanks to an extension and expansion of the program for those signing before April 30, many expect a similar increase in existing home sales during early 2010.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">In addition to readying your home with a bathroom addition, here is a checklist of other ways you can easily increase the curb appeal of your home:</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Remove broken toys and tools that may have collected in the yard. </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Pick up debris and store trash cans out of view.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Install new bulbs in porch and security lighting. </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Check bricks and pavers for cracks: Replace them and reset any that are loose. </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Patch worn or cracked asphalt or cement in the driveway. </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Edge grass and remove weeds that may have grown over walkways.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Repaint the front door and freshen up chipped and peeling paint trim.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Clean and polish the brass on doorknobs and lock housings, or replace them if severely tarnished. </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Replace any broken glass panes. </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Clean out gutters and downspouts.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* If you have a post mailbox, make sure it is upright and sturdy.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Learn more about low-cost above-floor bathroom systems by visiting <a href="http://www.saniflo.com" target="_blank">www.saniflo.com</a>  or calling toll-free at (800) 571-8191.</p>  <p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">Courtesy of ARAcontent</span></p></span>