How To Get More Money For Your House

If you are thinking about selling your house, you should take a serious look at your home through objective eyes. You're probably used to all the little quirky things that need a bit of fixing up and don't look quite right, but to a prospective buyer, these things can be a real turn off.

The most important areas to look at are the kitchen, bathrooms and the outside entrance to your home. You want all these rooms to look updated and homey. You want to welcome the prospective buyer into the home and make them feel like the want to live there. And, most importantly, repair anything that obviously needs to be fixed. No one wants to buy a house that needs repair right off the bat!

The first area your prospective buyer will see is the outside entrance so you must make sure your house has curb appeal. The buyers first impression as he walks up to the house should be warm and inviting. You want them to feel like you take good care of the house so no bare spots of dirt or dead plants! Some color is great and you can buy flowers pretty inexpensively. Don't forget to trim any overgrown bushes and remove anything that is dead. Keep the lawn well manicured. Don't feel bad about spending money on the landscaping as this could very well result in a higher price for your home!

The kitchen is also a key area. Worn counter tops or linoleum will be a big turn off so invest is some new flooring or counters if you can. Also, it is important to have updated appliances. Those 70's look avocado and gold pieces will be a huge turn off to the buyer. Investing in some newer appliances will go a long way towards selling your house for top dollar, but if you simply cannot afford it, try changing the color with some appliance spray paint.

Cabinets are another area that can detract from the kitchen, but can also be expensive to replace. If you have those ugly dark wood cabinets that were popular 30 years ago, try sprucing them up with some light colored paint, new knobs and hinges.

Use the same rules in the bathroom. Fix any leaky faucets and make sure the fixtures, toilet and tub are squeaky clean. If your bathroom is wallpapered in an outdated paper, rip it down and paint in a neutral color.

Your entire home should be clean and in good repair. Remove any clutter and worn items. Take a good look at how the furniture is arranged - does it make the room look too small? If so you might want to remove some pieces. Just changing the position of some pieces can make the room look more inviting.

Doing a little bit of work and investing in some new things for your house can not only help the sale to happen faster, but it can also put more money in your pocket. Just don't fix it up too nice or you might not want to move out!

Lee Dobbins writes for Moving and More .com where you can find out more about moving and selling your house

MORE RESOURCES:

Leading Real Estate Company Announces Over $1 Billion in New ... - MarketWatch

German Stocks Slump, Led by BASF, Hypo Real Estate, Carmakers - Bloomberg

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601100%26sid%3DayksP2MCAmT4%26refer%3Dgermanycid=1271410742ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNFisoE86mwvl16Yjvoju84kDQQrqQGerman Stocks Slump, Led by BASF, Hypo bReal Estate/b, Carmakers/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Hypo bReal Estate/b Holding AG sank 15 percent as Commerzbank AG advised customers to sell shares in the property lender bailed out last month. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-1fd=Rurl=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122690970282132973.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsjcid=1271410742ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNGLBAcNnYSHJpB3mUB8RVysYFAJpAHypo bReal Estate/b Post $3.87 Billion Loss, Forecasts Grim Outlook/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWall Street Journal/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-2fd=Rurl=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ihEmy4YG5S0yVspjxQI1nJqBuR5wD94GK0JO0cid=1271410742ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNGY49tSrRU-906ehq0_09VwsnXpGQHypo bReal Estate/b Group 3Q loss 3.1 billion euros/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Associated Press/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-3fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601100%26sid%3DailUg_5uogwQ%26refer%3Dgermanycid=1271410742ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNEM3vp-nAEmxBBYRQy3LW1oG3lBfAHypo bReal Estate/b Sells EU30 Billion of Secured, Guaranteed Debt/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-4fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601100%26sid%3DazN1mp2OH5SY%26refer%3Dgermanycid=1271410742ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNGzIcD0R8vOoaBrkKfKRffgnKvZ1gnobrBloomberg/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-5fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601100%26sid%3Dayp9ArQk9t2c%26refer%3Dgermanycid=1271410742ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNFtUagSf3xCZP8qoND1t2Z-1QRGEwnobrBloomberg/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271410742hl=ennobrall 147 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Realtors Say Foreigners Hold Key to Real Estate Revival - FOXNews

Real Estate Market Slumps, Showhomes Soars - MarketWatch

Investment Regimes for Indian Real Estate Sector Explored - MarketWatch

Moody#39;s: Commercial real estate prices rise - CNNMoney.com

Winston amp; Strawn Continues Growth; Adds 19 Litigation, Corporate ... - MarketWatch

Architects see drop in real estate design contracts - Los Angeles Times

Target shareholder revises real estate proposal - The Associated Press

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.dividend.com/blog/%3Fp%3D3631cid=1271977767ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNGKXbNKEiYEHwl6K3IwGN_c0y_-YQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=Jrox3LLENnIJimgurl=www.dividend.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/storypics/target.jpg width=80 height=64 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Dividend.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izZJX0Q9xiHBM5Mg3-Ee1B6sI8wQD94I9R8O0cid=1271977767ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNE5fdg4cBGwF32BOLFVrG9Cut1YAwTarget shareholder revises breal estate/b proposal/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Ackman unveiled a plan last month that involves creating a breal estate/b investment trust that would take ownership of the land Target owns underneath its b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2008/11/17/daily25.htmlcid=1271977767ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNFYpNF2DtxY-G6KmoQEAe4MhhTKVgPershing revises Target land spin-off proposal/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBizjournals.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-2fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/americasDealsNews/idUSTRE4AH7PD20081118cid=1271977767ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNEcJOFgcyuhLHpL6ycO7ru_I6N6QwPershing#39;s revised Target proposal out Wednesday/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-3fd=Rurl=http://blogs.reuters.com/reuters-dealzone/2008/11/19/troubled-retailerackman-5-bln-reit-ipo/cid=1271977767ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNF8xu8u9vaylP2RwDUai4AltgpfWQTroubled retailer+Ackman= $5 bln REIT IPO?/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters UK/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-4fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8044333cid=1271977767ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNFLzeiL5bzEeR8Cnn34HXO65pb4bAnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-5fd=Rurl=http://leapsinvestor.com/market-news/ackman-target-shares-worth-37share-726/cid=1271977767ei=axUlSaGpIJDmyATW56HAAQusg=AFQjCNFaw68wLgyp_6qzkpLkhp1EZ-67HgnobrLEAPSInvestor.com/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271977767hl=ennobrall 129 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Real Estate Journalists Award NAREE Bivins Fellowships and ... - MarketWatch

Real-Estate - Google News

RELATED ARTICLES

Buying a Home with Zero Down Payment in Irvine, CA
Years ago, the only person that could buy a home in Irvine with zero down payment using a new purchase money loan were Veterans of War (called a VA loan). In the past several years, there has been an explosion of new loan programs designed to fit most any buyers circumstances.

Good Tenants - Learn Twelve Ways Landlords Keep Them
Happy, Long-term Good Tenants Paying On TimeHow to Create a Win-Win Relationship for the Both of You!After you've found your tenants, how do you keep them? Establish a friendly, pleasant, business-like relationship with your tenants, so they'll want to renew again each year. By using one or a few ideas below, you will learn how to keep good tenants.

Finding a Great Listing Agent for Your Home: 8 Tips
If you've decided to list your home, you'll be paying a real estate agent a significant amount of money to the hard work of selling your home. Therefore, you have the right to expect prompt attention, good service, and protection.

European Second Home Prices Wilt in Drought
Spain and Portugal have suffered one of their worst droughts on record this summer, with consequences from empty swimming pools for the tourist to economic disaster for farmers losing their crops and livestock.Roger Munns, Managing Director of Tribune Properties, predicts that property prices in the two European countries could drop as much as fifteen per cent in some areas as more owners decide to put their villas and apartments on the market.

Be Patient Screening Tenants
Rental real estate is a solid way to make money. I'm particularly fond of residential properties, because people have to live somewhere.

FSBO - How to Prepare Your House to Sell
Did you hear that? Prices of houses in Phoenix have been jumping 5% each month for 2005 according to market experts! Some even predict that the price of housing could jump an additional 10% for the upcoming year. The shortage of houses for sales and the still relatively low interest prices are causing the price of homes not just here in Phoenix but nationwide to escalate.

Boom or Bust
For those looking to invest in the real estate market?keep your eyes on the headlines. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Top Tips for First Time Home Buyers
Advice to Help When You're Buying a HomeFirst time home buyers might feel better to know that they're not the only ones who feel confused about the process of buying a home. Nearly all home buyers feel the same way, even if they've bought a house in the past, because it's easy to forget the home buying steps you took to get there once the event is behind you.

Do You Need to Download a Landlord Inventory On-Line Today?
Do you need to download a Landlord Inventory on-line now? Why is it so important to have a Landlord Inventory?Firstly, if you are a landlord, you need to be prepared. As much as we all like to think we can trust everyone, it is very important that buy to let landlords protect their investment property as thoroughly as possible.

Types of Listings with Agents
There are several different types of listing contracts. Few of them are detailed below:Open ListingThis type of listing is when you, the seller, don't want to commit to any one particular agent and when you are also open to selling the home by yourself.

Property Investing Secrets 4
Property Investing Secrets:How to Sell to 100% of the Market Place Using Lease OptionsWhen property investing, you will find if you make houses easy for people to buy, your properties will become easier to sell. Most people who are selling houses today are selling to the 80% of the population who have good enough credit to qualify for a bank loan.

Seven Tips in Choosing Maui Income Properties
Aloha! If you are interested in choosing a Maui incomeproperty, then there are some details that you should know.You might be a bit intimidated by the whole process ofbuying a home.

Home Equity or Debt Trap?
Are you using the equity from your home to purchase everyday things? This is a dangerous trend growing more popular every month as millions of Americans tap into the value of their home to fund a lifestyle.How many times have you heard the saying "Your home is the best investment you'll ever make"? How many times have you also heard that your home will be the most valuable asset you will ever own?Both of these are as true, if not truer, today than at any time in the past.

Prepare Your Rental Property for Occupancy
Among your many responsibilities as a landlord, the law provides for a warranty of implied habitability. This means that the dwelling must be considered habitable and any known problems must be fixed before you allow a tenant to take occupancy.

Buying To Let Top Ten Tips
Buying to let is considered a serious investment and should not be conducted without some equally serious research. Our top ten tips will get you on the right path to finding out all you need to know to become a seriously successful landlord.

Guide To Finding The Perfect Central Illinois House
Central Illinois is an area rich in cultural activities andbusiness opportunities. The quality of life experienced bythe residents of the numerous close-knit communities issecond to none.

Green Building Media Fact Sheet - Past, Present & Future
PastSpecialized, niche home builders began constructing resource-efficient, environmentally sensitive homes in the early 1970s. The home building industry coined the phrase "green building" in the late 1980s/early 1990s, turning a movement into a quiet revolution.

Will The Real Home Buying Guide... Please Stand Up?
Use Google right now and do a search on, "Home Buying Guide". Take a few minutes to click some of the links to see what's out there and then come right back.

Zero Down Real Estate Investing
Zero down? Why would a seller want to walk away from closing with nothing? Well, they wouldn't, and that brings up the most important point about real estate investing with no downpayment: The seller almost always needs cash at closing, but it doesn't have to be YOUR cash.A Zero Down ExampleI'm selling a small rental property right now, with payments of $400/month.

Real Estate Investing: America Rents
Most people in America rent a personal dwelling!Just think how many families rent a house or an apartment, a duplex or a condo.Yet, nobody prefers renting.