Getting the house ready to sell

It's been a busy couple weeks; so much so that I've fallen behind in writing my articles. On top of working on two different solar power projects along with our regular electrical service work, we've been preparing our house to go on the market. While most people touch up paint and scrub the baseboards, we've added a closet which means framing, drywall work, baseboard and quarter-round, painting, yada yada.

We've put siding on our older garage, painted the walls inside and out, and did aluminum work and vinyl soffit. The front porch has been painted, another decorative column added to the back porch, and some siding repair. I repaired our broken PTAC unit in the upstairs area, cased the openings on some closets there as well, and added a new cap to the top of the knee wall as you come up the stairs. We've also tightened all the drawer pulls on our cabinets, painted the front and back doors, and started the deep cleaning that should make it look like a brand new house.

I'm not saying all this to brag; instead, I hope it just serves as a reminder that there is no such thing as "easy money", though many people will tell you there is. By doing all of these jobs ourselves we've added value to our home. When it comes time to sell we can ask for more money, which allows us to offset the realtor fee and give us a better idea of how much we could earn. Only time, however, will tell.

One piece of advice I can give is not to wait on these projects. I am guilty of being a procrastinator, and though I take the time to write these articles and continue educating myself on everything I can find, I should have devoted more time to doing repairs/upgrades. Home ownership can be difficult for anyone used to an apartment; the grass needs mowing, repairs need done, upgrades need to be completed as money/time allows, and you should constantly be looking for new ways to improve the value of your property... to a point.

If our house was in a different neighborhood we would be sitting on a tidy sum by the time we sold, but the value of your house is also directly related to the value of those around you. Most realtors won't take the time to list a house valued high in a neighborhood of unmaintained and undervalued homes. While one option is to start a community network that tackles small to medium repairs that are less cost intensive and more manpower intensive, many people just aren't interested. They don't realize that by participating in such a network they are adding value to their own home by increasing the value of the homes around them.

It's a thought that should be seriously considered, as it allows you access to people with skills you might not have yourself. All it takes in return is some sweat and time.

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