Small Projects That Pay Off Big

Written By Arianne Cohen
Published By Yahoo Finance
Provided By Money on CNNMoney.com

Make your home more appealing to buyers (and yourself) with these easy indoor upgrades you can do on your own.

THE ENTRYWAY: TILE THE FLOOR

Do-it-yourself: $200 for tiles (four feet by four feet); $65 for tools
What you'd pay a pro: $1,000
Skill level: 2/4
Time: 1 day

"The foyer is the buyer's first impression of your house," says Sid Davis, author of Home Makeovers That Sell. "If people walk in and see a bad floor, they're going to wonder, 'What else is wrong with this dump?'"

Do this if... Your neighbors all have tile entries and you don't. And definitely if you have carpeting or linoleum, says carpenter Rick Crowe of Albany, N.Y. "The cheapest ceramic tile has more curb appeal than the most expensive linoleum."

Payoff: A buyer's first impression will be a good one. "Tile makes a house look worth something," says Adam Berlin, a contractor in Littleton, Colo. and host of DIY network's Sweat Equity.

What sells a house best: Anything that looks like stone, says Berlin. "Natural stone is timeless - everybody wanted it 2,000 years ago in Rome, everybody wants it now."

It's also pricey ($4 and up per square foot); porcelain is a durable, cheaper alternative ($2.50 and up) that can look similar.

You need: Tiles, spacers, adhesive, notched trowel, grout, sealer and plywood

The basic job: You must pull up the old flooring and install a layer of plywood. Then glue, grout and seal. The hardest part is cutting the tile, which you'll likely have to do around borders. Ask the tile store if it provides this service for free.

Where to find directions: Go to doityourself.com/miscellaneousfloor.

Tip: Go for six-inch tiles or bigger. The less grouting there is, the easier cleanup will be.

THE KITCHEN: PAINT THE CABINETS

Do-it-yourself: $135 for tools and paint supplies; $5 and up per knob
What you'd pay a pro: $1,200, refacing; $5,000, replacing
Skill level: 2/4
Time: 2 days

"You'll make or break your sale in the kitchen," says Sid Davis, author of Home Makeovers That Sell. "It's the first room people head to when they look at a home, and if it doesn't meet their expectations, forget it."

Do this if... You're selling soon. You won't recoup the cost of fully replacing shabby cabinets with new ones (that's $5,000 and up). Refacing them is harder and costly too ($1,000-plus). A coat of paint, on the other hand, can cheaply do a lot to spiff up what you have, even if it's a bit of a cosmetic fix. "Over the long run, it'll chip and wear," cautions contractor Berlin. But hey, that's someone else's problem.

Payoff: "If buyers like your kitchen, they will go through the rest of the home," says Davis.

What sells a house best: Neutral colors like white or brown, suggests Berlin

You need: Drill, bits, tarp, sandpaper, primer, oil-based or latex acrylic paint or stain, paintbrushes (avoid rollers because they can add unwanted texture) and knobs

The basic job: On the first day, you'll remove the cabinets, sand them and apply primer. Wake up the next morning and paint or stain. Add fresh hardware to make them look brand new.

Where to find directions: doityourself.com/stry/paintcabinets

THE FAMILY ROOM: BUILD BOOKSHELVES

Do-it-yourself: $500 for two six-foot-by-eight-foot oak shelves; $200 for tools
What you'd pay a pro: $1,200
Skill level: 1/4 (fixed shelves); 3/4 (adjustable)
Time: 1.5 days

"Since about 20 years ago, when builders started putting in family rooms off kitchens, these spaces have really come up in importance," says Sid Davis, author of Home Makeovers That Sell.

Do this if... You have an odd nook that otherwise would seem like wasted space - say, under the stairwell or alongside the fireplace - or You need: to add dimension and character to a room that lacks any architectural detailing.

Payoff: "You'll give the buyer an idea of how the space can be used," says realtor Camp.

What sells a house best: Hardwoods like oak ($10 a linear foot) and mahogany ($12) are sturdier and more appealing to buyers than cheaper fiberboard and particleboard (both $15 per eight-foot piece).Fixed shelves are beloved by realtors and designers for their clean look. Read: no unsightly brackets.

But there's also a case for adjustable. "Some people will have vases, others books," says New York City interior designer Chris Coleman. "This gives the buyer some flexibility." As for color, aim for innocuous - natural woods or woods painted off-white or beige are best.

You need: Precut wood, drill, bit, brackets and rails or shelf clips and a handsaw

The basic job: You'll spend the most time screwing brackets and uprights into the wall.

Where to find directions: Go to acehardware.com /infohome and select Project How-To's; then scroll down and click on Building Shelves.

Tip: Avoid installing shelves if your family room is small. They can make tiny rooms too cozy.

THE DINING ROOM: REPLACE THE OVERHEAD FIXTURE

Do-it-yourself: $39 to $300 for the lamp; $40 for tools
What you'd pay a pro: $700
Skill level: 2/4
Time: 4 hours

"People who do a lot of entertaining will pay attention to this room," says Jay Fellhauer, a ReMax agent in Grand Junction, Colo.

Do this if... You haven't replaced the lighting in years, and it's not meant to look antique. Brass should definitely go, says Berlin, since "that springs cheap."

Payoff: "Good lighting is critical, especially in the dining area," says realtor Camp. "The right chandelier sets the tone and makes a dramatic impact on the buyer."

What sells a house best: Think universal appeal. In other words, don't go all Liberace if your house is country-style. Also, beware of an oversize or undersize fixture, which can make the room seem out of proportion. Use your dining table as a judge: The chandelier's diameter should be 12 inches less than the table's width.

You need: Chandelier (stick to models that are less than 30 pounds - heavier ones require a fan brace to support, "and you're better off hiring a pro to install that," says carpenter Crowe), metal outlet box, wire nuts, electrical tester, electrical tape, safety goggles, bulbs and wire cutter

The basic job: First you must shut off the circuit breaker. In most homes you'll be able to hang a lightweight chandelier from an existing electrical box (more likely if it's metal). Expose the wires and unscrew the wire nuts to remove the previous fixture; then match up the wires from the lamp with the wires in the box.

Where to find directions: Go to lowes.com and select How-To Projects from the Project Center pulldown menu, then Lighting and Electric from the menu at left.

THE MASTER BATH: ADD GLASS SHOWER DOORS

Do-it-yourself: $300 to $800 for the glass-door kit; $70 for tools
What you'd pay a pro: $1,150
Skill level: 3/4
Time: 4 hours

"If you're going to put money into a home, you should start in the rooms with running water," advises Adam Berlin, a contractor in Littleton, Colo. and host of DIY network's Sweat Equity.

Do this if... The room isn't particularly spacious. "A curtain divides it and makes it seem smaller," says Camp.

Payoff: Because the eye doesn't stop at the curtain, "glass doors give the appearance of more open space," Camp adds.

What sells a house best: Frameless doors, which have a clean, spa-like look. Thing is, these are hell to install on bathroom walls that aren't quite flush. Framed doors, while less ideal, are still an improvement on a curtain. If you plan to live in the house while you're trying to sell, you might consider frosted glass, "especially if your neighborhood has hard water," says Crowe. "Clear glass will show the soap scum."

You need: Caulk gun, silicone adhesive (waterproof caulk), file, hacksaw, drill, bit, punch, miter box and anchors

The basic job: You'll attach the bottom track with adhesive, then drill in the bottom and side tracks. After you install the door and panels, you'll put in the top tracks; finish by sealing the tracks with waterproof caulk.

Where to find directions: Read the paperwork that comes with the door kit - every model is different.

Tip: Pick out doors in person, visiting the showroom with dimensions in hand. Do you really want to mail back a glass door ordered online?


Are you interested in selling your home? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.

MONEY 101: BUYING A HOME

Provided By CNN

Top things to know

1. Don't buy if you can't stay put.

If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner - even in a rising market. When prices are falling, it's an even worse proposition.

2. Start by shoring up your credit.

Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.

3. Aim for a home you can really afford.

The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you'll do better to use one of many calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford.

4. If you can't put down the usual 20 percent, you may still qualify for a loan.

There are a variety of public and private lenders who, if you qualify, offer low-interest mortgages that require a down payment as small as 3 percent of the purchase price.

5. Buy in a district with good schools.

In most areas, this advice applies even if you don't have school-age children. Reason: When it comes time to sell, you'll learn that strong school districts are a top priority for many home buyers, thus helping to boost property values.

6. Get professional help.

Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Look for an exclusive buyer agent, if possible, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.

7. Choose carefully between points and rate.

When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points -- a portion of the interest that you pay at closing -- in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time -- say three to five years or more -- it's usually a better deal to take the points. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.

8. Before house hunting, get pre-approved.

Getting pre-approved will you save yourself the grief of looking at houses you can't afford and put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. Not to be confused with pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history.

9. Do your homework before bidding.

Your opening bid should be based on the sales trend of similar homes in the neighborhood. So before making it, consider sales of similar homes in the last three months. If homes have recently sold at 5 percent less than the asking price, you should make a bid that's about eight to 10 percent lower than what the seller is asking.

10. Hire a home inspector.

Sure, your lender will require a home appraisal anyway. But that's just the bank's way of determining whether the house is worth the price you've agreed to pay. Separately, you should hire your own home inspector, preferably an engineer with experience in doing home surveys in the area where you are buying. His or her job will be to point out potential problems that could require costly repairs down the road.

Are you looking for a home to buy? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.