| Perhaps you have been watching those shows that | | | | right. Now, it's true that some people can easily |
| tell you how to flip that house, but you don't have | | | | imagine what their furniture will look like in those |
| the tens of thousands of dollars they seem to | | | | rooms, but not all of us are so good at such |
| inevitably spend. What can you do that is fast and | | | | visualization. Make it easy on those buyers by having |
| cheap to increase the appeal and selling price of a | | | | some tables, couches, chairs, and even a few |
| home? Here are six cheap fixes to give you some | | | | paintings on the walls. If you really want to keep this |
| ideas. | | | | part cheap and you have nice things at home, |
| 1. Mailbox | | | | borrow them! |
| While you can't get a great price with major | | | | 5. Use A House Inspection Checklist |
| problems, buyers will excuse minor ones if they have | | | | It is not only embarrassing to be standing their with a |
| already fallen in love with the house. That means you | | | | buyer explaining why the toilet doesn't flush, but it is |
| better make a good first impression. The first thing | | | | little things like that which can lose a sale. Have a list |
| they'll likely see is the mailbox. Install a new one with | | | | of things you would check if you were buying a |
| a few flowers around it. This will cost you less than | | | | home, and go through your house with it, testing |
| fifty dollars. | | | | everything, and looking at every room as objectively |
| 2. Front Yard Landscaping | | | | as possible. Better yet, have a good friend do this |
| Another fast and cheap way to a great first | | | | for you as though he was interested in the home. |
| impression is to clean the front yard, mow the lawn, | | | | 6. Make High-Return Improvements |
| trim the trees, throw some grass seed on any bare | | | | Repairs have to be done, but many changes are |
| spots if you have time, and plant a few flowers. | | | | debatable. Should you replace the perfectly good but |
| Neat, clean and green is the idea. Do this part | | | | somewhat ugly carpeting? Maybe. Paint the rooms? |
| yourself and you'll be surprised how far a hundred | | | | Think of the over-all look of the house if you make a |
| dollars can go. | | | | set of changes, and do your best to estimate how |
| 3. Clean The House Outside | | | | much they will add to the sale's price. They should |
| It is amazing how often the front of a house is dirty | | | | add double or more what they cost. |
| - even when the home is for sale. If you want to flip | | | | There are often opportunities for improvements with |
| that house fast, make it look good! Power-wash it if | | | | much higher returns. A friend of mine once spent |
| necessary, and make sure there are no stains on the | | | | about $1,500 and increased the home's value by |
| the front wall nor leaves hanging from the gutters. | | | | about $8,000. How? The basement had big windows, |
| Shine up any doorknobs or other metal fixtures. This | | | | so he added two walls in a corner, along with a |
| step might cost you nothing but your time, but less | | | | cheap paint job and a piece of carpeting to create a |
| than $100 in any case. | | | | bedroom. If you want to flip that house for big |
| 4. Stage The House | | | | profits with little investment in time and money, get |
| A house that is empty never feels or looks quite | | | | creative and look hard for opportunities like this. |