Ask the Expert

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette selling home illustration.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette selling home illustration.

I am thinking about putting my home on the market this summer. What are some quick, easy and cheap fixes I can make to facilitate its sale?

For this question, we turned to Katherine Melhorn, a Realtor for nearly 20 years with The Janet Jones Co. in Little Rock.

"Here are a few easy things that you can do to improve the value of your house," she explains.

• Enhance the street appeal.

"First impressions are huge, so to get prospective buyers eager to see your house, get the exterior of your home cleaned up, sparkling and inviting," Melhorn says. "Power-wash the porch and front door if they need cleaning. Add some potted plants or flowers -- either at the front door or in the front flower beds. Adding fresh mulch to the flower beds is another easy and effective step to enhance the curb appeal of your home."

• Update the kitchen.

"The kitchen is considered the heart and soul of the home, so naturally it is one of the spaces potential buyers look at first," explains Melhorn, adding that if the kitchen is outdated, chances are the house won't command as high a price. But she says you don't have to change the cabinets and cupboards. Instead, a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color and some slightly modern accents and accessories can go a long way. Also, declutter counters and remove all photos and magnets off the refrigerator.

• Freshen the bathroom.

"Another area potential buyers tend to scrutinize is the bathroom," Melhorn explains, adding that the seller should be sure it is free of any major problems and damages and update the fixtures as much as possible.

You don't necessarily have to rebuild it, but giving the bathroom a fresh makeover and some good scrubbing to make the tiles clean will certainly go a long way when it comes to the look and appeal of the bathroom.

• Clear out the clutter.

"Decluttering your home is the most powerful and effective thing you can do," says Melhorn, adding that when potential buyers see massive amounts of clutter, they actually tend to devalue the house.

Buyers want to visualize themselves living in the house,

she explains. If the house is too cluttered, the potential buyers, who want to think about where they would put their furnishings or bookshelves, get distracted by all the stuff and aren't able to visualize themselves living there.

• Add proper lighting.

"Just as unnecessary clutter can take away from the value of your house, poor lighting will also have the same effect," Melhorn says. If the house is not well illuminated, it will appear smaller and more closed in than it actually is. Replace any light bulbs that are burned out. Open up the windows and curtains to let natural light in.

In most cases, these are simple fixes that you can do to make your house more marketable and appealing. These may be small fixes, but they can greatly affect your chances of selling the house.

-- Linda S. Haymes

Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We'll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark., 72203 or email:

[email protected]

HomeStyle on 05/16/2015

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