Fix It (or Fake It)
 (Illustration / David Plunkert) |
Remember the days of frantic bidding wars and homes selling within hours after a single open house? They're over. Real estate prices in Greater Boston are high and holding, it seems, but one result is more work for sellers. "It's more of a level playing field now. The prices are the same, but there's more on the market. You don't see homes selling in one day," says realtor Amy Tighe of Coldwell Banker in Cambridge. "Buyers get to see a lot more in their price range before making a decision," she says, so they're weighing their options carefully and taking their time if they don't see what they're looking for right away. And why should they hurry? According to John Dulczewski of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, the number of residences sold in 2005 in Massachusetts reached an all-time high. Yet, so did the numbers of properties listed for sale.
Of course, just because the market is more competitive for sellers doesn't mean every new listing is doomed to languish. Cambridge-based redecorator Sarah Krieger helps sellers make strategic improvements when they want to enter the market. "Preparation is so important," she says. "It's the only way to get top dollar these days."
Your realtor can help determine whether and which pre-sale investments would be worth the cost and effort for your home. In any case, it's key now that you think like a buyer when you're trying to sell. City buyers tend to be singles, young couples, or empty nesters, while the suburbs generally draw families. But whether in Back Bay or Belmont, most buyers are attracted by the same features. Using tips from area realtors, decorators, and other pros, we've compiled the top 10 things to fix or fake -- whether you want to reverse the curse on an existing listing or build some buzz at your first open house.
LIGHTEN UP
"Everyone wants natural light," says Dotty Volpe, founder of the Boston design and home-staging firm The Redecorators. Of course, in any given property, some rooms will have it and some rooms won't, and while adding windows or a skylight is rarely practical, every room should have a mixture of ambient, task, and accent lighting.
FIX IT If you have the time, the money, and dim rooms, consider having a few additional light fixtures installed. "IKEA has to-die-for lighting, and it's very cheap," says Volpe. While you have the tools out, put dimmers on new and old switches. It's an easy change that attracts buyers.
FAKE IT "If you've got dark rooms, or you're sited in such a way that you don't have a lot of light, you've got to create it," says Volpe. First, open up all of your curtains and blinds. Next, use floor lamps and upturned lights to supplement the fixtures you do have. Then do whatever you can to make all of that light reflect - that means plenty of mirrors and, Volpe suggests, lots of glassware. She doesn't like the old trick of setting the table for an open house, which she says looks contrived. Instead, she sets up a bar on a table or counter; this looks realistic and, arranged with lots bottles and crystal glasses, reflects light.
HIGHLIGHT YOUR HARDWOOD
Tighe says "do the floors" is on her short list of suggested seller investments. That's because real hardwood has almost universal appeal, and it's something that a lot of new construction doesn't offer.
FIX IT If your floors are scratched and marked, spend the money to get them re- finished. If you have carpeting, see what's underneath. "Sometimes carpet has just been laid on top, and all you have to do is pull the rugs up and shine floors up," says Volpe. If you have worn carpeting but no wood underneath, replace the carpeting. "Nothing turns buyers off more than old carpeting," says Volpe.
FAKE IT If you don't have wood, Volpe recommends putting in sisal - specifically the rolled carpetlike sisal sold at Building 19 stores - which shares wood's neutral appeal. "Have a carpet installer put it right over concrete with padding," she says.
BEAUTIFY YOUR BATH
Buyers want the impression that no one has ever used the bathroom before, so give it to them. "Recaulk the tub, recaulk the sink to the wall, and replace broken tiles," says Richard Drinkwater, an Otis & Ahearn broker and senior vice president. "You'd be surprised how many people don't do that, and as soon as a buyer comes in and they pull back the shower curtain, they're really turned off." It's a big job, but it can be worth replacing outdated sinks, toilets, and wall tiles with new ones, Volpe says. She recommends stylish, lower-priced fixtures and tiles at
FIX IT Neale says that more new construction projects feature large walk-in showers rather than shower-tub combinations. If the market you're competing in is high end, it's worth determining the price for subbing a walk-in. But if you only have one bathroom, don't make the switch, because it's not worth turning away potential buyers who like to soak.
FAKE IT At the very least, make your loos look luxurious. It's surprisingly easy, says Volpe, to conjure up a spa. Hang up a white terry-cloth shower curtain and put out a big stack of new fluffy white towels. Then add a bowl of sea sponges. And if your bathroom floor has seen better days, Volpe recommends an easy, instant disguise with natural matting from Pier 1 or similar stores. "You can cut it into place and cover a whole floor of bad tile. It's made from things like banana leaves, so it can withstand water."
DECK THE WALLS
Fresh paint makes any room more inviting, but choosing the right colors is key to sales success. "People think white is the way to go," says Volpe. "It's not. It can feel cold." But when it comes to upping your resale value, bright colors are not a bright idea, either. John Neale of Sprogis & Neale Real Estate in the South End recalls his advice to a pair of sellers: "They knew their wall colors wouldn't appeal to the market - intense magenta and peacock blue - so they asked me what I recommended. I handed them the Pottery Barn catalog."
FIX IT Unless you are selling a contemporary, ultramodern house - the one scenario where white does work - "use a neutral tone that everyone can see their stuff blend in with, like a soft taupe or a soft green," says Volpe, who recommends using Benjamin Moore's "Historical Colors" collection.
FAKE IT If you're ladder- and roller-shy, you can leave some of your white walls alone - but only those in a warm white with creamy undertones; nothing cool or institutional.
AIM FOR HIGH CEILINGS
Ceilings of 8 or 9 feet - or less - used to be standard, but a lot of new construction is going higher, with dramatic vaulted ceilings. In some cases, they soar two stories high. Typically, ceiling height is not something you can fix, but there are ways to make walls appear taller.
FAKE IT Volpe recommends hanging draperies not from window frames, but all the way up at ceiling level. "IKEA has 108-inch drapery panels which work well for this," she says, or use a king-size sheet. Moving rods and hardware and draping fabric from ceiling to floor give rooms instant height and drama.
SUPERSIZE THE CLOSETS
Before you let even one prospective buyer into your home, clean and organize every closet and cabinet in the place. "If it looks like you can't live there, they'll think they won't be able to, either," says Neale.
FIX IT Give closets a fresh coat of paint, but don't bother installing built-in closet organizers, says Krieger, the Cambridge redecorator. They may actually frustrate buyers who'd arrange their closets differently. If you have a closetless room that you'd like to present to buyers as a spare bedroom, Volpe recommends renting an armoire and putting a few items of clothing inside. This will show buyers how easily they can live in the space.
FAKE IT Edit your belongings dramatically, leaving only a few elegant pieces - think of a store display - and use attractive storage boxes and bins to give an organized look. Rent a storage unit, says Neale, "so your closets don't look like they're overflowing," or simply pack extra stuff away in your basement or a friend's house.
CLEAN UP THE KITCHEN
"The kitchen is the heart of the home. That's the way to think of it," says Neale. Open kitchens designed for entertaining are a recurring theme in new construction, he notes. So, even if yours is tiny, do whatever you can to make the space inviting.
FIX IT If you have a few months and a few thousand dollars to spend, there's a lot you can do - just don't do too much. "People want it to feel fresh and clean," says Volpe, who recommends looking for well-priced new but not high-end appliances and countertops. As for finishes, stay away from splurges, since styles are changing. "Granite and stainless have been popular for 10 years, but that's starting to shift," she says. "You don't have to spend the money." Instead, look for plain white appliances and laminate countertops. "Just have it look hip, have it look new."
FAKE IT Stash the toaster, the blender, and all of your countertop clutter. At a minimum, paint cabinets, and if the hardware's vintage, change it to something new. But don't tear the cabinets out. "Kitchen finishes and fixtures are an incredibly personal choice," says Volpe, so it's not worth gambling on something as expensive as new cabinets.
FIND ROOM IN YOUR ROOMS
It's not practical to add actual square footage when there are so many ways to make your existing space feel more spacious.
FAKE IT Mirrors are an old trick - probably because they really work. "The ones that go almost from floor to ceiling immediately double the size of your room," says Volpe, who also recommends wide frames. Aside from leaning big, dramatic mirrors and hanging original artwork, if you have it, you should "take everything off the walls," says Krieger.
But don't empty out rooms entirely. Try to use your furniture to create clever arrangements that give a hint as to how the buyer might set up her own things. Think of activities such as writing letters, listening to music, or conversation - then arrange furniture to match. For example, says Krieger, "put a couch and a chair near the fireplace," creating a cozy place to chat.
She recalls a seller who had an apartment with an awkward tiny room. So they set up a twin-size bed against a long wall, made and arranged with pillows like a daybed, and put a narrow desk and chair against the opposite wall. What had looked like a small storage space was suddenly a functional guestroom and home office. But in bigger rooms, don't be too rigid, says Volpe. "People are looking for multifunctional space."
A GRAND ENTRANCE
"The minute someone walks into your entry, they can see the paint job, the floor, the molding, and they'll immediately judge how well maintained your property is," says Krieger. Again, if your house's foyer - or apartment building's entry - isn't perfect, this is an area where you can distract with a dash of drama.
FAKE IT "We use shooters, those tall vases with sticks and flowers," says Volpe. "The eye is drawn to it, and right away there's that feeling of drama and cool." In one model unit she decorated recently, Volpe brought an oversize dog statue meant for a garden into the apartment's entryway. "If there are some dramatic elements, people are busy looking at those things and not looking at the fact that the ceiling has a water stain in it or the floor is sloping or the ceiling is stucco." If you're in a condo, ask your association to clean up the common area or volunteer to do it yourself. "The hallway should be as good as your apartment," says Neale.
FIND A NICE PRICE
Buyers will always be focused on price, says Drinkwater, "and what they're getting for the money." So, before you invite them in to scrutinize your home's every flaw, be sure to have an inspector look your place over. That way, you can tell buyers what's wrong from the start. "You don't want any surprises," Tighe says. "If a buyer finds out that there's something broken or in serious need of repair, every other flaw will be magnified."
The trick, of course, is to fix what you have to in order to make your place appealing but not to upgrade so much that you've priced yourself out of the market. Spend some time getting to know your ideal buyer. "Look at three other houses in your desired price range," says Tighe, "to see how you can be competitive."
Emily Lapkin is a freelance writer based in Boston. E-mail comments to magazine@globe.com.
