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SELLING HOMES FOR TOP DOLLAR IN TODAY'S URBAN MARKET IS ALL ABOUT BEING BETTER THAN THE COMPETITION.
SOME BASICS FOR IMPROVING APPEALIt Doesn't Have to Cost a Fortune
Most people think that updating/remodeling requires tearing out the old and starting over. This doesn't have to be the case, in fact, many urban buyers prefer homes where the much of the original character has been preserved. But they want homes that have today's "vintage" look and they want function and efficiency. Here are a few of the remedies that can have the greatest impact for the least cost. The image at left shows 1950's original cupboard doors where the door centers have been removed and replaced with glass. The kitchen paint colors were chosen based on the tableware, which now is on display.
PAINT
Paint is the least expensive way to transform a room or to dramatically improve a home's curb appeal. Too, there are many creative uses for paint in vintage homes that can hide evils and improve appeal. In this kitchen, we used a neutral sage green paint, along with new stainless hardware, to transform a 1950's kitchen into something much more appealing. We also added crown moldings above the cabinets, replaced the ceiling light fixtures, replaced the original 1950's stove and added a tile back-splash behind the stove. The total cost was under $3500! The new-looking kitchen sold the house. You can see the before version of this kitchen in the slide show on the home page. LIGHTING
When a buyer walks into a 1920's Craftsman bungalow and sees 1970's Kmart light fixtures, they're turned off. Old, dated lighting in kitchens, celings, hallways and baths can be inexpensively replaced. And updated lighting in and of itself goes along way toward giving the home the image buyers look for. Of course, aesthetically pleasing vintage fixtures should be retained, but they may need some refurbishing to make them more functional and efficient, like adding a dimmer switch or cleaning up long-neglected brass.
COVER OLD, OUTDATED SURFACES, WITH ATTRACTIVE NEW ONES
Buyers love the coved ceilings and glass block often found in cute little 1950's brick bungalows. But when they meet with plastic or pink tile on the bathroom walls, they see work and cost. Bead board provides a great, inexpensive way of covering the old tile, while providing the bath look that today's buyers like. Kitchen counters can be covered with a new, stone-like finish that bonds with the original counter surface and it can be done for as little as $600! The photo at left shows a bathroom where old tile has been covered over with bead board, and new lighting, blinds and a mirror were added to change an old bathroom from a big negative into a welcomed positive. UNCOVER HIDDEN TREASURESUrban buyers love wood floors and they seek out homes that have them. Many a barely used, wooden floor lies beneath some old 1970's sculptured carpet. And removing carpet gives you the added benefit of making smaller, vintage rooms look larger. Often, Fir or Pine planks lie beneath old linoleum on a converted front porch. Buyers feel an immediate positive when they enter and see the plank flooring. It is very popular today, and if it's original, so much the better. Just be sure that it is still of sufficient strength and major defects have been repaired.
 
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