Tips for Fixing Up Your Fixer-Upper

Whether you get your own hands and knees dirty or hire individual contractors for the work, fixing-up the kitchen and the bathroom will give you the greatest return for an investment in time and money. That's true for a simple paint job or an entire renovation.

Kitchen

The kitchen often has opportunities to re-arrange the counter, sink, refrigerator and range to make food preparation easier and even increase storage space. If you know your way around a tape measure it is possible to add shelves, counter tops and even floor coverings. Light fixtures and appliances can make a big difference but can also eat a big hole in the budget.

Bathroom

A small bathroom can be cozy and easy to clean so there is no need to scrounge extra space but do use it if you have it. An extra cabinet or even an extra shelf can be a big convenience.

Sparkling fixtures and a light colored décor in the bathroom will increase the value of any home. A new sink and tub, or just new fixtures to add some twinkle and shine, will improve the value of the house to prospective buyers and can add just the right touch. Replace any damaged flooring if necessary, cabinets only when necessary, the grout (if not the tile) and you can give a bright and appealing look to a small space.

Extra Room

Moving, removing or adding walls can create usable space in a room that is maybe too small for convenience by adding extra space from adjoining rooms or for turning that cavernous space into a comfortable sized room with a small computer, office or even a study area.

Think in terms of the use of the space, traffic flow from one place to another as well as within the room and the lighting for each area. Make sure you know a load bearing wall when you see one before attempting this sort of renovation.

Paint

The rest of the house gets painted outside and in if it's not already light, neutral colors that encourage everyone to imagine themselves living there. You want colors that make the selling part (which is what this is all leading up to) much easier. Painting is the one single thing you can accomplish that will increase the value of your first house and is literally DIY (Do-It-Yourself) from start to finish.

Painting the Exterior

Paint the exterior in light, neutral colors that will give it a larger appearance and contribute to the curb appeal, increase the property value and protect the house. By paying attention to three important details most people can achieve professional looking results.

Surface Preparation

Preparing the surface will determine the life expectancy of your paint job more than any other single aspect of the project. Paint will not stick to any surface that is greasy, dirty or wet and does not glue down a previous coat that is flaking off.

Pressure wash, scrape and sand to get rid of anything that will interfere with the application of the paint. Be sure the washed area has at least a twenty four hour drying time before painting the surface.

Paint Selection

Water based latex paints have all of the attributes necessary for an exterior paint, they are fast drying and allow moisture to evaporate, increasing stability in climate zones that experience a freeze/thaw cycle. An easy clean up with soap and water is no disadvantage either.

Application

Always consider the weather when you schedule the application of exterior paint. Allow one or two days drying time after a rain and try to avoid fog.

Exterior latex paints are applied in dry weather at temperatures of 50 degrees to 90 degrees F. Paint the south and west sides of the house in the morning and the east side in the afternoon to allow drying time before direct sun strikes the fresh paint.

If using a sprayer be sure to cover windows, use drop cloths to protect shrubbery, wrap door knobs and cover anything else you don't want coated with spray. If you're using brushes and roller, cover everything anyway because you will be amazed at the places you can drip or spill paint..

Always working from the top downward when painting anything, the gable is painted first then the bulk of the wall, the window trim, other trim and you finish with the doors.

To 'brush paint' the bulk of a wall covered with lap siding, paint toward the center of the wall starting at the trim. Use a four inch brush to lightly cover the under edge of the siding, then fill in the broad areas of the wall, letting your brush strokes feather out. A two inch brush, angled or not, is a handy size for window and door trim.

While it is always necessary to back-roll a freshly 'sprayed' wall, it does not hurt to roll a freshly 'brushed' wall for a nice even surface texture.

Painting the Interior

Paint the ceiling white or a bit whiter than what the walls will be and the interior of the house will be warm and inviting.

It is inexpensive and easy to patch cracks and holes, then paint all the interior walls using the same light colored (off-white toward the yellow rather than grey), warm, neutral tone that will unify the inside of the house and give it a fresh and welcoming aspect to the prospective buyer.

A simple trick to speed the interior painting process is to paint the walls using a 'flat' paint in the chosen color and then paint the trim in the same color but in a 'gloss or semi-gloss'. This creates enough contrast to appear as two individual but related colors and if you get in a bit of a hurry it doesn't show so much.

The Yard

The first impression of a property consists of the house and the yard combined. Bright flowers around a home add charm and value to any real estate, whether for sale, to live in or even live near. Marigolds and other annuals are inexpensive and hearty as well having an extended blooming period. If it is early in the year seeds can be planted to get extra bloom for the buck.

Keep the lawn mowed, paint the fence and trim any shrubs to set the stage, to welcome the prospective buyers and realtors. This first impression, or curb appeal as it is called, will draw buyers off the street and invite them in for a closer look.

For Sale

Once you have all the fixing-up bases covered, this is the easiest part. A realtor can list your house on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and with listing sites on the internet. It will be a desirable piece of real estate and pricing it at about 2% below comparable properties will generate interest and perhaps an early sale without costing much.

If you can sell within 30 to 60 days you will minimize the money you pay out. Remember that the sooner you sell the fewer mortgage payments you have to make on this property and that increases your bottom line.

Help Online

Whenever attempting repairs and renovations it helps to have that neighbor or family member that can steer you in the right direction or to give you ideas about materials and procedures. With home repair blogs and chat sites that is now possible for anyone. A blog catalog will turn up many social networks devoted to home improvement and you will have knowledgeable and interested people willing to help in real time.