Colin and Justin: Put a win in your sales

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With the real estate market more competitive than ever, Colin and Justin suggest quick fixes to get you moving

Across the real estate zeitgeist, it’s generally accepted that, for a time at least, the Canadian real estate market was amongst the world’s most buoyant.

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These days, however, sellers must work harder to effect optimal yield. In our line of work – both on screen and off – we’re often asked to comment upon modifications that produce the biggest ‘return.’

A bedroom overhaul? A kitchen trick out? A bathroom refresh? And how much should be spent?

Whilst there’s no hard-and-fast rule, experience shows that 5 per cent of value reinvested in a tired home can add between 15 and 20 per cent come sales time.

Just imagine how excited your potential buyer would feel were every off-putting ‘red flag’ erased. But it’s all about strategy.

Without further ado, here’s our primer to get you moving. Consider it a schematic cleanse, nay a decorative douche, to flush out maximal return.

Proof perfect

Create a folder with updates made (and monies spent) and show this to your realtor. He or she, after all, is the initial person whose confidence you need to inspire.

First impressions

Must we really flog a dead horse? Reach for your tools and fix that wobbly fence, tidy unruly hedge (we’re not suggesting an Edward Scissorhands menagerie of birds and poodles, but a horticultural trim makes all the difference) and repaint your front door. One chance, an’ all, to make a good first impression.

Clear passage

Stepping inside, think model-home scene-setting to stimulate buyers. Improve circulation to windows so views can be appreciated.

Swap billowing curtains for diaphanous drapery or simple blinds, and accord each space its own function, rather than allowing hybrid bedroom/office/TV rooms to baffle potential buyers.

Popcorn ceilings

Guaranteed to challenge the most ardent investor – if yours is unpainted, chances are it’ll scrape away on a DIY basis. If painted, however, remedial tactics are trickier – we recommend calling the pros to ‘plaster skim’ everything as smooth as J-Lo’s forehead.

Bedrooms

These can be dragged nearer market expectation with auspicious paintwork, linens, rugs and lighting. Stagers make short shrift of stylistic alchemy like this, but typically charge $500 for a consultation and around $500 thereafter, per room, per month, for furniture rental. And that’s before decorating.

Living rooms

The optimal word, here, is ‘living’. If your lounge has flat lined, buyers may struggle to imagine it paddled back to life. Dispensing with clutter is a no brainer, as is rethinking paintwork to showcase everything at its best.

When, after all, was the last time you espied a model home hued library green? Hmm? Go on: wield that roller, immerse in bone-coloured paint, and breathe.

It’s also worth considering furniture purchase, ahead of time, for your new home. Are your existing coffee tables, case goods and sofas dated?

Well, hen layer in everything planned for your next place. This is stage setting at its simplest: your place will shine, and everything travels to your new digs when you finally break free.

Kitchens

Whilst it might seem counter-intuitive to shell out prior to departure, if yours looks dowdy, a rejig can dramatically impact sales price.

A modest IKEA kitchen can be bought and installed for 5-10K, an investment (for that is the key word) to tempt a profitable future.

For a streamlined aesthetic, trick out older cabinetry with integrated appliances, ‘counter scape’ with Breville coffee makers and toasters (don’t stress it,

Scrooge – this ‘jewellery’ also goes to your next home) and consider a statement-ceiling fixture to flood proceedings with alluring light. Remember: you’re selling a lifestyle. So switch on, pronto…

Bathrooms

Shower curtains are one thing, but glass screens win every time. Updating an old vanity will reap rewards, as will new tile, faucets or a cool towel stand.

Complete your reversion with a slick mirror, and you’ll be well on the way to delivering a spa-at-home vibe to make buyers swoon.

Whichever way you chop it, schematic ‘correction’ is your best friend.  At the very least, you’ll be polishing your biggest asset (to be enjoyed in the short term) and harvesting uptick, on a modest investment, going forward. Win win? And then some…

Watch for Colin and Justin on Citytv’s Breakfast Television. Find the Colin and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit www.colinandjustin.tv.