The Real Estate Browser Volume 10, Issue 6 | Page 40

40 — Say you saw it in The Real Estate Browser of Lynchburg — Volume 10 Number 6
www.LynchburgRealEstateBrowser.com
Should You Do Home Upgrades Now ...
or Right Before You Sell?
by Cathie Ericson
Home sellers are often told to make
upgrades to their house before they sell ...
but when is the best time to get those home
improvements underway, in terms of scoring
the best ROI?
It’s a tough balance to strike. After all, the
sooner you remodel your kitchen or retile the
bathroom, the more you’ll get to enjoy it all
yourself. But if you make those improvements
too long before you sell, you risk them looking
run-down and outdated by the time you want
to market your home. So, when’s the right time
to give the green light?
If you’re agonizing over such questions, we
can end your misery now—in a good way!
Here’s how far in advance of listing your home
you should do certain home improvements, so
they’ll still look fresh enough to fetch top dol-
lar.
7 to 10 years out
Well, you’re quite a planner, aren’t you?
That’s cool … we’ll play the long game with
you. Here are upgrades you can safely under-
take when you still have significant time until
your sale.
1. Redo your landscaping
This is truly one of the few housing proj-
ects that gets better with age, since shrubs
and trees only improve as they mature. And,
bonus: It’s likely that it will never look dated,
says Lisa Shiroff of Leafy Green Landscaping
in Buena, NJ. However, she cautions, think
twice about unique or difficult-to-maintain