Easy Bathroom Makeover for Your Southern New Hampshire Home (Updating to Sell or for You)

Before you put your Southern New Hampshire home up for sale, you want to make sure it looks as attractive and modern as possible. Buyers usually walk away from a Southern NH home for sale with outdated color schemes and fixtures. This is especially true of bathrooms. Even if you lack the budget and space to turn your bathroom into a spa-like retreat, you can still give this room a quick facelift.  (And even if you aren't planning on selling in the near future, these tips can help you enjoy your home more without spending lots of money.)

   1. Get creative with color. If you don’t have the time or budget to replace dated ceramic tile, try camouflaging it with towels, rugs, and other accessories for a more modern color scheme. For example, you can pair pink with brown or bright blue with light green.

   2. Replace your fixtures. Brushed aluminum and pewter bathroom fixtures are more modern than the shiny chrome fixtures from years ago. They are also easier to clean because they don’t show water marks as easily.

   3. Find new lighting. A bathroom light can do more than just illuminate the space; it can create an atmosphere. Sconces placed on either side of a mirror tend to look better than harsh overhead light. Track lighting can be arranged to provide light in dark corners of the room.

   4. Accessorize. Put your personal touch on your bathroom with shower curtains, soap dispensers, and scented candles. Don’t feel like you have to stick to the bath accessories aisle, either. A clear vase can display bath salts. Baskets can hold rolled-up towels. A beautiful serving bowl can be filled with potpourri.

Preparing your Southern New Hampshire home for sale is an important part of the process. I can help you prepare your home to sell it faster and for more money. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@TeamHeeter.com to schedule a free consultation.

2011 New Year’s Resolutions for Southern New Hampshire Home Owners

Most people make New Year’s resolutions to improve themselves.  This year, consider making a few New Year’s Resolutions to improve your Southern New Hampshire home.  Here are 6 ideas to choose from:

   1. Renovate.  Choose one project you really want to do, and get it done this year.  Add on a deck, make minor kitchen renovations or install a new bathroom floor.

   2. Practice home safety.  Practice fire safety by ensuring your smoke alarms work and holding fire drills. Prevent poisoning by keeping cleaners, medications and beauty products in a place where children can’t reach them and using child safety locks.  Avoid falls by having bright lights over stairs and steps and on landings. Also, keep stairs clear of clutter.

   3. Test for radon.  Radon is a significant contaminant that affects indoor air quality worldwide. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Even if you live in an area that typically doesn’t have radon problems, the US EPA recommends testing your home for radon because testing is the only way to know your Southern New Hampshire home's radon levels.

   4. Do one thing to go green.  Change to Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL), install a low-flow shower head, use green cleaning products or start recycling.

   5. Check water quality. Drinking water quality varies from location to location in New Hampshire, depending on the condition of the source water from which it is drawn and the treatment it receives. Every community water supplier must provide an annual report to its customers. Read your report to find out what your water contains. 

Private wells and homes drawing water from other sources such as lakes and rivers are not regulated. If your drinking water does not come from a public water system, you alone are responsible for assuring that it is safe. Routine water testing is essential.

   6. Reduce your utility bills.  Review your electric and gas expenses for the previous 12 months and make a plan to reduce them. There are many ways to save on energy bills:  increase your insulation, weather strip windows and doors, purchase energy efficient appliances, install energy efficient windows and adjust home temperatures.

Automatically receive home owner tips like these when you subscribe to my blog.  It’s free and fast.  Just click to subscribe.

Projects that Don’t Add Value to Your Southern NH Home for Sale

There is no simple way to discover which home-improvement projects will yield the highest return when you’re ready to sell your home. There are many variables that come into play such as the state of the real estate market when you put your Southern New Hampshire home up for sale, how old your home is, and the style of your home.  However, some improvements will definitely not be a wise use of your money immediately prior to selling your home.

Here are several costly projects to pass up if you want to get the biggest bang for your bucks:

Extravagant Landscaping

Buyers expect a well-maintained yard; they don't expect the home's value to increase because of it. Beautiful landscaping may encourage potential buyers to take a closer look at your Southern NH home for sale, but it most likely will not add to the selling price. If a buyer is unable or unwilling to put in the effort to maintain an elaborate garden, it becomes a negative feature rather than a positive one.

Swimming Pool

A swimming pool seems like fun to have, but can actually be more of a hassle than a pleasure.  Many potential buyers consider swimming pools expensive and time consuming to maintain. Buyers may say no to an otherwise perfect house if it has a pool. Or, they may include in the contract a stipulation that the seller has to take down an above-ground pool or fill in an inground pool, at their own expense, before closing.

High-End Upgrades

Buyers don’t want to see the absolute cheapest renovations in a Southern NH home for sale, but they also don’t want to pay more for the highest-priced upgrades that they don’t need. Marble countertops in a kitchen and a built-in sauna in a bathroom are nice, but unless you have a high-end home in a high-end neighborhood, don’t expect to get your money back from these upgrades.

Don’t spend thousands of dollars on a home-improvement project that will not increase your home's value when it comes time to sell. Do spend money on projects that will make your home a wonderful place to live in now and that may increase the selling price when you’re ready to sell.

Are you ready to sell your home? I can help. Give me a call today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Five Renovation Projects that Increase Your Southern New Hampshire Home’s Value

Whether you’re planning on selling soon or just want a comfortable home to live in now, here are five projects that increase your Southern New Hampshire home’s comfort and value:

   1. Uncover hardwood floors.  Is there a hardwood floor hiding under your Southern New Hampshire home’s carpet?  If you're not sure, pull up the carpet in an unnoticeable corner and investigate. If you find wood floors, you’ll probably need to refinish them, but that’s a lot less expensive than installing new hardwood flooring.

  2. Add ceiling fans.  Everyone likes to save money, and adding ceiling fans can reduce your electric bill considerably.  Central air conditioning costs about 70 times more to run than a ceiling fan.  In the summer, fans can make you feel 3 to 8 degrees cooler, allowing you to reduce the use of your A/C and still feel just as cool.   Use your ceiling fan in the winter too.  Just reverse the direction the blades rotate so the air flows up toward the ceiling, and keep the fan on low.  This circulates the warm air around the room without creating a chilly draft.

   3. Install a new bathroom floor.  Installation is typically the most expensive part of this home improvement, so if you can do it yourself, you’ll save quite a bit of money.  Choosing a neutral-colored tile adds the most value.

   4. Update bathroom and kitchen fixtures.  Replacing outdated or unattractive fixtures is a low-cost, high-impact renovation project.  In bathrooms, put in new spa-style showerheads and towel bars.  In both rooms, put in new light fixtures, sink faucets, switch plates, outlet covers, cabinet knobs and drawer handles.  Choose items in colors and finishes that appeal to a wide audience.

   5. Power wash your Southern New Hampshire home’s exterior.  Make your home look almost as good as new by power washing away the grime.  Clean the siding, driveway, walkways and patio.

Want more home-improvement ideas like these?  Subscribe to my blog.  It’s free and easy.

Re-laminate Your Southern New Hampshire Home’s Countertops

If you want to freshen up your Southern New Hampshire home’s kitchen, redoing the countertops might be a good choice.  It’s quick and easy to install new laminate, and you’ll have almost limitless styles to choose from.  Here’s how to install new laminate on your kitchen countertop:

Measure Countertop
Measure the existing countertop in your Southern New Hampshire home’s kitchen and total the results.  Add a few inches to the side and bottom measurements to give you a little wiggle room.  You’ll need to buy contact cement, a putty knife and a utility knife at the home improvement store at the same time as the laminate.

Prepare the Area
First, you’ll have to remove the old laminate.  Leftover laminate and adhesives can make it hard for the new laminate to properly attach to the countertop.  Use a three to four inch putty knife to scrape off the old laminate.

After you’ve removed it all, sand the surface underneath to make sure that any left over adhesive has been completely removed.  Work carefully from one end of the counter to the other and double check your work.  Then wipe the area down with a clean cloth and dry it.

Cut the Laminate and Apply the Cement
Next, you’ll measure and cut the new laminate to the correct size with the utility knife.  Apply the contact cement to the edge of the countertop and press the laminate into place.  Then spread the cement on top of the counter, and press down evenly on the laminate to properly adhere it to the surface.

Go over the entire counter again with equal pressure to seal the contact cement.  Trim the excess laminate with the utility knife.  Then clean the work area with a damp cloth.

You’ll be able to use the countertop shortly after the contact cement dries.  Re-doing the laminate can breathe new life into your Southern New Hampshire home’s kitchen without emptying your wallet.

Is Your Southern NH Home for Sale a Victim of DIY Remodeling?

Has your Southern New Hampshire home for sale been victimized by DIY remodeling projects? Did they not quite turn out like you thought they would? You aren’t alone; I’ve walked into houses with cabinets hanging at a slant and the owner proudly telling me they did it themselves.

Leave it to a pro.
Not everybody can be a remodeler. Not everybody is handy at everything. For instance, I can change the oil on my car, but I leave engine overhauls to the professionals. Why? Because that’s what they do, and they do it well.

Now, many people choose to do remodeling themselves because they think it’s cheaper – and it often is when done right. However, knowledge is power. It’d be cheaper for me to do my own engine overhaul, too, but I’ve never done it before and don’t know how. I’m not going to start learning on my own car, either.

Consider the quality.
If you’re considering a major remodeling project to add value to your Southern NH home for sale, I strongly recommend hiring a professional remodeler. I especially recommend this if you don’t know anything about plumbing, wiring or building standards. Keep in mind that your house will have to pass inspection. If your remodeling project doesn’t stand up to building codes, it won’t pass inspection.

As well, when you remodel to add value in order to sell, quality is of utmost importance. The first DIY project you do very seldom ends up looking right, and – although you may be understandably proud of sloping countertops or unevenly stained molding because you did it yourself – it won’t help sell your home.

Start small.
If you’re remodeling and you plan to stay in your home, I strongly suggest – if you must DIY – that you start small. Here’s a hint: expanding your bathroom or kitchen isn’t considered a small project. A small project is like fixing a squeaky stairway or replacing a door.

DIY sites like This Old House and Do It Yourself make big projects look easy, I know. However, if you want to, say, strip your wooden kitchen cabinets, try starting with a piece of furniture. Go buy a cheap wooden chair from a flea market and see how it turns out first.

Whether you’re remodeling to get more value from your Southern NH home for sale or just to make it a more comfortable space to live, I implore you – your home implores you – at least think about a professional. If you don’t know what you’re doing, your home may end up as just another victim of random DIY.

Are you good at remodeling and looking for a home with potential? I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Southern New Hampshire Real Estate Do It Yourself Project: Staining Kitchen Cabinets

You’d like to remodel your kitchen, but like many Southern New Hampshire real estate owners, you need to do it as inexpensively as possible.  Consider cutting costs by staining the kitchen cabinets yourself.

Here’s the basic 4-step process to staining kitchen cabinets for your Southern New Hampshire real estate.

1.    Gather supplies:  120-grit and 220-grit sandpaper, wood conditioner, paintbrushes, tack cloths, rags, stain and polyurethane.  Some experts recommend water-based stain and sealer because they’re easier to work with, while others insist on oil-based products because of their durability.  Do some research to make the right choice for you.

2.    Prepare the wood:  Using 120-grit sandpaper, lightly sand the wood in the direction of the grain.  This removes small scratches.  Wipe off all of the loose dust with a tack cloth.  Then sand the cabinets again, this time using 220-grit sandpaper.  This creates a smooth finish.  Remove all the loose dust with a tack cloth and apply a coat of wood conditioner to the cabinets.  Let it dry completely.

3.    Stain the wood:  Brush on a coat of stain with a paintbrush following the grain of the wood.  Then take a rag and rub the stain into the wood using a circular motion. Finish the staining by wiping along the grain of the wood one final time to ensure an even finish.  Let the stain dry completely.

4.    Seal the wood:  Apply two coats of polyurethane following the manufacturer’s directions.  Once you’ve sealed the cabinets, make sure you give them ample time to cure.

Staining the cabinets for your Southern New Hampshire real estate kitchen remodel can save you a lot of money.  Just be sure you take the time to do a quality job.  You’ll be living with the results for a long time, so make sure it looks good.

Want more homeowner tips like this automatically emailed to you?  Subscribe to this blog now.  It’s free and easy.

Before Painting Your Southern New Hampshire Home For Sale

Nothing makes a Southern New Hampshire home for sale look better than a new coat of paint.  Many people are intimidated by the thought of painting the exterior of their home and hire someone else to do it.  But you can do it yourself, with these simple steps:
   
Getting Your House Ready to Paint
The first thing that you’ll need to do is inspect the house.  Look at all the walls, under the eaves and around the doorframe(s) and windows.  Check for peeling paint, mildew and rough surfaces.
You’ll need to gather a few tools before getting to the repairs and putting your Southern NH home up for sale:
·    Power-washer
·    2-3” inch putty knife
·    2-3” inch pull scraper
·    Wire brush
·    Sander   
·    Chlorine bleach

Preparing the Surface
Power-wash the walls so you'll have a clean surface.  You don’t need to use detergents; plain ol’ water works just fine in most cases.

The putty knife and the wire brush remove problems where paint has peeled, blistered or wrinkled.  Avoid gouging the surface by holding the putty knife perpendicular to the wall and using moderate force. 

The pull scraper is for areas that won’t easily come clean.  It’s used the same way as the putty knife, but it has a sharp blade attached that quickly gets through old paint.  The walls will need to be sanded smooth after you finish this step.

For small spots, a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block works just fine.  An electric sander is best for large areas; it'll save you time and energy.

Removing Mildew
Mildew is a dark patch of fungus, like a dirty spot, often found on a damp, shady spot of your house.  If you aren’t sure it's mildew, put a few drops of chlorine bleach on it.  If the spot fades away, you know you have a mildew problem.

Mildew shows through new paint, so you’ll need to get rid of it before you start painting.  A simple mix of chlorine bleach will kill it quickly.

All you have to do now is pick out a paint color and wait for the right weather to paint.  Soon you’ll be ready to put up your Southern NH home for sale. 

If you're thinking of selling your home, I can help.  Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Remodeling Your Southen NH Home for Sale: Cost vs. Value

When considering a remodeling job for your Southern New Hampshire home for sale in an effort to increase value, it’s hard to decide what should be done. Well, this isn’t exactly true.  If your carpet is old, matted and outdated, for instance, you might want to start there. Grungy wooden kitchen cabinets? That’s another starting place.

However, if your Southern NH home for sale is in darn good condition (if you do say so yourself) and you’re not being noticed by buyers, you just might be asking, “What can I do to improve?”

Well, for frustrated, confused homeowners, there is good news. You don’t have to guess. Twenty-two years ago, Remodeling magazine, with cooperation from REALTOR® Magazine, began publishing an annual “Cost vs. Value Report.” This report covers 33 possible home remodeling projects over 80 cities.

The recouped cost for many of these projects has been slowly declining since 2006 or, in some cases, rapidly dropping. However, the recently released 2009-10 Cost vs. Value Report for home remodeling shows some surprising increases.

If you just look at the trends from 2008-09 to 2009-10, you might think any type of addition or change would be a waste of money. When looking over the report, though, pay attention to the recouped cost. For instance, a little red arrow says a wooden deck addition is dropping in resale value, while the recouped cost is still 80.6%. Not bad in a hard buyer’s market.

If you don’t want to look at the report, I understand – it’s a lot of numbers. So, I’ve summarized some of the important bits for you:

Recouped cost of 75% or above
·    Attic bedroom – 83% (up from 2008)
·    Basement remodel – 75.4% (up)
·    Wooden deck addition – 80.6% (down)
·    Steel entry door replacement – 128.9% (up)
·    Minor kitchen remodel – 78.3% (down)
·    Vinyl siding replacement – 79.9% (down)
·    Vinyl window replacement – 76.6% (down)
·    Foam-backed vinyl siding replacement – 79.0% (down)
·    Fiber-cement siding replacement – 83.6% (down)
·    Vinyl window replacement – 76.5% (down)

Rising Trends from 2008 – 2009/10
·    Fiberglass grand entrance
·    Roofing replacement
·    Steel entry door replacement
·    Fiberglass entry door replacement
·    Basement remodel
·    Backup power generator
·    Attic bedroom

So, where will you get the best bang for your buck for home remodeling? The trends say replacements. Buyers want security (steel doors), shelter (roofing) and energy savers (windows). They want the exterior to look good for less work (siding) and maybe an extra guest or child bedroom (attic). The great thing for you is:  they’re willing to pay for it.

If you’re still wondering whether you’re remodeling the right area of your Southern New Hampshire home for sale, read the report.

If you’d like to sell your home or are looking for a new home that’s already been remodeled (or that you can remodel), I can help. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

How to Set a Kitchen Renovation Budget on Southern NH Homes

There are many Southern New Hampshire homes currently for sale.  An obvious question you must ask yourself in today’s market is how to make your home stand out.   

Whether you’re a real estate investor wanting to flip several Southern NH homes or a homeowner selling your current home, one of the top ways to increase your home’s value is remodeling the kitchen.  The kitchen is the central meeting place of the American family and people want it to be modern and up to date.

Do a Price Comparison among Southern NH Homes

Your renovation budget is one of the primary concerns to take into account before you begin.  The current value of your home, as compared to other homes in your neighborhood, is one way to determine how much you should spend on your kitchen renovation.

·    Higher Price Range = Lower Budget Needed.  Is your home worth about the same or more than most homes in your neighborhood?  This indicates a diminished chance of selling for much more, even after enhancements.  Stick with a moderate budget.  This may seem contrary to instinct but it’s true. 

·    Lower Price Range = Higher Budget Needed.  On the other hand, if your home is appraising lower than those in the area (or is decidedly on the lower end of the scale) investing more in excellent kitchen remodeling is a great way to increase the value of your home.

Overspending Yields Lower Rate of Return
Investing too much on one aspect of your home (especially a home that's already approaching the price ceiling for the area) is a potential money burner.  Keep a moderate budget, and if you have more money to spend, invest it in other areas of your home (exterior improvements, for example).

Perception Is Reality

Once you decide on a budget, remember that appearance is everything.  Faux marble, for instance, looks about as nice as marble.  The only reason for genuine marble or solid oak is bragging rights.  A new faucet on a moderately up-to-date sink is almost as impressive visually as a totally new sink.

“Do one thing… And do it well,” applies here.  If you must add luxury, add it to one element and cover the rest with perception strategies.

If you’d like additional advice on the home improvements that are most likely to increase the value of your home, I’d be happy to help.  Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Should You Add a Pool to Your Southern NH Home?

There are many home improvements that add value to your Southern New Hampshire home, but none add quite as much fun as a pool. Depending on where your home is located, having a pool may increase re-sale value because buyers in certain areas look for homes that already have pools installed.  

A pool can provide relaxation, recreation, and health benefits during the summer months, and in some areas of the country, all year long. Before you get started putting in that pool, there are a few things to be aware of and prepare for.

Usage

The first thing to consider before you decide on adding a pool to your Southern NH home is how often you will actually use it. Pool maintenance and installation are expensive, so if you can't use it often, adding a pool doesn’t make much sense.

Surface Area

Before beginning construction of either an above-ground or in-ground pool, you need to check your surface area—not the pool's, your land's. It should be relatively flat. If your Southern NH home is on an incline, you need to create a stable, level base, and that could add a great deal of expense to your pool construction.

Air Space

The air above the site for your pool is important too.  Most importantly, never place a pool beneath electrical wires.  The area above your pool should also be clear of hanging branches.   In fact, it’s a good idea to choose a spot with no close trees. While they make for great shade in the hot summer sun, they also make for harder clean-up and constant skimming because of falling leaves.

Fence it In

There is one final consideration before you jump in—a fence. A security fence is important to keep neighborhood children from invading your pool when you aren't around.  A fence is also a crucial safety feature for pets and people.  You don’t want anyone or anything accidentally falling into your pool.

If you would like to buy or sell a Southern NH home with a pool, I can help. Contact me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

How to Buy the Right Deck Stain for Your Southern New Hampshire Home

 If your Southern New Hampshire home needs a face-lift, you can instantly brighten up the appearance of your house by staining your deck.  There are many different types of wood stain sold at home improvement stores.  You’ll need to keep a few things in mind when choosing wood stain:

·    What kind of wood are you staining?  Different types of stain are made for different kinds of wood.  Some stains are specifically made for pre-treated wood only.  Untreated wood requires special care and specific stain and sealant products.

·    What color deck do you want?  Most stains will look like natural wood when dried.  You can choose from oak to redwood and even cherry woods to match your Southern New Hampshire home.

·    What are the weather conditions where you live?  Since the secondary purpose of most stains is to act as a sealant, you’ll need to pick the type that will be most beneficial to your deck.  Some stains protect against ultra-violet rays and others are made to protect against wood rot and mildew.

·     How much stain do you need to buy?  You’ll need to calculate the square footage of your deck to know what quantity of paint to buy.  Check the labeling on the stain.  Some brands require more than one coat for the best results. 

After you’ve chosen the stain for your deck, pick up a few supplies to apply the stain:

·    Buy work gloves to keep your hands from becoming discolored by the stain. 

·    Most home improvement stores will have paint pans and brushes for sale near the stain.

·     Because stain is very thin, it tends to drip easily.  You may find that a paint pad will apply the stain more efficiently than a paintbrush.

Want more tips on how to improve your Southern New Hampshire home’s appearance?  Subscribe to my blog now.  It’s fast and free.

Remodeling to Sell Your Southern New Hampshire Real Estate?

Consumer Reports surveyed over 17,000 readers on the state of their home improvement projects. The results of the home improvement survey indicated that you should definitely do your homework before doing the home improvement on your Southern New Hampshire real estate.

Over half of those surveyed went at least $2,000 over budget for room additions. On basement finishing, 56% spent $1,350 over budget. Kitchen remodeling also had 56% going over budget, by $1,200. Lastly, 45% went over budget by $700 on deck additions. What was the reason? Surprisingly, they all had similar reasons:

·    Plan adjustments
·    Underestimated labor
·    Increased cost of materials
·    Special tools needed
·    Unexpected system upgrades

If you plan to remodel your Southern New Hampshire real estate in the near future, keep these tips in mind so your home improvement goes as planned:

·    Do your research – Factor in delivery and removal fees.  Make sure you know which products the contractor should have and plan ahead.

·    Don’t deviate – Once you have a well-developed remodeling plan, don’t deviate from it. Those who did ended up going anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 over budget.

·    Check the contract – Make sure your contractor's contract has a set amount for materials. Some have open-ended amounts, which makes it quite easy to go over budget. Read the contract before you sign it!

·    Check up on the remodeling contractor – Get the referrals and then put them to work. In other words, don’t just get a list of numbers and names, and then forget to check up on the contractor. Follow through and make sure the contractor is a good one.

A little remodeling can go a long way in helping you sell your Southern New Hampshire real estate.
Just make sure you know what you’re doing before you hire anyone to do it!

If you’re trying to sell your home, or looking for a great home to buy, I can help.  Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Rules for Rehabbing Southern New Hampshire Real Estate, Part 2

In Rules for Rehabbing Southern New Hampshire Real Estate, Part 1, you received the first five rules for rehabbing. Now, let’s go more in depth about how to rehab a home with the final six rules:

1.    Check out the neighborhood. Before you do any work to the property, walk through the neighborhood and take note of the property exteriors. What kind of landscaping do they have? Which colors do you see on the front doors? What type of siding do most of the homes have?  There is no point in spending extra money for amenities the other homes don’t have.

2.    Start with the exterior. If you begin your work on the outside, you will already create interest in people watching you work. This also tends to be relatively simple work. Trim the shrubs. Replace dead plants. Weed the flower beds. Paint the home’s exterior and window trim.

3.    Tackle the interior. You have two options for working inside: complete specific tasks throughout the entire home or work in individual rooms. Some people like to see the progress of completing a room; others like to see entire tasks, like painting, done at one time. No matter what you choose to do, start by removing the carpet. Take down switch plates. Remove the interior doors. Repair the walls. Fill in nail holes. Paint everything in neutral earth tones.

4.    Update kitchens and bathrooms. Check the plumbing. If you need to, install a new toilet, sink, or bathtub. Replace the fixtures and hardware. Replace or paint the cabinets. Go ahead and install new counter tops. They are worth the minor cost.

5.    Replace or repair floors. After the painting and installation is finished, start working on the floors. Hire a professional to install new carpet and padding. Replace or repair any other floors that are in need of work.

6.    Sell it. You can either move in to the home or put it on the market. If you sell the home, calculate your costs and check with a Southern New Hampshire real estate agent about the home’s market value. Begin advertising it for sale. Hire a real estate agent to help bring buyers to the home.

Rehabbing a home is a great way to create the ideal home for you or to make money as a real estate investor. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more tips on rehabbing your Southern New Hampshire real estate.

Rules for Rehabbing Southern New Hampshire Real Estate, Part 1

If you watch television home improvement shows, you’ve surely seen shows about rehabbing homes. When you buy Southern New Hampshire real estate that needs repairs, you can get it for a great price and build instant equity once the work is complete. Whether you decide to live in the rehabbed home or sell it, you've gotten a good deal.

Here are the first five rules for rehabbing Southern New Hampshire real estate:

1.    Buy low. The good news is that homes needing work usually
already have discounted prices. You want to buy the home for as little as possible because you are going to have to spend more money rehabbing the home.

2.    Have a budget. You need to know before you begin the project exactly how much money you have to spend. Include the cost of the house, labor costs, permits, and the price of materials. Don’t leave out anything, and do everything in your power to stick to the budget you set.

3.    Take good notes. Walk through the home with at least a flashlight and a way to write down notes. Count the number of windows, doors, and rooms. Write down anything you see that will need to be replaced or repaired, including flooring, walls and ceilings. Include anything that seems out of the ordinary to you. These notes will help you plan your rehab.

4.    Be realistic. Many buyers underestimate the amount of time and money it will take to rehab a home. Round your expected costs up to the nearest $5000. Set aside part of your budget for problems that may arise during the rehab. You never know when a wall is hiding a structural defect that you will have to repair. Keep your timeline flexible.

5.    Hire professionals. You will be able to do some of the work yourself, but you will need professional help for some of the work. Find a good plumber, electrician, carpenter, and roofer. Negotiate prices with them and never pay them for all the work until the job is completed.

Looking for homes to rehab?  I can help.  Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at dave@daveheeter.com for more information about rehabbing Southern New Hampshire real estate.