Lisa Barton

Considering a remodeling project for your home, but not sure what projects will improve your home's value? The Remodeling Magazine publishes a yearly report that compares the average cost for 35 popular remodeling projects with the value those projects retain at resale. In Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach, the projects that give you the most "bang for you buck" were reported to be:

• new front door
• new garage door
• replacing the roof
• adding a deck
• remodeling the kitchen

If you'd like to see the entire Cost vs Value Report for 2011 click here.

Selling your home but not wanting to spend a lot of money in preparation?  There are multiple steps you can take to greatly improve the appearance of your home without having to outlay significant amounts of cash.

In this year’s Cost vs. Value Report by Remodeling magazine, the top five remodels are ranked by the percentage of cost recouped at sale.  What provides the most bang for your buck?  Keep reading…

1. Entry door replacement (102.1% payback) – Make sure that the door selected matches the styles of the home and neighborhood.  In a moderately priced home, a regular steel door that matches the home’s trim makes the most sense.  Make sure that you comparison shop to get the most value for your money.  And, thoroughly inspect the door before buying and installing, particularly with steel doors, because they can dent easily but can’t be repaired.
2. Garage door replacement (83.9%) – Consider how future homeowners will use the garage.  If it’s more likely to be used as a workshop, a door with insulation and windows might be more appropriate.  Windows tend not to cost too much and they make a large difference in the usability of the garage.  While it’s perfectly acceptable to reuse the current door opener if it’s in good working condition, you might consider upgrading to a belt-driven opener.  It’s much quieter than the chain-driven models.
3. Siding Replacement (80.0%) – Conduct enough research to know that you are comparing apples to apples with the various siding products.  Cement siding is preferable to pressboard or other composite materials.  In addition, check with the contractor on the amount of overlap (“lap”) that will be applied to each board, this can make a difference on material costs.  Also, consider pre-painted siding.  This can be used as a selling point with potential buyers since boards won’t have to be repainted every few years.
4. Kitchen Remodel (72.8%) – When contemplating this remodel, be careful not to over-improve unless you plan on staying in the home a considerable amount of time.  To save money, look into keeping existing electrical wiring and plumbing.  Painting existing cabinets may also be an area to save.  One of the most important parts of the remodel – upgrading the countertop!
5. Deck Addition (72.8%) – Size is definitely important when considering this remodel.  Too small and the remodel will be viewed by buyers as useless.  Too big and you’ll never recoup the cost.  Adding a natural stain (wears more evenly than colored stains) can be a selling point as new buyers won’t have to worry about re-staining every year.

Richmond American Homes, a new home builder that builds in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine, just published a helpful article for home sellers.

Today the corporate office for Prudential Network Real Estate sponsored a strategy session to discuss effective ways to list and sell luxury properties. I met with about 20 other selected agents to share success stories and brainstorm new ideas for selling “high end” properties in the Ponte Vedra Beach & Jacksonville area. This was a great opportunity to compare notes and share strategies for selling luxury homes (i.e., real estate priced above $900,000). I was very pleased to learn that Prudential Network Real Estate dominates the luxury real estate market in the Northeast Florida area. Over the last year, Prudential agents have listed almost 20% of the luxury properties and sold over 21% of the those high-end homes. It was great to learn that Prudential’s average sale price was almost $100,000 higher than the second ranked real estate office (even though they have four times as many agents as Prudential).

Practical Home Selling Advice to Draw in Potential Buyers

Curb appeal refers to the first impression formed of your house from the street by potential buyers.  Having the right amount of appeal can literally make the difference between a potential buyer stopping to view the residence or continue driving.

You probably recognize that selling a house in the current market is a challenge.  With many houses available, and those houses for sale staying on the market longer, potential buyers have more to choose from, feel less pressure to act now, and can be more demanding about concessions from sellers.  For these reasons, once you have made the decision to sell, and enlisted the help of a highly competent agent, you need to do everything possible to make your property stand-out and command the attention of buyers.  Below are some tips on what to do and why: