One way to shine in a competitive housing market is to create a good first impression.
According to home-selling experts, some quick tips for speeding up this process include burning candles during open houses, filling the home with the aroma of fresh-baked cookies and hanging a wreath on the front door.
Home-improvement experts say that investing several thousand dollars in new kitchen countertops or a bathroom remodel will give the home a whole new look and that you will most likely recoup your entire investment, if not more.
A quick fix can make a significant difference but you don't have to spend a fortune, say experts at lighting control manufacturer Lutron Electronics. An inexpensive yet effective way to increase a home's curb appeal while adding value for its next owner: Add dimmers in key rooms of the home.
Priced from just $10, dimmers can completely change the look and feel of a room while adding ambiance and creating moods, not to mention saving energy and increasing the life of your lightbulbs. Plus, your listing can include a mention of your dimmers, to differentiate it from the rest.
Dimmers can improve the mood in large and small homes. Cramped for space? A dimmer turns a family room into a home theater, a homework station and a workout room, while an eat-in kitchen can be transformed into a romantic dinner-for-two paradise, just by adjusting the lights.
Want to really be a standout in your market? Add a wireless, whole-home lighting control system that lets you turn lights on and off from the car, your bed, the patio or any room of the home. This type of system significantly increases home value while providing added safety benefits, such as tying in with a security system.
Adding dimmers is truly a quick fix, requiring less than 15 minutes for installation time. If you run into trouble, help is just a phone call away; Lutron offers a free, 24-hour/seven-day technical support center.
Dimmers are available nationwide at home improvement centers and lighting showrooms.
Author: Trevor Russell
Author Bio:
The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (www.995HOPE.org) is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeowners facing financial difficulties retain their homeownership. (888) 995-HOPE-Hotline to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.
