Getting Fresh: How Aged is Your House?

Getting Fresh: How Aged is Your House?

Getting Fresh: How Aged is Your House?

Youth…it seems that most people (except the young) are chasing it in some form or fashion. Your house wants to be young again too! It is common to have tunnel vision when it comes to your home’s overall look and whether or not it is updated to the modern aesthetic. We are all guilty. Just like your wardrobe, your home needs to be refined every so often. With some determination, you can (mostly) DIY your house to a more youthful appearance all while eliminating fine lines and wrinkles! Just kidding, this is not an infomercial for wrinkle cream. See how your home stacks up against the test of time with these 6 common “home agers”:

Cream of Avocado –

Any appliances that are avocado green, almond or harvest gold will make your home seem dated. If you don’t want to make the leap to stainless steel, go with classic white or even black appliances. It is amazing how changing out the appliances will add new life to your kitchen! If you want a pop of color, opt for a bright red toaster, neon nesting bowls or an accent wall that are much cheaper to replace when the color trends invariably change.

Technicolor Ceramics –

Home color styles can get very “of the moment” and the trendier the color, the harder it will fall once it’s past its prime. Trendy designs are so HOT when they are on trend and they are so NOT once they are passé. These are the items that tend to date a house the most, unfortunately. The usual suspects include pink, blue, green or yellow tiled bathrooms with bonus points for coordinating toilets and tubs. Replacing an entire bathroom full of pink tile with matching pink toilet and tub can get pricey. However, if your tile is in good condition, you can have the surface refinished to ditch yesterday’s color trend without having to remodel your entire bathroom. You can also DIY this process, but the chemicals are caustic, so unless you are knowledgeable on the process, I’d leave this one to the pros.

What a transformation! This are resurfacing results. Image Credit via Miracle Method Resurfacing

Wild Borders –

Wallpaper borders are out of fashion, especially those that are accentuated with large floral patterns. While they were in vogue for many years, today’s buyers only see dollar signs and hard work to strip off the borders. Tackle this DIY project one room at a time and update your space in spades. Wallpaper itself, however, is making a comeback with textured tone-on-tone varieties and muted neutral pattern prints.
 

The wallpaper border isn’t the only hideous design choice going on here. Strip it and Paint. It. Out. Image via UglyHousePhotos.

I feel ugly, oh so ugly! Poor room needs the border gone and a coat of neutral paint. Image via UglyHousePhotos.

Wood in Your ‘Hood—

This is a home feature that has no middle ground. You either love it or you really, really hate it. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but most buyers fall into the “hate it” category and I have had clients that will not even look at a house with wood paneling. Seriously. The good news is, wood paneling is an easy update—just paint it a light neutral color! Easy updates are the best, aren’t they? An exception on the wood paneling is for knotty pine—many people love knotty pine and that is the only kind of paneling I wouldn’t immediately advise to paint only because it does have a cult mystique all its own.

Home buyers do NOT love wood paneling, as a general rule. It screams of decades past (and not in a good way). Image Via UglyHousePhotos.

This is the exception to the rule–knotty pine paneling can be very striking! How gorgeous is this room from The Woodworker’s Shoppe.

Popped!—

Oh, those popcorn ceilings…well, it was a great idea in the 80s. This is a matter of personal tastes, but many buyers cringe when they see popcorn ceilings. Think buyers won’t notice? Think again. Removing popcorn can be a DIY project, if you’re brave. No matter how easy the DIY shows make it look, don’t kid yourself; it’s not as easy as it looks and you’re in for some hardcore sweating. Alternatively, you can always get a quote from a professional. It’s not cheap to get it removed, but it’s an instant 30-year facelift for your home’s interior.

Before Popcorn Ceiling Removal. Check out this Great DIY Tutorial from RemoveandReplace if you are thinking of tackling the job.

After! Smooth like silk. Image and tutorial via Repair & Replace.

 Soggy Steps—

Carpet has fallen out of vogue in recent years, but many people still want carpet, especially in bedrooms. However, there are cases where carpet can exist in all the wrong places—such as bathrooms. If your bathroom has carpet, consider replacing it with hard surface flooring. Carpet and moisture don’t mix and can create a mold factory if the carpet stays wet. If you like carpet because it is softer, you can keep the plush feeling with a thick bathroom rug while eliminating the “ick factor” altogether.

Carpet around the toilet gives buyers and visitors the creeps (especially around the toilet, as I’m sure you can image!) Image via HomerepairTutor

 Home Updates Matter

If you’ve got a case of “home agers,” you’re not alone. I recommend you start a regimen of 2 hours of painting and call me in the morning. Even though these aren’t the glitzy remodels that most home improvement gurus talk about, they are deal killers and they will lower the overall value of your house. Everyone wants to stay young and your home is no different. Generally speaking, the more updated a home is, the more it is worth and “little updates” matter big time to your wallet when it comes time to sell. Plus, you might as well enjoy the updates before you list it! Home updates don’t just freshen the home for you to enjoy, it also makes dollars and cents.
 
Lisa E. Priest loves the smell of fresh paint and is a Palestine, Texas REALTOR® and Property Manager with Picket Fence Realty, Inc. You can reach her via phone or text at 903-948-3343 or read more at BuyPalestine.com.