When we first enter a home, it's natural to look down before we look up because we prefer to watch our first step. So if you want to add a show-stopping feature and increase the value of your home, your own first step should be to install beautiful, durable hardwood flooring from Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo.
Depending on your neighborhood, it's estimated that hardwood flooring can add up to a 20 percent premium to your home. Potential buyers see floor coverings before kitchen cabinets, interior walls, or the stone fireplace in the living room, so it makes sense to invest in hardwood improvements.
Believe it or not, carpeting, even new carpeting, does not impress those evaluating your home for purchase. More often than not, today's buyer almost always rips up carpeting, electing to refinish the hardwood underneath, or installing new hardwood. When a potential buyer sees carpet, they see a lower value along with higher costs that they will need to pay to replace it. This can reduce the offer on your home, as well as increase time on the market.
At a time when there is often a glut of homes for sale in any given market, finding ways to get your listing noticed is of utmost importance. Home improvements draw potential buyers to view your home, and can lead to higher offers. but nothing beats hardwood floors as an affordable and easy way to transform the look of your home and get the price you demand.
Before you consider adding the expense of hardwood to increase the value of your home, determine the exact equity in your home. For example, if your neighborhood sets the cap value at $400,000 for a home such as yours, and you owe $398,000 on your mortgage, changing the flooring will put you upside-down on value until your neighborhood valuation adjusts. So before you write that check, you should carefully weigh the cost of changing the floor against three factors: neighborhood comparatives, your aggregate mortgage and current market conditions.
There are also cases, especially in older, lower-end neighborhoods, where you may end up "over improving" your home and may not be able to recoup the investment. Buyers in these markets may not elect to spend more than a certain amount to buy your home given the area, schools, stage of life, etc. It is wise to consult your real estate agent and/or home stager to get their opinion.
If it makes sense in terms of equity and neighborhood, hardwood floors are considered one of the most popular flooring materials the world over. Not only do they increase the value of your house but also offer you many benefits:
•Hardwood floors are durable and have a long life. Well maintained, hardwood floors can last up to 100 years or more.
•These floors are very easy to maintain and need little more than sweeping and vacuuming. You can also polish them very easily.
•They are cozy and warm, which makes them ideal to walk on than other surfaces. Wood is an excellent insulator due to thousands of tiny air chambers that hold in heat.
Most buyers can see beyond the superficial additions that real estate agents may suggest. In this economy, shoppers are looking for improvements that add quality and will last for many years to come. Most buyers mention hardwood as a "must" for their new home.
Not only do hardwood floors give a new and clean look to a room, it also creates the impression of a larger space. Hardwood is great at reflecting the light and brightening even the darkest room. Plus, quality hardwood is easy to clean and maintain.
Merely asking a buyer to visualize the addition of hardwood floors is not enough. giving potential buyers that visual impact upon entering your home pays dividends, and evidence suggests they will pay slightly more for a home when they are wowed by hardwood.
If you have any doubt, ask a real estate agent for advice. Most agents will recommend updating a home's floors before listing it on the market. Not only will a new wood floor draw potential buyers to your listing, it will also make your home stand out from the competition.
At Cinderella we offer a wide selection of hardwood flooring from the finest hardwood flooring manufacturers including: Mannington, Armstrong, Bruce and Shaw. Our professional sales staff has the knowledge to help you choose the right hardwood floor to match any lifestyle and decor. Contact us today for your free in-home measurement and consultation. And remember to ask about our in stock specials!
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