Clear out garage – then clean up with better sale price
Q: My husband and I are preparing to sell our house this year. We have had at least one car in the driveway almost the entire time we have owned the house, but our Realtor wants us to clear out enough items in the garage to park both cars in there because it’s better for curb appeal. Would you give us some tips to clear the garage?
A: Though research shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans have either a garage or a carport, just 30 percent use the space to actually house a vehicle. If you’re like the majority, that’s because there’s just too much other stuff taking up all that space.
With a little time and effort, however, you can get your garage in tip-top shape with these organizing tips from our local insurance carrier:
Free up floor space by nailing angled wooden brackets to the wall. Use the brackets to hang lawn chairs, shovels, sports equipment and other bulky items.
Organize yard tools by rolling up a PVC tube and placing some screws into the spot where the edges meet to create a tool slot.
If small objects like nails and screws are littered throughout the garage, grab some mason jars and labels and start collecting these wayward items in the containers.
If the garage is a sea of roving sports balls, hook a few bungee cords into a secure surface and use it to corral basketballs, soccer balls, beach balls and the like into neat piles.
There’s nothing like a well-placed magnetic strip for getting scissors, screwdrivers and other small metal tools out of the way while still keeping them accessible.
If you’ve got picnic and beach gear taking up space in the garage, invest in a big laundry basket to collect umbrellas, scuba gear, sand toys and mini coolers.
Make the process of cleaning up easy moving forward by mounting a paper towel holder to the wall and using it to hold a roll of garbage bags.
Once you have everything cleaned out and organized, consider making the garage more aesthetically pleasing by giving it a coat of fresh paint.
Host a garage sale and try selling anything that’s still in good shape. Otherwise, go online and determine how to safely dispose of things you no longer need. Whatever you do, don’t put unwanted items back in the garage.
Q: My wife and I are considering selling our home, so we are looking into improvements that bring the highest rate of return on our investment. Redoing the kitchen or bathrooms might be more than we can afford. Should we redo some of the flooring? We have a 30-day window.
A: The latest research shows that home renovations focused on the exterior of a property are most likely to generate a positive cost-to-value ratio. “However, not all home improvement projects offer a full return on investment. Cost doesn’t necessarily equal value,” noted Stephen Wagner, president of the Appraisal Institute.
According to Remodeling magazine’s most recent cost vs. value report, the projects with the highest expected return on investment are:
Garage door replacement. A simple paint job won’t do if the garage door looks shabby, so consider a new door.
Manufactured stone veneer and siding replacement. Replacing the siding will completely change the look of your home.
Deck addition. A deck is one of the few additions that bring immediate returns. Adding another block of indoor living space is much more costly and may not appeal to every buyer.
Entry door replacements. The entry door is one of the first things people see when they approach your home, and it’s relatively inexpensive to replace.
Send your question and look for your answer in a future column. Email Lynne@LynneFrench.com. French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates. Contact her at 672-8787 or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.