I DON'T CARE, I'M SELLING MY HOUSE "AS IS!"

"I DON'T CARE, I'M SELLING MY HOUSE "AS IS"

Unless your target buyer is Austin Powers you probably need to get rid of that psychedelic purple mylar wallpaper and that green shag carpeting you installed thirty years ago. Remember, it was new when you bought the house but it's 30 years later! Your decorating is not new to a young buyer.

"Know thyself!" This ancient Greek axiom also applies to how you perceive your own home ... a place where self-deception is apparently in abundant supply. Condition rules, especially in a tough market where buyers are and can afford to be selective. Houses in superior condition sell first and for more money. If your property shows poorly then you're at a competitive disadvantage. So how do you know when your house could use a little "sprucing-up?"

A good place to start is to ask your real estate agent what they think. A good agent will offer their opinion whether it is solicited by you or not. Find out how your house stacks up against the competition by visiting competing for-sale properties in your neighborhood at Sunday open houses. Don't be shy. Your nosy neighbor will be snooping around your place too when it's on the market! If houses in your price range show better than yours, then make a few updates or lower your asking price, unless of course you prefer to wait for the market to change. Good luck with that!

Expensive renovations may of course be unaffordable and may not always net a great enough return on your dollar, so you've got to be careful. Another caveat is avoiding the temptation to cut corners. We've seen some sellers spend thousands of dollars installing granite countertops on dated 1950's cabinetry. This makes no sense at all. Hire a professional and don't cut corners. Offering a so-called "decorating allowance" may have worked in the good old days, but this doesn't work so well today. Young buyers do not share your pioneer do-it-yourself spirit. They're too busy.

Finally, if you're selling "as is" then do yourself a huge favor and price your house to sell.

There are many available articles out there with information on how much you can expect to recoup from various updates and improvements.

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