If you are trying to sell your home right now, you have realized that it is a difficult market for sellers. Making your home appealing to buyers is now more important than ever. This can be achieved with several easy, cost effective methods. And not to fear, if you know little about home improvement, handy men are only a phone call away and usually offer their services for a nominally small fee.

Yard Upkeep and Maintenance

The first thing that a potential buyer will notice about your home is the look of the yard and the landscaping. Keep the lawn mowed and the flowerbeds mulched and full of vibrant (and most importantly-alive) plants. This adds a more welcoming feel to the house and means less work for the new owner.

Eliminate Clutter

Handy men are especially useful for building unique furniture and organizational fixtures right into the walls of your home. Shelves and cabinets can be used to store away the children’s toys and your paperwork, so that the house appears neat and orderly when you or the realtor show it to potential buyers.

Wash Walls and Windows

Cleanliness is next to godliness. Not many buyers want to walk into a dirty house. It is relatively simple to hook up a pressure washer and spray off years of dust and grime from your exterior walls and windows.

Paint

A good way to cover up wear and tear on the inside of the house is with a fresh coat of paint. You can cover up fingerprints and scuffmarks, while giving the house a cleaner, more fresh look. Choose colors that are warm (white is not necessarily the best choice) and inviting.

Clean the Carpets

Also, the carpets should be clean- especially if you have children or pets. You should always vacuum and steam clean the carpets before any showing. Again, a potential homeowner does not want to walk into a dirty house.

Refinish the Kitchen and the Bathroom Fixtures

One of the biggest turn offs to potential home buyers is outdated kitchen and bathroom fixtures. It is relatively simple to have a handy man replace your worn out kitchen cabinets with newer ones. Before attempting to sell a house, you should ensure that your fixtures are in good working order (no one wants to buy a leaky toilet) and are either the latest trend, or classic styles.

Use Maximum Wattage Bulbs

A dingy room, lit by a weak lightbulb, can actually make it appear to be dirty. You want to make sure that the house is spotless first, then install high wattage bulbs to illuminate the beauties of your house. Fluorescents are a cost effective and energy efficient option.

Keep All of the Light Switches and Electrical Wiring Up-to-Date

Also, the wiring in your house should be up to the current standards. Potential home buyers do not want to walk into a safety hazard. A handy man can help you with all of these minor repairs.

You have probably heard the horror stories from your friends and neighbors about how a handy man scammed them for hundreds of dollars and left their home in a state of disrepair. Unfortunately, this does occur. However, if you are informed about how to properly choose a handy man, based on his or her credentials and training, you can greatly benefit from their services. They offer convenient and quick home repairs and improvement. The following is a list of things that you should check into before you hire a handy man.

Training

Most qualified handy men have taken some form of training. Often, local community colleges and technical schools offer courses on home repair and improvements. After the completion of several of these courses, the handy man will receive some type of license or accreditation. If the handy man that you are looking to hire does not have some sort of certificate, you should ask him or her what qualifications they have. Did they learn their trade from a family member? How many years have they worked as handy men? Also, you should make sure that they are insured. You do not want to be held responsible if they are injured on the job, or if they make some sort of mistake in the repair process.

Individuals for Hire

The majority of handy men are individuals who offer their services on either a personal employee or freelance level. You may be able to hire your own personal handy man to help you out with various household tasks, and set up weekly or monthly appointments. Otherwise, you can check in your phone book for a listing of individuals who offer their services to the public.

Handy Man Companies

Some handy men, in an effort to get more work, are contracted out by a larger organization. If you would like a safety net, this is a good choice. The company will most likely screen its employees before they send them to your home, but you should still be asking questions about the company. How long has it been in business in your area? How many employees does it have? What do your friends and family say about this company? You should treat the contracting firm like an individual handy man.

Handy Man Club of America and Other Organizations

Another question you can ask your potential handy man is whether he or she is a member of the Handy Man Club of America or belongs to any other organizations. To be a member, the handy man has to pay a due, and receives the benefits of a community of other handy men. Often, these organizations have web sites, where the members can search for job postings and discuss issues and ideas about home repair and improvement. While you should still ask your potential handy man the tough questions about his or her background, if he or she has an organization on their resume, you know that he or she is committed to the job.