Fireplaces warm homebuyers’ hearts, and with winter just around the corner, the fireplace takes on greater importance in the sale of a home. The warm glow of a fire on a cold winter night can be magical.

 

One of the most popular requests from buyers purchasing a home is a fireplace. People love   the ambiance that a blaze provides, while others rely on their fireplaces to keep them warm and cozy during chilly winter months. Many homes in New England have fireplaces, but for the ones that do not, more and more homeowners are looking for ways to install them. It is becoming a sought-after amenity and homes boasting this feature see its benefits when selling a home.

Your fireplace is the focal point when people visit your home and should complement the rest of your home decor. That is why it is important to ensure that the look of your fireplace has been updated and is working properly. Yearly cleanings are essential to maintaining a well-functioning fireplace or wood and pellet stove.

During your yearly cleaning, ask the company you hired to check out the exterior chimney. All too often there is some type of repair needed, from loose bricks to repointing the chimney. Investing in this yearly maintenance will make a difference when you decide to sell your home.

An older-looking fireplace that looks like an eye-sore can be easily updated. It doesn’t take much to enhance a fireplace before selling your home. To start, begin by looking at the rest of the room and see what statement you want to make with the fireplace. For example, if you have an older fireplace with red bricks, consider resurfacing over the bricks, or explore different painting techniques like faux finishes. For other fireplaces, it could be as simple as changing the mantel, adding a more decorative screen, or placing a beautiful piece of art above it.

Let’s talk about transforming your fireplace

Transformative materials that are easy to work with are tile, manufactured stone, granite, marble, and wood.  Lately, what has become extremely popular is painting over old, red brick, which will make a huge improvement on the look of the fireplace. A stone fireplace can set a home apart and significantly improve resale value. Adding a mantel will frame and enhance the fireplace. There are a multitude of styles and designs for mantels, from modern and traditional to craftsman. Keeping the mantel clean and uncluttered is also a must. You want the focal point to be the fireplace. It is fine to decorate with a few accessories but try not to detract from the fireplace itself.

Now, onto the popular gas fireplace

I have been listing and selling homes for over 16 years. By far, one of the most popular requests is a gas fireplace, fueled either by natural or propane gas. You see them more and more in homes and they are a popular request from buyers, as well as easy to use. Plus, they can be installed just about anywhere in the home. There is no need for a chimney, wood or even matches with this type of fireplace, and there is no mess to clean up either. Most recently, I listed a home with a gas fireplace. At first, because of the style, I thought it was a wood or pellet stove, but was pleasantly surprised it was a gas stove. The heat generated from the stove felt wonderful and the stove was a lovely added feature for the family room.

Another option to consider is an electric fireplace

If you want to add a fireplace, consider an electric fireplace as it’s often the least expensive option, reasonably easy to install and more advanced than earlier models. Technology has made them more beautiful than ever, and some can even be operated by remote control. Users can turn on both the flame and heat, or just one. Another benefit is that they can operate year-round in any climate and are easy to clean and maintain.

Finally, regardless of the season, a fireplace should be kept clean and in good working order. You want the buyer feeling great about that room, knowing they can move in and sit in front of that wonderful fireplace. There are very few things as warm and inviting as a fireplace.

Celebrating Veterans Day

During this November, we will take the time to remember our Veterans for their service for our country. Veterans live within our neighborhoods and communities going about their daily lives without many of us knowing about their service and sacrifice for our country. As a founding member of Boros Cares For Troops, we started a quest to honor our veterans with the Hometown Heroes Program. Our mission is to display banners of all our Veterans along our main streets, connecting one community to another.

If you would like to donate to this very worthy project, please send your donation to Boros Cares For Troops Hometown Heroes, PO Box 304, Northborough, MA 01532 or visit www.bc4t.org for more information. We truly appreciate your support.

In closing….

The inventory is exceptionally low, and as you know, buyers are out there looking for homes to purchase. I am meeting with sellers to list their home. If you want to sell your home this year or next year, please let     me help you stage, prepare and sell your home while attracting the most buyers.

If you are thinking of selling your home, please call me, Michelle Gillespie, at 508-934-9818 or email [email protected].  Visit my website at www.michellegillespie.com for more information.