I will warm your heart as a listing agent…

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 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 the benefits when selling the 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, wood, or pellet stove.

During your yearly cleaning, ask the company you hired to check out the exterior chimney for any needed, repairs from loose bricks to repointing the chimney. Investing in this yearly maintenance will make a difference when you decide to sell your home.

A dated fireplace that looks like an eyesore can be easily updated and it doesn’t take much to enhance a fireplace. 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 or adding a more decorative screen.

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 the 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 20 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. 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.

Another option to consider is an electric fireplace

If you want to add a fireplace, consider an electric fireplace as it is often the least expensive option, reasonably easy to install and more advanced than earlier models. Technology has made them more efficient and easier to operate. Users can turn on just the flame or heat, or both. Another benefit is electric fireplaces can operate year-round in any climate, 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.

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.michelle-gillespie.com for more information.

 

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Keller Williams Pinnacle Metrowest

114 Turnpike Road, Suite 201

Westborough, MA 01581

All sales data is obtained from the MLS PIN