Amazon sells them cheap! As low as $1 or so per hinge. Yes, you open the door so the entire hinge is visible and take out/replace them one by one.
You don’t have to do any work you don’t want to.
Imo, in a down market, where you’re already losing $, the trick is to figure the minimum investment to get it sold, at something other than a fire sale price.
For the most part, that’s minimum 1. curb appearance and 2. first view in the door, because those set the lure. Plus, major structural because the prospect of that work scares folks and can shut down a happy prospect. Most recent wallpaper is peelable (installed in at least the last 25 years, maybe longer. ou could test a hidden corner.) So it may be very easy for you to take it down in the front hall- or leave it to buyers. The decision depends on how good the hall looks.
We’re not in a down market, but I know which improvements will lead to a higher list price. It sure isn’t granite. Not here. But we are having the house repainted and the boiler replaced. We already repainted the hall (because I wanted a lighter color) and I’ll get the floors and stairs refinished, at least the 1st floor.
We do have a leak into the basement laundry room, but it’s contained to that and is a grading issue. Meaning: lawn guy can fix it, slope the land at the foundation so water runs off the other direction. Then, yes, we’ll spray the laundry room with a water resist paint- but because otherwise, it looks dingy and this is an easy job.
Hinges would be last on my list. Imo, that’s great in a high market, when $50 can net you many, many dollars more in ROI.
Hi, all. Within the last couple of years we sold my mother’s house, our house, then bought a new house. Everyone’s local market may be different, but I’m sharing thoughts from my own experience with buyers and as a buyer:
- Clean. Declutter. Clean again.
- Repair all little defects. Sometimes we get used to something and don’t even see it anymore. But buyers will notice anything that’s there and defective. You notice what’s wrong before you notice what’s missing. So large scratches, cracks - even little ones - in windows, etc attract the eye. Once the buyer sees them the reaction is, “what else have they let go?”
- Consolation is right about old homes being a different market. But if your house isn’t the good kind of old, bring it up to modern standards in any way you can inexpensively. Change door knobs & lights to brushed nickel or oil rubbed bronze wherever you can.
- if there is a light fixture or other attached item which is out of fashion but just too beautiful / expensive / good quality for you to change it, then don’t. But take it off to keep it for your next place, and replace it with something cheaper but modern. (And if it seems too much trouble to do that, you see the buyer’s problem…)
- if you have a dining room buffet/hutch/breakfront, take the top part (the glassed shelves) off and store it somewhere. Instead, put up a picture or some kind of decoration. I put mine back up in our new house because that’s my taste. But younger buyers don’t like them and apparently they give a dated feel to the house.
- Take a hard look at the yard. It’s important to do this first, actually, since plants may need to grow or repair themselves. Prune and plant as appropriate. If you’re putting your house on the market in the spring, plant bulbs and flowers that bloom in spring and early summer. If you’re selling in autumn, make sure the yard will look good in the autumn.
- Pay lots of attention to the outside front door and the entrance hall. Good first impressions are important. Bad first impressions mean the rest of your house has to be perfect.
- Most people can’t get rid of all their furniture. But make sure at least that there are no pieces blocking windows, doors or fireplaces.
This is just my lessons learned from our own experience. Others may see things differently. Good luck.
Magic erasers work like… magic. Our realtor seriously though we repainted the living room. Nope. I simply made sure there were no marks on the walls.
You never know what the buyers are looking for. Our buyers were thrilled to find our 18 yr old carpets and paint in very good shape. They did not want new paint or carpet! They wanted no off-gassing so their kids would not be exposed to chemicals. Go figure.
Know something? There’s a world of difference between a good brass knob in good shape and the crappy plated stuff that wears off and looks bad. No way I would change to polished nickel just because in some areas and some house styles, it’s preferred. Not in my area.
You have to know your area, the good, the crappy, the sorts of buyers, how they want to use your home: big corporate hoohas who will entertain (hey, they can afford to strip the wallpaper, lol.) Or young families who want things safe and comfy for their kids, enough room to hide the play things, place for a BBQ.
If you change the knobs, also change the hinges. Mismatched hardware on a door will be noticeable. We replaced knobs and hinges in the new house. Our 84 hinges were about $125 and we installed them in a few hours.
For those that are contemplating selling, get a list of 5 or 6 houses in the vicinity that sold recently. Look for the ones that sold fast in your same price range.
Drive by and check them out for their curb appeal as compared to others that are not selling, or had to lower the price. Then go online and see if you can find photos from the listing. Compare your interior to the ones that sold fast.
Then you need to research listings that are still active for sale. You just have to be better than those guys:)
The only time I do the hinges is for me, if I am moving in. I won’t do that for resale unless the kitchen happens to be vintage and changing it all out to match makes financial sense, as I am doing in a 50’s kitchen with a lot of chrome right now.
Light fixtures are where it’s at. Change those to bling it up and it makes a huge difference. I have sold many houses and I think light fixtures and paint are the most cost effective changes one can make. I would not paint cabinets, because it will cost thousands to have it done correctly, but I will change out all the hardware and light fixtures and appliances and add can lights to make it super bright.
Watch your local listing board and note what sells quickly. Light, bright, shine, and bling. Get rid of the dark colors. Sure you might love that navy or brown dining room or bedroom but it typically feels like a cave. Buyers want bright and blingy today.
"thumper: Please explain how you replace the door hinges without removing the door? The hinges are also screwed to the door itself. I guess you could replace on hinge at a time on the doors…and not need to remove them…is that what you mean?
We have a LOT of doors in this house with three hinges each…yikes. "
You are exactly right. I’ve just spent a week doing this with my handyman, only for a very specific reason in a vintage kitchen. Doors have to come off, and even if the hinge looks identical and the hole placement is the same (as the ones I found), it might have the hinge/swivel part set at a different angle and then the doors will not close. Thank the Lord I found a vise in the basement attached to an old work station. We had to bend every single hinge to get the doors to close.
Never doing that again. Change the handles and skip the hinges unless they are huge and bright as beacons.
We are talking not about kitchen cabinet hinges but about room door hardware. I would not do anything to kitchen door hardware other than the knobs.
I’ve had fun reading this, as I’ll probably have to sell my co-apartment in the next few years. I’m really reluctant to spend much fixing things up, as it seems more than half the recent buyers have done gut restorations. So, I’m not sure it’s worth it to repaint and fix up my ancient bathrooms as a purchaser will probably gut them.
"BunsenBurner: We are talking not about kitchen cabinet hinges but about room door hardware. I would not do anything to kitchen door hardware other than the knobs.
I’ve done that too, in a previous house. They can still be nonstandard, making hole placement and closure a bit off, so check carefully first.
If your targeted buyer is someone who will want a complete reno, then declutter, clean everything, and remove personal artifacts. There is an area south of us where houses built in the seventies with original kitchens and baths can easily sell for significant amounts over listing prices, and the majority of those buyers are flippers or new home builders.
If the door hardware is no longer standard… then don’t change it. Chances are high the buyers will need new doors. 
Enjoying a glass of wine on the sofa.
We just finished having our first open house today after listing it thursday.
Have Iived in and loved our 200 plus yr old house for 35 yrs. Both kids are settled elsewhere. Our house is not large , about 1900 Sq ft.
But upkeep is a pain, large yard, astronomical taxes.
Realtor said there was a good turnout, about 15 couples, 2-3 seemed truly interested.
Fingers crossed.We live in a desirable town in northern NJ so we are hopeful.
We removed all wallpaper, pulled all carpet up and refinished the original hardwood that was hidden all these years.
Looking g forward to our tiny 2 br, 1.5 bath home 10 miles away on a smallish lake.
Best luck to all!
I have an investment (flip) house currently on the market. The bedroom size is reasonable, and indicated on the online floor plan. I did not furnish the bedrooms when I staged the house. Prospective buyer after buyer complained the bedrooms were too small. Once I added little twin beds to the secondary bedrooms along with area rugs there has not been a single complaint on room size. I would have furnishings in every room to show scale.
I love reading this thread because we are preparing to sell next year. We had the back siding replaced a few weeks ago and waiting to get it painted. I just need to get quotes to repair the driveway and I think the big things are done.
We had issues with our basement and had to hire a basement waterproofing co. We had 3 different issues so I’m sharing them in case it helps someone else.
1-gutter was draining next to house, rerouted with extenders
2-window well was filling and draining into basement through window. Replaced window well cover, filled hole next to well, replaced window.
3-water coming in through area by wall/floor. We ended up with a French drain and sump pump.
Knock on wood, all totally dry and we finally replaced the flooring. Annoying because the previous owners “fixed” it with waterproof paint. I suspect they had bigger issues than they shared.
The last time we sold, I bought new towels, door mats, and set a cute table. We arranged everything so we could set out the show ready stuff easily and be out for a showing quickly.
It help me to take pics of our rooms and “see” them with fresh eyes. It’s much easier to pick out the needed decluttering and how things look. I also have the Zillow app and look at listings in our next city as well as our neighborhood to see how things are selling and in what condition.
Interesting @cnp55 . thanks for sharing that tidbit
Friend just texted to say her house sold, one week. She left the wallpaper, the red walls, old kitchen and more. Beautiful home with excellent bones. That seems to have trumped.
Absolutely - know your target buyers!