Remember the commercial that asked, “Is it live… or is it Memorex?” The commercial claimed that the recording quality of Memorex tapes was so high that you couldn’t tell the difference between a live performance by Ella Fitzgerald and a tape recording. While it was a little difficult to take that claim seriously, a recording of Ella would possibly be the next best thing.

When it comes to home ownership, sometimes furnishing your home with the real thing or the top of the line item can be a little too pricey. And while the next best thing may not be as good as the top of the line, it may be an acceptable substitute.

Probably one of the most acceptable faux home products is vinyl siding. Sure, it’s not brick or cedar or even a composite, but it can give the appearance of wood (sometimes), it’s easy to install, and easy to replace when damaged. Here are some other faux ideas for your home that I’ve come across. Some of these solutions may look or work just as well and in turn save you a good chunk of change.

Big Dogs in Small Packages: The best way to keep intruders out of your home is to have a big dog.  Of course the problem with keeping a big dog is that they need attention and space and they can cost a lot of money. As much or more than an alarm service. What’s the solution? A security gadget like this Rex Plus, The Electronic WatchDog.

Devices like this have radar eyes that can sense movement through doors, walls, and even glass, and when it detects an intruder, it’ll play realistic barking sounds that resonate through the house and can be heard outside. For more realism, the bark of the “guard dog” gets louder and more frequent the closer the intruder gets. No fancy installation is required; just plug it in and mount it somewhere it can keep an electronic eye on the premises.

A Window to your Heart: How about dressing up the exterior of your home by adding a window or two to that outside wall? Real window installation can cost thousands but a company called FoWin makes fake windows that dress up the outside of your home.  You can’t see out of them, but from the outside they can add that inviting touch and break up the monotony of endless siding.

Another Vinyl Brick in the Wall: Is your house covered completely in vinyl siding? Do you wish that you had a little brick or stone work to break up the siding pattern? One option is to consider Vinyl stone or brick work siding. It installs like regular vinyl siding and can create a great realistic look. – Most people aren’t opposed to using vinyl siding which is supposed to give the appearance of wood, so why would someone complain about vinyl stones. Check out this: Texture Plus Indoor/Outdoor Siding Panel, Stacked Stone, Light Tan – Interlocking

Some other faux home products include:

While these products may not be exactly what you dreamed of, for the time being they may be the next best thing. And since Ella isn’t going to make an appearance, Memorex will work just fine.

AFTER

I’m pretty sure all my clients knows this, but for some reason many of them do not think it applies to their home. Just because you put $20,000 into a new kitchen, it doesn’t mean that your house is now worth $20,000 more. There is rarely a dollar for dollar increase in the value of a home for work done. In most cases, the best you can expect out of a renovation/remodeling project is 80% of what you spent, and that really depends on what neighborhood, city, and/or state you live in. And that number is extremely optimistic.

BEFORE

So if you’re considering doing some updates to your home, keep in mind the reason why you are doing the updates. Are you updating to sell the home? Or are you updating because you want to enjoy the new, modern look and amenities? If you’re updating to sell, cost is more important than ever. Obviously, you don’t want to give your hard earned money away, and that’s exactly what you will be doing if you buy top of the line. You want to spend on your updates so that the home sparkles for the buyers when they first walk in, but also doesn’t say “cheap remodel”. On the other hand, if you are remodeling to enjoy it, then go for it. But remember that when you go to sell, you’re not getting all that money back.

Often people put upgrades in their home that force them to overprice their home for the neighborhood. If you live in a neighborhood where every home has laminate countertops and standard cabinetry, and you put in granite and custom cabinets, the price of your home may not increase at all (you have to get past the appraiser). The advantage you have is in salability. The buyer will more likely choose your home over other listings because of those high end updates. So your upgrades may not increase your home’s value, but they may make for a quicker sale, and that right there can easily translate in to dollars.

If you’ve decided that you need to make some updates to prepare you home for sale, you should focus on two areas first: the kitchen and bathrooms. This does not mean that you should neglect the rest of your home. You still need to do a deep cleaning, re-paint or touch-up certain areas, and repair the trim work. But if you are planning to go all out, you’ll get more of your money back on kitchen and bath remodels. However, if your home needs new windows and has rotting siding, you are going to have to give those attention because when it comes time for the inspection those issues are going to come up.

Ultimately, it goes back to one of my previous posts where I stated that it is expensive to sell your home. Not only do you need to do a heavy cleaning and decluttering, but you may need to do some expensive updates or repairs. And then there is the exterior and the all so necessary curb appeal. Try and put your money where it will provide you with the best return. I regularly enoucourage my sellers to starting with the exterior because that is what the buyer sees first when they come to look at your house. Next focus on the entry because again it is the first impression of the interior of your home. And if you feel like you must do a major remodel or update, save that for step two. You may find that with a few simple touch-ups, a remodel isn’t needed and save yourself a ton of money.

Have you ever done any remodeling or major fixes before listing your home for sale? What special tricks have you used to make your home sparkle without spending a lot of money? Please share your successes and failures.