Advice on rehabbing low-end starter homes

[Eric M.]

I feel out of touch with what buyers of starter homes are looking for. When doing a cosmetic rehab, what little extras help a property stand out now days?
Examples
Tile or stone instead of linoleum
Granite Countertops
SS Appliances
WhirlPool tubs
Hardwood floors vs Laminate
Upgraded carpet
Certain window treatments
Extras like grills, etc included.

Any help is appreciated.

[Account Closed]

i use the lowes 67 cents/sq ft ceramic tile in starter home rehabs...buyers prefer this over vinyl, plus it's cheap..you can invexpensively dress it up with a border, accent, offset pattern or diagonal pattern, etc. there are ways to make tile look custom on a budget..granite countertops always impress a buyer who isn't expecting them and isn't seeing them in the other homes they've already looked at. as far as carpet, i don't think buyers realy take notice unless it's unclean or something. i also throw in an extra with a full price offer. for example, i prewired above the fireplace for cable, so for a full price offer, i'm offering a flat screen tv. if it's in the budget, a starter home is a good place to offer a washer and dryer or something, since many of these buyers might not own them yet if they're coming from a rental