Alright, you have spend the last 4 weeks watching some renovation program on television and have formulated some ideas about what you want to do with your condo to help it sell better. With hammer and wallpaper in hand and the words of Bob Vila coursing through your mind you are bound & determined to create the perfect living space in a short amount of time without blowing anything up. Good luck! The question you should ask yourself is "Am I Bob Vila or Tim Taylor?"

Let's be honest, those shows make renovations look so easy. In fact, they make it look so easy that you are considering putting in skylights (the upstairs condo won't mind), new windows, a heated sub floor (downstairs condo gets free heat) and several other improvements that take specialists years to learn how to install. The reason that this is a concern is that if renovations are done sloppily or unprofessionally, buyers will notice. Usually all it takes is for them to notice one small flaw in a fix and they begin wondering what else has been "tampered with?" You may start with the best of intentions but you also need to be realistic about your abilities when it comes to renovations. Don't start any projects that your aren't completely confident that you can finish.

Sometimes when you overestimate your abilities in renovations you end up causing more problems that you fix. More than a few condo and home owners have started projects only to call a professional when things finally get out of hand. By this time it usually involves the owner coming out of wallet as well. Take the time to talk to someone who knows renovations before starting anything. Ask them about your particular project and if there is any danger of causing damage to the property. Also, find out if you have all the necessary tools for the job. There is nothing worse then getting halfway into a project only to realize your suddenly need an arc welder.....or a backhoe.

Andy Asbury is a professional Real Estate agent who specializes in Minneapolis Lofts & Condos. The Asbury Group is dedicated to the highest level customer service and supplying an elite level of service in the Minneapolis real estate market.