Home Improvements That Increase Value
Are you planning on selling your home? You may be doing so for several reasons. You may be moving out, transferring to a better home in a new location, or working overseas.
Perhaps you may be in dire need of money as capital for your new business. Or you may be considering selling your old home once you reach retirement age.
Whatever your reason is, you need to sell your home at the highest appraisal value so you can get the most bang for your buck.
Tips in Increasing Your Property Value
When selling a pre-loved item, you most likely would invest some money, time, effort to make it look new or at least presentable.
For example, you might have your old car tuned up. You may need to have your old clothes carefully washed and ironed before displaying them in your garage sale.
The same idea goes with your home. You need to do some home improvement before you can put it on a listing.
Here are some home improvements that should help boost your property value so you can put the best price for your property in the market.
Reinvent your bedroom
Renovating a bedroom can be expensive, depending on the complexity of the project.
But whatever your renovation project is, it can definitely add a lot of value.
Remember that people spend a lot of time sleeping, so a property with a beautiful bedroom is a real come on.
- Here’s a tip: We recommend you hire an expert if you wish to renovate your bedroom. For example, you can consult with an interior designer on how to choose a mattress, carpet, paint scheme, or wall paneling that looks good in the room. You can ask for advice on how to make the bedroom more functional, comfortable, versatile, or energy efficient.
Painting your property
The idea of giving your home a fresh coat of paint may be quite simple.
But do you know those home improvements are actually a very simple and cost-effective way to increase your property value?
Newly painted rooms look updated, clean, fresh, and inviting.
- Here’s a tip: choose neutral colors such as white, light gray, beige, cream, or ivory. For most people, they’re quite appealing and easy on the eyes. It also allows them to better envision how the interior looks if they decide to repaint it. Know that vibrant and bold colors are strong and unpleasant to the eyes.
Use low-maintenance plants
Home improvements like a well-maintained and beautiful front yard definitely add curb appeal to your property.
Nicely trimmed grass, a beautiful carpet of flowers, or even a carefully laid out rock-scape makes your property very attractive to buyers.
The nice thing is that you don’t have to buy expensive, exotic plants to have a wonderful yard.
You only need to use plants that are native to your place. They require less water and maintenance for you and the future property owner.
- Here’s a tip: Look for perennials and easy-to-grow shrubs. Many landscapers also suggest that you add a tree not just to make your yard look great but also for cooling down the property to save on energy bills.
Increase your space visually
A lot of people consider the size and area of a property as an important factor that influences their buying decisions.
However, this doesn’t mean that you only need to look at the square footage. You need to make your home look and feel bigger.
As a current master’s degree in product and interior design explains, it’s vital to learn how to adapt and really master the art of change.
There are plenty of ways to do this – choose smaller furniture, remove clutter, use wall shelving, or reduce your decorations.
You can also replace heavy draperies with vertical blinds, shutters, or light curtains to let natural light in.
A bright, sunny room makes the interior feel less cramped and airy.
- Here’s a tip: Install a large mirror on one wall. Through its property of reflection, a mirror can visually double the space in a room.
Renovate for energy efficiency
No one wants to pay huge energy bills. Your home improvements may look really stunning, but if its energy-efficiency features haven’t been updated, it can turn off buyers.
That’s not surprising considering people now want to save every bit of money they have. Thus, make your home energy efficient. Replace old insulation with newer ones.
Take away those incandescent bulbs and replace them with CFLs or LED lights. Replace old power-guzzling appliances and HVAC systems with newer energy-efficient ones.
- Here’s a tip: install energy-efficient windows to lower energy bills. Look for ones with the Energy Star symbol. Energy-star qualified windows, doors, and skylights work together so you can save up to $500 annually in heating and cooling costs.
Update your bathroom and kitchen
Bathrooms and kitchens can make or break a property deal. Increase the value of your property by remodeling these very important rooms.
Replace old plumbing with new ones. Pry out old floors and put in new tiles. Install granite counters—they are tough, long-lasting, and cool. Throw out old kitchen appliances and bathroom features
- Here’s a tip: Bathroom and kitchen renovations can cost a lot. However, you don’t have to renovate in one go. You can start gradually to make your finances manageable. For example, you may start with just swapping out the sink, changing old faucets to new ones, putting on a water heater, or buying a brand new microwave. Small kitchen and bathroom updates already give great value to your home.
Add a deck
Outdoor home improvements are becoming more attractive to property buyers. They allow residents to simply relax and actually have a “vacation” right in their homes.
Knowing this, it’s a good idea to invest in a sturdy deck where homeowners can relax, chat, or have a barbecue.
Adding a deck can help get back 65 to 90% of your investment.
- Here’s a tip: Decks can vary in cost, from $1200 and more, depending on the materials and design. While you can definitely save money if you do it yourself, it’s usually better to leave the job to a professional deck contractor. They have the right equipment and experience to build you a sturdy and pretty deck that can give your home great value.
Conclusion
You need to prepare yourself for a wonderful date or for that all-important sales meeting. The same goes when preparing your property for sale.
With these home improvement tips, you can definitely make your home a superstar in a real estate listing.
Brett is a writer at ID-Mag. An enthusiast and expert when it comes to sleep products, Brett dedicates a lot of his time reading, researching, and reviewing about both traditional and emerging sleep brands that manufacture varied types of sleep products – from eco-mattresses, smart pillows to cooling sleep systems, Brett has probably reviewed them all. Brett also finds sleep especially important since he juggles a small business which he runs from home, makes sure he spends time with his daughter and he also writes during his spare time – you can definitely see that he needs a great forty winks all night, every night so he’ll make sure that you get great sleep, too!
Category: Housing
