The housing market is recovering in many neighborhoods around the United States, but not every homeowner is seeing his or her house increase in value as quickly as he or she would like. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can almost instantly add substantial value to your home.
Whether you are looking to add to your investment or you want to sell your property at a profit, here are five simple and effective fixes, updates, and upgrades that are well worth the time, energy, and money you’ll spend completing them.
Create Bigger Spaces
“Flow” — one of the most important design concepts among current homebuyers — is the idea that your rooms knit together in an unbroken, natural way. Buyers don’t want to see cramped and secluded common rooms, to include kitchens and living rooms, but wide open spaces are very much in vogue. Thus, the more you can do to make your rooms seem larger and freer, the more your home will be worth.
For just a few hundred dollars, you should be able to remove a non-structural wall or an overcrowding kitchen island to unite the common rooms. Removing a wall will transform your home into a welcoming, trendy space, which significantly ups its value.
Add More Natural Light
Perhaps it is the influence of the green movement, or perhaps it is a new found appreciation of pure light; whatever the reason, more and more home buyers are looking for ample sources of natural light in their new residences. If you need a window installation professional to take a look at your home, Urbana roofing is a great choice. Many old houses have outdated windows that are particularly susceptible to temperature leaks, so updating your old glass with new, energy-efficient double paned windows may cut down your energy bill as well as add natural light to various rooms.
However, adding windows can get expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of demolition and reframing. Instead, you can further increase the natural light in your home with skylights and light tubes, which are minimally invasive and extremely affordable.
Modernize the Kitchen
Every real estate expert says that the absolute best upgrade you can make to add value to your home is redoing the kitchen. The kitchen is the stomach and heart of the modern home, which means the room should be outfitted with the most updated appliances and the most appealing style. Of course, a complete remodel can get pricey, so you can complete it piecemeal in the following steps:
- Paint your cabinets. In most cases, the structure of your cabinets is fine — they just look outdated. A fresh coat of paint and new hardware should fix this problem.
- Get new countertops. If your counters are old and dingy, there is nothing to do but replace them with sturdier and more attractive granite. Fortunately, granite is a major advantage in the housing market.
- Add a backsplash. A hint of bright color and shine on the wall is both modern and functional. You can find inexpensive tile backsplashes at your local home improvement store.
Freshen the Entryway
Some real estate experts assert that a homebuyer has made up his or her mind about a home within seven seconds of entering the front door. That places quite a bit of pressure on your front entryway to make a positive impression.
There are dozens of small changes you can make to your front doorway to make your home more beautiful and welcoming. One must-do is keeping the space clean — no dust, leaves, or cobwebs — but you may not have considered the importance of a brightly painted front door, a working doorbell, and a gorgeous wreath.
Stay Ahead of Maintenance Issues
Everyday cleaning and repairs can do wonders at protecting your home from major maintenance problems in the future. Instead of ignoring that small pipe leak, you should get it fixed straight away, or you might be looking at replacing all of your house’s plumbing. Appraisers are trained to look for minor issues — e.g. rusty gutters, slashed screens, and even weed-ridden gardens — that could develop into major problems in a few years.
Plus, a house that is for sale can never be too clean. Dinginess simply isn’t inviting, and buyers often see dirt and grime as evidence of a poorly tended home. Even if your home isn’t on the market, you should work hard to keep it sparkling to make clean-up easier if you ever hope to sell.
