No matter how long you’ve lived in your current home, making improvements that increase the value of your property is always a good thing. Of course adding value is never more pressing than when you consider selling. At that point, you’re not really thinking in terms of major renovations because you’ll likely not recover the investment. But there are things you can do to add value to your home that won’t break the bank.
Spruce up the exterior
Before you begin packing up your stuff or look into the cost to move with pods, make an evaluation of the condition of your home. Start with the exterior. Is their peeling paint on the trim? How do the shutters look? Has the paint faded over time? Check out the brick. Is there years of dirt accumulated on the surface?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes; you need to make some inexpensive updates. Simply painting the trim and shutters can breath new life into your home’s exterior. If you have a brick home that’s looking weathered, a power washer will likely blast off the grime and give the exterior a nice crisp look. These aren’t changes that will cost very much, but can add thousands to your asking price.
Increase space
You don’t have to build an addition to your home to increase the feel of your square footage. By adding a patio or deck right up against your house, gives the feeling of expansion. The addition of sliding glass doors or garden doors enhance this feeling. Adding an awning or cover really is a must if you want to really maximize the illusion of extra space.
Adding a beautiful outdoor dining set or furniture further enhances the feeling of more square footage. People actually do spend many hours a week in their outdoor living spaces. It can feel as much a part of the home as the indoor living areas.
Curb appeal
The first and simplest step to sprucing up your curb appeal is to simply get your yard cleaned up. Clearing what can be perceived as junk out of your yard is a great place to start. People want a lovely yard that’s covered in grass. Tossing scraps of wood or other building materials on the side of the yard is a sure way of making the lawn look junky. There are several ways to enhance the curb appeal of the house through landscaping. Pull the weeds from your landscape beds. If the mulch in the beds is old and faded, replace it. Clean mulch brings a feeling of attention to detail. Don’t skimp there.
Curb appeal extends from your lawn up to the exterior of your home. Think about making a dramatic entry way with a bold front door color. Just be sure it compliments the other colors around your home’s exterior.
Make it energy efficient
Energy efficiency is something most homeowners are looking for these days. Here is where home improvements can get pricey. You need to think in terms of replacing old appliances as they reach the end of their lives. It’s best to choose the most energy efficient choices to replace the old. This is most important when you think of your heating and air conditioning. High utility bills are a red flag for home buyers.
You’ll benefit from replacing old appliances with new more energy efficient ones as well. As long as you’re living in the home, you’ll enjoy the lower cost these appliances bring. And when you’re ready to sell, your home will be more attractive to potential buyers to boot.
Smart home
Transforming your home into a smart home is not only a great way to keep up in this ever-changing technology-filled world, but it’s also excellent for increasing the value of your home. This can include automated door locks, thermostats, carbon monoxide detectors, and so much more. The installation of these smart products is fairly easy and don’t generally need a professional to make the changes.
If you’re installing smart home protection, you need to make sure the contract you sign has an option to transfer to a new home owner.
Adding value to your home doesn’t mean huge expensive investments. If money is tight, do the things you can afford and you’ll hopefully realize a nice return when you sell.