Building equity or simply investing in your home before you sell it are all valid reasons for a renovation. While certain factors beyond your control, like location and market, add value to your house, there are also things you can do to help. Without investment, there’s no return on investment, but not every renovation has to be expensive to pay off. There are numerous smart ways to boost your home’s price, and some of them are remarkable in their simplicity.
How to quickly add value to your house?
A few proven ways to add value to your house involve making it:
- more appealing
- low-maintenance
- energy-efficient
- smarter
- (seem) bigger
Every single room in your house has the potential for improvement. However, to sell your house for top dollar, you must invest in it first. Most of these tips also have a very good Return on Investment (ROI), aside from simply adding some extra value to your house.
Boost the appeal of your home
Whether Oscar Wilde was the first to say: You never get a second chance to make a first impression or not, the quote emphasizes the importance of visual appeal. While, in all sincerity, most of the improvements will be superficial, their significance lies in the sense of new, fresh, clean that every buyer expects to see. Selling your house for a top-dollar only requires a little bit of sprucing up. It will allow for a simple relocation to a new state that you likely already look forward to.
Resurfacing kitchen cabinets requires only a tiny part of the investment in kitchen remodeling but adds considerable market value. Newest trends highlight a stylish tuxedo kitchen with darker lower cabinets and white upper cabinets. A new coat of paint is welcome everywhere; your walls, doors, garage doors, and even your garage floor. Note that every surface requires a special type of paint, acrylic being the best for the garage floor.
Moreover, your bathroom will shine anew if you reglaze your bathtub and regrout your tiles. If you wonder which color you should feature in your bathroom – it’s blue. Blue or not, bathrooms, in general, provide the biggest ROI as they are the only room in the house that all potential buyers prefer to see sparkling clean. Any touch of luxury you can add here will pay off.
Finally, boosting your curb appeal will not only add value to your house but also create the wow-effect. Powerwashing your porch, landscaping, installing outdoor lighting, repairing the roof, and cleaning gutters are only some of the most cost-effective ways to increase your home worth.
Everybody wants an easy-care house
Even if people had time to constantly work around the house – they do not want to. This is why most of them are on the lookout for the one demanding lowest maintenance possible. If you’re about to replace your current floors, you can opt for an engineered or laminate wood that costs less than a traditional wooden floor. If you already have an expensive hardwood floor that only needs a bit of refurbishing, then don’t hesitate.
Furthermore, every small repair or change that you make in your home should make potential buyers more relaxed. Change your doorknobs, cabinet door handles, drawer pulls, light switches or add a shelf or two to your closet storage. Fix or change any leaky water faucet and repair all scratches and dents around the house. Make these repairs during winter so you can get your home ready for the spring sale.
Energy conservation adds value to your house
Making your house energy-efficient counts among home improvements that appeal to Gen X and have a good ROI. You can start small and replace your old appliances for energy-efficient ones. LED lighting, and especially recessed LED lighting in the kitchen, living room, and corridors, will significantly boost your home appeal and value. Then, you can move to more expensive features like double-paned windows or improved attic insulation.
Moreover, investment in solar panels is significant, but it pays off only in the long term, over 20 years. While savings are considerable, it is not something that will instantly add value to your house. However, bear in mind that energy disclosures are becoming a common practice in the real estate industry. If you make your energy upgrades visible on Multiple Listing Service (MLS) they will reflect in the resale value, as well.
Smart ways to make a smart house
Adding smart tech to your home doesn’t require big and costly remodeling and it instantly adds value to your house. The most expensive investment in this regard would be the installment of a surveillance system. More affordable smart home features include
- motion sensor lights
- automated blinds and curtains
- keypad door locks
- smart doorbells
- fire and smoke detectors
- water monitors
- smart climate control with thermostats
Combining smart tech and energy-saving features is identified as the top trend that will raise your house value instantly as well as long-term. Note that only hardwired tech will add value to the house; mobile features that will leave with the seller – do not.
Space is relative
Bigger houses cost more, but what to do if you can’t add square footage to what you already have? One option is to renovate your house and make it visually larger. The other way is to utilize space better and turn the basement or the attic into living (or working) space.
The first type of renovation includes removing heavy drapes and curtains, excess furniture, and wall-to-wall carpets on the one hand. On the other, adding mirrors, neutral light colors, and more light will make your home a more valuable property.
The second type of remodeling entails the conversion of some unused space into a livable area. Additional bathroom and/or bedroom provide the most notable return on investment. However, the rising number of work-at-home professionals may appreciate a cozy and secluded home office. It can also become a laundry room or a yoga studio according to preferences.
Additionally, adding an outdoor living area or a patio will also boost your house value. A deck or a porch with comfy furniture will expand the living space in the buyer’s perception.
