How to Add Value to Your Home
Improve your curb appeal., Landscape your yard., Add a deck., Deep clean the exterior of your home., Modernize your kitchen., Update your bathrooms., Update your interior lighting., Paint rooms selectively., Ensure that your flooring is up to date...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Improve your curb appeal.
This is the first impression people will have of your house, so ensure that your home looks neat and welcoming.
Add shrubs and plants and keep your grass well groomed.If you don't have enough of a front yard, or any yard at all, then add plant pots with plenty of flowering shrubs.
Make sure that your front doorway, lighting, and any other features are all in good condition. -
Step 2: Landscape your yard.
In the summer months a landscaped yard is an extra space to spend time in.
Groom your yard; add some native trees, if you have the room, and some flowering shrubs.You don't have to spend too much money.
Just bring your yard up to the standards of the neighborhood and show off its potential.To get the most bang for your buck, try to make sure you grass is in good condition – with no obvious dry/dead patches.
And add some shrubs or flowers in the front where they will be the most visible. , Even if you have a large yard, a deck is appealing and improves the value of a home.
If you don't have a yard, then a deck offers a space to enjoy the outdoors.
Try to make sure that the deck addition matches the rest of the existing house for added value and aesthetic appeal., Cleaning the outside of your home will make it look much nicer and will add value to your home.
One option for cleaning home exteriors is to use a pressure washer which sprays water at an incredibly high velocity and works well to clean exterior surfaces.
Another option for cleaning the outside of your home is to use a hand-pump garden sprayer filled with a mixture of water and oxygen bleach (not chlorine bleach).
Simply spray it on, let it soak for ten minutes, and then rinse it off with water from the garden hose.
Some people prefer this method over power washing because the high intensity water spray from the pressure washer can get in cracks where it doesn’t belong, can kill plants and other landscaping, and can erode wood and siding over time.To deep clean the interior of your home, make sure you focus on things like dusting the baseboards and ceiling fans, changing the air filters, scrubbing the grout in your showers, and cleaning out the fireplace if you have one. , Not only should your kitchen have new quality wooden cabinets, countertops and flooring, but it should be spacious and have lots of convenient storage space.Opt for a high-end stone counter if your budget allows, but make sure that the materials you use are comparable for the type of home you have.
Many buyers want all stainless steel appliances, gas top stove, and a refrigerator with the ice and water functions in the door.
These are the most important appliance updates to make if you are able to afford it.
Include as many amenities as your space will allow, such as a breakfast bar and the latest appliances. , This is especially important for the "en suite," if you have one.
Like kitchens, bathrooms are often a big selling point.
Even the smallest upgrade can count for big points with potential buyers.Consider adding a whirlpool or spa tub in your master suite bathroom.
Additionally, double sinks, separate multiple jet showers and a separate toilet room are all value adding features.
Update your water pipes if necessary, but remember that this won’t add much value to your home since buyers expect that things like this will be in working condition., Adding new or updating the old light fixtures in your home can add a great deal of value.
Most new homebuyers want houses that feel bright and sunny, so having adequate indoor lighting is valuable.Adding recessed lighting in the kitchen is especially helpful in increasing the value of your home. , Simply adding a fresh coat of paint can liven up any room.
Make sure you carefully paint the edges and trim if you do the painting yourself.
A poor paint job will probably look worse than the existing paint.Try to pick neutral colors that most potential buyers will find attractive so that you don’t have to paint over it if you ever decide to sell your house. , If you have hardwood flooring, take full advantage of it.
Real hardwood flooring can increase your home’s value substantially, especially if you have it throughout your home.New carpeting or high quality laminate flooring are also options.
Opt for natural colors and materials that go with everything.
Finish the flooring (whether it is carpet, laminate, or hardwood) so that it is in prime condition and add throw rugs for a little color and warmth if it gets cold in the winter. , Open up some rooms so that you have more of an open plan space.
Create a spacious feel to your home by knocking down a few walls.
Discuss your options with an accredited contractor before making any drastic decisions.Make sure that you take into account which walls secure the foundation before making plans, and work around it.
You can add an attractive pillar if it's secure enough and fits the character of your home. , If you have an unfinished basement, consider finishing it and creating an extra room.
This will always add value to a home, so the investment will be worth it.
You can even keep it simple by just finishing the walls and carpeting the floor.Adding livable floor space to your home will almost always add value to the home. , If you have an attic with useable space, you should maximize its potential and utilize the space whenever possible.
Work around any existing ducts and machinery to maximize the area you can use for this project.This might include finishing an unfinished attic (adding sheetrock and flooring) so that it creates an entirely new room in your home.
Or you may just want to add insulation and partial flooring to your existing attic space so that it adds a separate storage option in your home. -
Step 3: Add a deck.
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Step 4: Deep clean the exterior of your home.
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Step 5: Modernize your kitchen.
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Step 6: Update your bathrooms.
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Step 7: Update your interior lighting.
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Step 8: Paint rooms selectively.
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Step 9: Ensure that your flooring is up to date and in good condition.
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Step 10: Create space.
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Step 11: Finish your basement.
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Step 12: Add insulation or finish the attic.
Detailed Guide
This is the first impression people will have of your house, so ensure that your home looks neat and welcoming.
Add shrubs and plants and keep your grass well groomed.If you don't have enough of a front yard, or any yard at all, then add plant pots with plenty of flowering shrubs.
Make sure that your front doorway, lighting, and any other features are all in good condition.
In the summer months a landscaped yard is an extra space to spend time in.
Groom your yard; add some native trees, if you have the room, and some flowering shrubs.You don't have to spend too much money.
Just bring your yard up to the standards of the neighborhood and show off its potential.To get the most bang for your buck, try to make sure you grass is in good condition – with no obvious dry/dead patches.
And add some shrubs or flowers in the front where they will be the most visible. , Even if you have a large yard, a deck is appealing and improves the value of a home.
If you don't have a yard, then a deck offers a space to enjoy the outdoors.
Try to make sure that the deck addition matches the rest of the existing house for added value and aesthetic appeal., Cleaning the outside of your home will make it look much nicer and will add value to your home.
One option for cleaning home exteriors is to use a pressure washer which sprays water at an incredibly high velocity and works well to clean exterior surfaces.
Another option for cleaning the outside of your home is to use a hand-pump garden sprayer filled with a mixture of water and oxygen bleach (not chlorine bleach).
Simply spray it on, let it soak for ten minutes, and then rinse it off with water from the garden hose.
Some people prefer this method over power washing because the high intensity water spray from the pressure washer can get in cracks where it doesn’t belong, can kill plants and other landscaping, and can erode wood and siding over time.To deep clean the interior of your home, make sure you focus on things like dusting the baseboards and ceiling fans, changing the air filters, scrubbing the grout in your showers, and cleaning out the fireplace if you have one. , Not only should your kitchen have new quality wooden cabinets, countertops and flooring, but it should be spacious and have lots of convenient storage space.Opt for a high-end stone counter if your budget allows, but make sure that the materials you use are comparable for the type of home you have.
Many buyers want all stainless steel appliances, gas top stove, and a refrigerator with the ice and water functions in the door.
These are the most important appliance updates to make if you are able to afford it.
Include as many amenities as your space will allow, such as a breakfast bar and the latest appliances. , This is especially important for the "en suite," if you have one.
Like kitchens, bathrooms are often a big selling point.
Even the smallest upgrade can count for big points with potential buyers.Consider adding a whirlpool or spa tub in your master suite bathroom.
Additionally, double sinks, separate multiple jet showers and a separate toilet room are all value adding features.
Update your water pipes if necessary, but remember that this won’t add much value to your home since buyers expect that things like this will be in working condition., Adding new or updating the old light fixtures in your home can add a great deal of value.
Most new homebuyers want houses that feel bright and sunny, so having adequate indoor lighting is valuable.Adding recessed lighting in the kitchen is especially helpful in increasing the value of your home. , Simply adding a fresh coat of paint can liven up any room.
Make sure you carefully paint the edges and trim if you do the painting yourself.
A poor paint job will probably look worse than the existing paint.Try to pick neutral colors that most potential buyers will find attractive so that you don’t have to paint over it if you ever decide to sell your house. , If you have hardwood flooring, take full advantage of it.
Real hardwood flooring can increase your home’s value substantially, especially if you have it throughout your home.New carpeting or high quality laminate flooring are also options.
Opt for natural colors and materials that go with everything.
Finish the flooring (whether it is carpet, laminate, or hardwood) so that it is in prime condition and add throw rugs for a little color and warmth if it gets cold in the winter. , Open up some rooms so that you have more of an open plan space.
Create a spacious feel to your home by knocking down a few walls.
Discuss your options with an accredited contractor before making any drastic decisions.Make sure that you take into account which walls secure the foundation before making plans, and work around it.
You can add an attractive pillar if it's secure enough and fits the character of your home. , If you have an unfinished basement, consider finishing it and creating an extra room.
This will always add value to a home, so the investment will be worth it.
You can even keep it simple by just finishing the walls and carpeting the floor.Adding livable floor space to your home will almost always add value to the home. , If you have an attic with useable space, you should maximize its potential and utilize the space whenever possible.
Work around any existing ducts and machinery to maximize the area you can use for this project.This might include finishing an unfinished attic (adding sheetrock and flooring) so that it creates an entirely new room in your home.
Or you may just want to add insulation and partial flooring to your existing attic space so that it adds a separate storage option in your home.
About the Author
Carolyn Jordan
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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