Ways To Increase The Value Of Your Home

It doesn't always take thousands of dollars to increase the value of your home. While remodeling a kitchen or bathroom can be one of the more costly options, there are other less expensive ways to boost your homes price when looking to sell. Regardless of which options you choose, it will take time, effort and at least a little bit of money to increase the value of your home.

Enhance Curb Appeal

You only get one chance to make a first impression and what goes for people also applies to your home. When a realtor drives up with prospective buyers, they need to be wowed when they pull next to the home or into the driveway. This means cleaning the outside as well as you would the inside by removing all debris, pulling weeds, trimming hedges and power washing all surfaces. Mowing and edging the lawn will provide a clean crisp appearance as if the house were brand-new. If the house has been painted instead of stuccoed and is older than 10 years, consider a new coat of paint. Plant fresh flowers to provide a splash of color close to the entrance to the house to further enhance curb appeal.

Remodel the Kitchen

Remodeling a kitchen can be an expensive undertaking but it may be necessary depending on the age and style of the cabinets and countertops. Many families will spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing and having meals, so it is important for the space to be inviting and attractive. If you don't want to remodel the entire kitchen then focus on areas which will have the greatest impact. Maybe the cabinets and counters are nice but the linoleum floor is damaged and dirty. Consider pulling up the linoleum and installing a hardwood floor or tile which complements the existing cabinets. Install upgrades which are appropriate for your home which means don't put down travertine tile in a tract home since it will be next to impossible to recoup the costs.

Stage Your Home

Pre-existing homes often have a lived in appearance resulting from years of occupation. This can create a significant distraction and negatively impact the value of your home. It might be worthwhile to rent a storage space and remove the majority of miscellaneous furniture and other items, at least temporarily. Staging a home should include the removal of clutter and personal affects so prospective buyers can view the home as if it were their own. Professional staging may even require renting additional items to place your home in the best possible light.

Highlight Improvements

Often, existing homeowners will go to great length to improve their residence for their own personal benefit. This may entail installing a backyard fire pit for get-togethers or adding solar panels to the roof to reduce electrical use. Regardless of what the improvement may be, be sure to include it in a flyer or brochure as well as discuss it during the walk-through. What may be obvious to the homeowner may not be to prospective buyers but it could make the difference between a sale or your home sitting on the market for months on end.

Clean Everything

This point can't be emphasized enough. Clean your home until you drop from exhaustion and then clean some more. All too often homeowners place their property on the market and then wonder why there is little interest. Square footage and amenities will only get a homeowner so far when looking to sell. For property owners who truly want to increase the value of their home it will be necessary to clean the residence from top to bottom multiple times. After years of living, dirt and animal hair get everywhere and even multiple cleanings will result in more debris. Cleaning can be done for next to no money and only requires time and effort but will inevitably set your home apart from all the rest.