There are a handful of ways to increase the property value of your home. Even if you’re not in the market to sell, raising the value of your home helps adjacent homes sell better.
The key is to upgrade elements that will not only impress buyers but increase the comfort level of your the home. Here are five solid tips for improving your home and increasing its value.
1. Raise curb appeal
Curb appeal is that “wow” factor that commands the attention of those who pass by. Even if your home is not for sale, one of the best ways to improve its value is to create a demand among people who might want it.
Your home doesn’t have to make any “best of” lists, but it should look fantastic enough catch the notice of potential buyers. By adding a few plants and making the outside more presentable, you create an inviting first impression that will boost the value of your home.
2. Add storage
One thing that can be said about a lived-in home is that there’s no such thing as “too much” storage. Adding permanent storage space to a home is great way to build value.
Potential buyers will fantasize about all the stuff they can put in the space. When done correctly, cabinetry and storage design gives a great look to a home that makes it feels as if it’s already furnished.
Adding storage closets is a great way to expand usable square footage that adds appeal to your home.
3. Appliance upgrades
Nothing turns a buyer off more than walking into a kitchen that has decades-old appliances just waiting to die. Perhaps you’ve seen such appliances, with their yellowed color and battered form.
Old kitchen appliances will lower the value of your home. If you’re planning on selling, you’d better to take these out. New appliances are a giant step toward building greater value of your home because newer kitchens are one of the main hot items among potential buyers’ needs and desires.
4. Replace flooring
It’s easy to overlook something as simple as the surface we walk on. That’s kind of ironic, since the floor represents the greatest amount of visible area in the home.
Replacing old flooring can effect a vast improvement in the look of your home. By stripping out old carpet and shining up the wood floors, you will increase the number of interested potential buyers.
Some people like an entire residence to have hard flooring. This certainly isn’t a requirement, though; it can be limited to the high-traffic living spaces where a hard surface is much easier to maintain and clean.
5. Add a room
The best way to increase the value of your home is to add a new room. Most zoning laws state that a bedroom consists of an enclosed space that has a window and a closet. Should your home allow for additional square footage, even the smallest add-on will fuel a dramatic increase in your home’s value.
People who still live in the home will use the extra room as a guest space or office. Adding a room to an existing structure is usually fairly simple and increases the resale price of the home.
Most of these upgrades and add-ons are not difficult to perform. The initial cost typically leads to a far greater return. Even just cleaning up and disposing of clutter instantly makes a property look better and increases its perceived value.
Home improvement upgrades will give you a sense of comfort as well as create a more substantial investment value should you decide to sell.
