How to Add Value to Your Home

Often, we get the question “What can I do to increase my home’s value?”. A few simple things can make the world of difference.

First Impressions Matter

Curb appeal is important. It is the first impression that buyers will get of your home. Making sure that the yard is clean, manicured, and the screens and shutters are free from disrepair goes a long way. Power washing the facade and the driveway, and adding a little color with some seasonal flowers and mulch goes a little further.

Make sure your home is clean. Really clean. Messy homes bring forth images of potential maintenance problems. If you never change your AC filters, the units won’t have as much life left on them as they should. Dirty dishes in the sink, and overflowing garbage left out for extended periods of time indicate a potential pest problem. Essentially, if you don’t take care of what can be seen, one can only imagine how neglected the items that can’t be seen are. Hire a professional service to make your home shine and have everyone pitch in to keep it that way.

De-clutter your home

Less is more. People need to be able to see themselves in your home as their home. Photos of your family are what makes your house yours, but detract from the Buyer’s ability to see themselves there. The same is true for overly personalized items. Collections, trophies, and personal keepsakes should be packed away until you find the perfect spot in your new home.

Paint

This is an area where a little can go a long way. Tastes differ, so neutralizing bold and dramatic colors will serve you well. Buyers appreciate a clean palette.  

Kitchens and Bathrooms

If you cannot completely renovate, try updating countertops and fixtures, or maybe swapping out the older white appliances with stainless steel appliances. Take a look at your light fixtures. Are they outdated? Simply changing a fixture and color scheme can breathe new life in to these rooms

Flooring

Updating carpet, or if you can, upgrading to tile, laminate, or hardwoods will add value to your property

Know Your Market

If we are in a Buyer’s Market, you will most likely need to improve a bit more to stand out, shorten your time on the market, and ultimately increase the value. On the contrary, in a Seller’s market you can make fewer upgrades as you will have more Buyers clamoring to buy your home. In either market, over improving is a bad idea. Know your neighborhood, sales prices, and where the area comps fall within what you want to do. Know that some improvements are not monetary-you will get enjoyment while they are yours, but Buyers do not want to pay $400k for a home where the rest of the neighborhood is selling in the $300’s.

What improvements have you seen work to boost a home’s value?