By Heidi Rothbart
Upgrading and updating your home will never be considered one of life’s easier projects; however, with the proper know-how it can be a lot easier, and less stressful than expected. Here is a list of some of the projects that you should seriously consider when selling or building a home.
1. Light up the room:
While your smile may work on grumpy bartenders and children, it won’t do much to open up a room and raise the value of your home. Adequate lighting is perhaps one of the most overlooked, yet necessary parts of a beautiful, sellable home. Rooms that have low lighting often appear smaller than they actually are, and even if the house you are trying to sell is well built and beautiful, the appearance of small spaces could significantly lower your selling price.
An additional way to remedy this situation is to add windows. This brings natural light into the room and gives the space a more open and inviting feel.
2. Start in the kitchen:
Even though you may not always think of the kitchen as the central focus of the home, often it is the selling point for buyers. In many instances, if the kitchen isn’t up to par, the house simply won’t sell. Redoing the sink/faucet area, upgrading appliances that are staying with the home or redoing the backsplash or color of the kitchen area could significantly boost your sell price. Don’t you worry, the money spent on this endeavor almost always come right back, plus some, when the house sells.
3. Clean up outside
The yard is another big selling point that many miss out on. Do something, whether you add flowers to the front yard, extending your garden in the back, adding stepping stones through the yard or simply keeping everything trimmed and tidy looking. Never underestimate the power of a clean and well maintained yard.
4. Add a bathroom
If plumbing runs through your entire home, which is usually the case, install an additional toilet or vanity with sink. This will be low on cost, if done using recycled items for the vanity and can significantly boost the perceived quality and price of your home. Another bathroom tip is to add a window. Of course, you don’t want your creepy neighbors peeping in, so make sure it is the right kind of window. However, this will again, add natural light and help the room to feel more open and thus, larger.
5. Consider a sunroom/mudroom/deck
The current green trends have inspired many people to add a sunroom or deck onto their homes. This, in many cases, acts as a connection between the main home and the outdoors. It is often a room with a lot of windows, plants, seating, and usually contains a spot to leave muddy or dirty clothes so that they don’t travel through the nicer parts of the home.
6. Pull out the paint
One of the most obvious ways you can add value to your home is through paint. According to stats, homes that are lighter in color tend to sell better. Lighter colors play the enlarging game and fresh paint gives a new glow to old, drab rooms. Simply taking this step and applying it throughout the house often yields great results.
Along with a fresh coat of paint, many home buyers appreciate crown molding. It adds an additional flare and style to the room and gives it a more elegant feel.
Other often overlooked ideas include: a basement remodel and a front door replacement. Using these ideas, and others suggested by your relator you will see the value of your home increase and you can enjoy the profits in a new home of your own.
About the author: Heidi Rothert writes content for companies that specialize in home improvement, such as Blind Magic, a blind repair Sacramento company. Additionally you can find her work on topics such as beauty, education, travel, apparel, and gifts.
* Image attribution: garryknight; CC BY-SA 2.0
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