Not everyone agrees that your home is one of your biggest assets. Using wisdom from the Great Recession, many critics rightly claim that a home’s value can quickly drop leaving the homeowner upside down on a mortgage.
But these situations happen very rarely in history. There are many ways to increase your home value that will typically allow you to profit when its time to sell your home.
If you’re looking for a fast turnaround on increasing your home’s value, look no further. Here are 5 tried and true ways to turn your house into an asset.
1. Work Outside In
The best ways to increase home value isn’t to renovate. Not always.
It’s far more important to make your home’s existing features stand out. This means if you live on a hillside with large boulders, taking the time to create a rock garden around those boulders is your best move.
Upgrading your landscape brings your home value up by around 5 percent. Take a look at where you can enhance the features of your yard.
There may not be much to improve at all, but a fresh set of colorful flowers can work wonders for your yard. Look at the area from the curb where buyers will approach the property.
They’ll notice any fencing, walkways, address signs, the mailbox, etc. Make sure all of these elements are in mint condition even if you’re only applying a fresh coat of paint.
Replace your address numbers with fresh copies from a hardware store to make your home look as good as new. Cut back menacing tree branches or overgrown shrubs blocking the doorway.
2. Declutter
No, this post wasn’t sponsored by your mother. Decluttering has actual monetary value that you’ll appreciate when its time to sell your home.
A cluttered home keeps people from being able to see its real potential. It’s also a safe haven for pests and other home invaders.
Don’t give dust mites a place to hide. Rid your rooms of unneeded furniture, paperwork, and other personal items. If you have heirlooms you’d prefer not to get rid of, consider renting a storage unit.
You can take your time with the decluttering process since it won’t be relevant until its time for showings. A showing is when your realtor brings potential buyers to tour the home.
It’s still recommended that you declutter well in advance of putting your home up for sale. This allows you time to deal with large, awkward pieces of furniture and schedule charity pickups at your leisure.
3. Get the Kitchen Updated
There are a few exceptions to the renovation rule. For example, if you choose to make any changes to update your kitchen, it’ll help boost its overall value.
A full remodel isn’t necessary but you might consider replacing the cabinet fronts or putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls. The newness of the changes makes the kitchen appear fresh and well maintained.
Your realtor can give you clues as to what buyers really want in your market. In some places, homebuyers aren’t willing to skimp on granite countertops.
In other areas, an accent wall might be a key selling point. Take the emotion out of your home when putting it up for sale. Think of it as a model home you need to update in order to draw the right kind of attention.
Other kitchen updates include switching to stainless steel appliances. Your black or white fridge won’t sell the kitchen as modern or updated.
Stainless steel immediately changes the look of your appliances which take up most of the space in the room.
4. Go Green
Making your home more energy efficient isn’t just great for the environment, it’s great for your pocketbook. You’ll save around 30 percent on heating and cooling costs with the right appliances.
Make sure you have energy star certified appliances since these are regulated. You’ll receive a tax break for a certain amount of energy efficiency in your home.
These bonuses make your return on investment for swapping out appliances much more meaningful over the long term. You don’t need a complete solar panel installation for the energy efficiency to produce a good return on your home’s value.
Even adding dimmers to the lights is an upgrade that can wow a buyer. Dimmers are energy efficient because they allow you to use only what you need.
5. Make it Impressive
When you’re adding value to your home on a budget, there are few cheats that’ll get you ahead of your competitors. One is to make your house look far more impressive than it really is.
For example, you can invest in technology that automates many common household features. A doorbell upgrade is an easy example.
Video doorbells make the home feel more high tech. As do smart microwaves, smart outlets, and more.
An automated home, even on a small scale, keeps your home looking cutting edge even if its several decades old. Mix the old and the new to bring a stylish contrast to the home.
Make sure these tech upgrades work well for your lifestyle so you aren’t stuck with features that don’t really help you manage your household. Check with https://www.homesinmeridian.com/blog/increasing-selling-value-your-home/ to make sure you’re making the upgrades buyers like the most.
Ways to Increase Home Value
You can look into ways to increase home value, but they may not make sense for your area. Remember to think local when exploring upgrades.
Not every market has choosy buyers. You might be able to simply sweep the floor and get top dollar because it’s a seller’s market in your area.
For more information and tips, visit our blog for updates.
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