Sometimes, the best way to make money is to spend money – especially when it comes to real estate. If you’re thinking about putting your home on the market, you may want to work on it a bit first.
A few simple home improvement projects can do wonders for your bottom line. It increases your chances of attracting a lot of buyers and selling quickly. Not to mention, the more house upgrades you do, the higher the value of your property will be.
There’s no reason not to roll up your sleeves and get to work. But, you may be wondering which home improvement ideas are actually worth your while.
Here are 7 of the best upgrades you can do to increase the value of your home.
1. Boost Your Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is the first thing that potential buyers notice when pulling up to view your property. You need to wow them from the moment they get that first look at your house and make them excited to see what’s inside.
This can be done with a few simple upgrades. Put a fresh coat of paint on the window trim and the front door. Maybe consider a new color combination altogether, or at least make the colors you currently have really shine.
Additionally, do a bit of work on the lawn and make sure the landscaping looks as good as possible. It’s worth getting a few new plants to put in the garden area or even cutting a few trees to make the home more visible.
2. Do an Interior Paint Job
This is the easiest home improvement project of all. You don’t have to repaint every single wall in your home. But, creating a few accent walls and covering the chips on other walls can make a big difference.
Take a look around your living room and picture what it would look like if one wall was a deep shade of blue or a soft, rustic orange. Do the same in the kitchen and the master bedroom and bathroom.
As you’re exploring your accent wall options, keep in mind that everything has to blend together. You don’t want to paint a bunch of different colors all over the house, as this can actually off-put potential buyers.
3. Make a Few Changes in the Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the whole house. As such, it’d be smart of you to put some extra love into this space before you put your property up for sale.
Kitchen remodels are more budget-friendly than they seem. You can choose between upgrading the cabinets or changing the counters instead of taking on both projects. You can also leave everything you have as-is and add a few cosmetic touches – like a new backsplash or a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets.
4. Upgrade Something in the Bathroom
Although everyone gathers to make special memories in the kitchen, the bathroom is where you go to be in peace by yourself. Make all the bathrooms as comforting as they can be for the future owners of your home.
You can do this by fixing up the bathtub that you’ve rarely used or switch out the floor for a new set of tile. You can also change the mirrors in the bathrooms, upgrade the sinks, or maybe take on a combination of all these things. It’s one of the trickier parts of the home to upgrade, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
5. Invest in Eco-Friendly Appliances
Up next on the list of smart house upgrades to do is investing in eco-friendly appliances. This is one of the more expensive projects to take on. But, it can significantly increase your home’s value to cover the initial costs and then some!
You don’t have to get a full spread of eco-friendly appliances, either. Something as simple as a new washer/dryer set in the laundry room or a better dishwasher in the kitchen is enough to perk the interest of potential buyers. Of course, the more eco-friendly appliances you buy, the more appealing (and valuable) your home becomes.
6. Replace the Windows
Another thing you can do to get more bang for your buck in the housing market is replacing the windows. Identify all the biggest windows in your home and check how well they’re holding up. There may be an issue with the insulation on some of your windows or an opportunity to increase the cosmetic appeal.
Plus, it’s a good idea to explore the option of eco-friendly windows if your home doesn’t already have them. You can learn more here about the ins and outs of what the best window replacement options are.
7. Increase Your Square Footage
The final way to get a bigger offer on your home is to actually make it bigger. Take a look around your home and consider how open it is. Acquire your home’s blueprint and building plans and see what opportunities you have to tear down some walls.
All it takes is breaking down the wall between the kitchen and the living room to completely transform your home. You may also want to connect the master bathroom to the master bedroom or change how the closet is set up in one of the rooms.
These changes can increase the square footage significantly. More importantly, they will make the home feel more open and inviting.
Marketing Your New and Improved House Upgrades
Once you’ve completed all of your house upgrades, it’s time to sell the whole house. Make sure you focus on the renovations and changes you’ve made.
Buyers love the thought that a house has been specifically fixed up for them. Not to mention, they’re more likely to place a big offer when they realize how valuable all the upgrades are.
Click here for some amazing marketing tips to make sure your home sells for the price you want.
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