Not all home improvements increase the value of your property. If you’re planning to sell your current house in the future, you should be smart in determining what kind of upgrades you’ll be doing. To give you an idea, here fifteen easy things you could start working on:
Add Value to Your Home with These Fifteen Easy Upgrades
- Refurbish Kitchen Cabinets
The kitchen is widely considered the heart of the home, so this is the first place that you should consider when doing upgrades. You can repaint your cabinets and replace the handles to give it an updated look.
- Build a Deck
Since more people are deciding to stay at home for vacation, adding an outdoor deck will make your home more desirable to buyers. The cost of building one varies depending on the size and design, but it is a worthwhile expense according to HGTV since you recoup more than 50 percent of your initial investment.
- Add Extra Seating Outside
If you don’t have any extra area outside to build a deck on, you always have the option of putting additional seating. This gives the illusion of having more space even when there are a lot of people around.
- Replace Old Outlets and Light-Switch Plates
Plates are the rectangular molds that surround the electric outlet or light switch. Over time, they get very dirty and lose their pearl-white color. You can buy cheap replacements in your local hardware store.
- Upgrade Your Porch
Making a good first impression is always important, and that starts with the front of your house. Ensure that your porch or entryway has a warm and welcoming vibe. You can install plants or splash a fresh coat of paint on the front door.
- Work on Landscaping Your Yard
A good landscape can increase the value of a property by as much as 27 percent, according to Century 21 realtors. The simplest thing you can actually do is just trim your grass and your trees. You don’t even have to hire a contractor for this one.
- Add an Irrigation System
Future homeowners like to have a pristine lawn, but maintaining it is a totally different story. If you have a sprinkler system installed to irrigate the lawn properly, you can put a premium on the value of the property.
- Repurpose a Room
While adding an additional room will certainly add value to your property, the cost of building can easily spiral out of control. Instead of doing that, you can just reinvent a space into something else so you won’t have to spend so much, like turning an attic to a bedroom or a room into a walk-in closet.
- Add Molding
Moldings are decorative elements usually found on walls and ceilings. While they have no practical purpose, they are pleasing to look at. Remember that aesthetic upgrades are also important in appraising the value of your home.
- Remove Carpets
According to Earl White, a realtor, most home buyers are turned off by carpeting. Hardwood is still king when it comes to flooring. Though this is quite expensive, there are a lot of alternatives like engineered or laminated wood.
- Clear Out Personal Items
While not technically an upgrade, stowing your personal items like family pictures or heirlooms will greatly help you when you have potential buyers over. You want them to be able to picture themselves in your home, so try to create a blank slate as much as you can.
- Upgrade Your Lighting Fixtures
Lighting is an important aspect of any home. If you want the whole space to look more expensive, upgrade your lighting fixtures. Maybe you can swap that boring light bulb to a simple but classy chandelier.
- Paint Your Walls with Neutral Tones
Your personality might be more in tune with a dark and moody palette, but most home buyers opt for neutral and soft tones. Interior designer Emily Henderson recommends colors in the shade of teal and beige.
- Install Smart Technologies
According to a 2018 survey by Coldwell Banker, buyers are looking for “smart” technologies in their new homes. While smart devices like thermostats, fire or carbon monoxide detectors, CCTVs, and digital door locks may not always increase home value, they do make it more appealing to buy.