8 Simple Ways to Increase Your Home’s Value
Your home is often your greatest investment. Homeowners that increase the value of their property see returns both in the quality of life they enjoy while living there and in their resale pricing. Increasing value doesn’t have to involve a large investment upfront.
As experts in home remodeling, the Scroggs Construction team has eight cheap ways to increase your home’s value without breaking the bank.
1. Create a Welcoming Entrance
Your front door greets guests when they arrive. Make sure guests feel welcome right away with an entrance that is both colorful and inviting. You don’t have to spring for a brand-new door to get the look you want in most cases. A new coat of paint is often enough to bring your front entrance to life.
Once the paint job is complete, put the finishing touch on your entrance with new hardware. A sturdy new knob will give visitors a confident first impression of your home. It can also enhance your security as well as the appearance, and both of those home improvements can increase your home’s value.
2. Ramp Up Your Curb Appeal
Your curb appeal provides plenty of information about the overall condition of your home. If your yard is overgrown and filled with weeds, most people will assume the inside is not kept up much better. A pristine, well-trimmed yard with strategically placed plantings will instantly attract people to your home.
Focusing on your curb appeal does not have to cost you a fortune in trips to the local nursery. Keep the lawn mowed and trimmed to start since this simple step instantly makes the yard look cleaner. Patch any brown spots in the lawn and make sure there are no weeds. Trim up shrubs and trees, being particularly mindful of low-hanging branches that could be a safety concern. Remove any dead plants and shrubs, or greenery that makes the yard look too crowded or cluttered.
3. Brush Up on Your Painting Skills
Nothing says “new” to a home like a fresh coat of paint. If you are thinking of putting your house on the market soon, keep the color neutral to ensure it appeals to the largest number of potential buyers. Light colors tend to open the space, making smaller rooms look larger. While you are updating the walls, don’t neglect the trim. Clean baseboards can create a dramatic impact on the overall cleanliness and freshness of the home.
4. Dress Up the Kitchen
Nothing increases your home value faster than home improvements in the kitchen. Even simple steps like adding new cabinet hardware or a farmhouse sink can create a new look and feel. If hardware alone won’t give you the improvement you want, a cabinet refacing can be cheaper than replacing cabinets but still create a profound change in the overall look of the kitchen.
Now is the time to clean out your cupboards and drawers and create new organizational systems to keep all your kitchen supplies neat and easy to find. If your kitchen walls are starting to look dull and dirty, this is the perfect room to start with that fresh coat of pain.
5. Spruce Up the Bathroom
After the kitchen, bathroom remodels are an excellent choice for increasing your home value. These rooms don’t have to cost a fortune to spiff up – a new toilet lid or some shelving can make a big difference with little cost involved. Consider a new shower curtain and rugs, or new hardware for the sink and shower for a longer-lasting improvement.
Like the kitchen, a new coat of paint in the bathroom can do wonders. You can also consider replacing an outdated light fixture with a more stylish alternative. If your tile never looks completely clean, a re-grouting may be the ticket to give the shower stall or tub a rejuvenated appearance.
6. Add Some Organization
Storage is a key feature to increase a home’s value, but older homes don’t always offer sufficient space for keeping all of today’s stuff safely stored away. If your home is lacking for storage, add some organizers or extra shelving to create more vertical space. If you have the budget, hire a professional service to install closet organizers. If not, there are plenty of good choices at the local hardware store that you can install as a DIY project.
7. Look Down
The rest of your house can be in perfect condition, but if your flooring is worn or stained, it will detract from your home’s appearance and even affect the overall value. In some cases, all your carpet might need is a professional cleaning. Other times, you might need to replace the carpet in rooms with high traffic areas to get a positive result. If you are planning to replace the carpet, consider a different material like wood or tile, which tends to be more durable and is easier to keep clean.
If your wood floors have seen better days, you can have them refinished for a fraction of the cost of replacement. The process will vary based on the type of wood you have, but most homeowners find they don’t have to be out of the house for more than a night to make their floors look like new.
8. Coordinate Your Appliances
Many homeowners find that as they begin replacing appliances, they also develop a mishmash of colors and materials in their kitchen. The white stove you had when you moved into your home might have been replaced with stainless steel. Or perhaps a black refrigerator took the place of your stainless-steel model. When the kitchen begins to look too eclectic, it can affect both appearance and resale value.
You may not see appliance replacement as a cheap way to increase your home’s value, but there are options. In some cases, you can replace the face of the appliance to create a more consistent look throughout. Some appliances even have reversible face panels, so you can switch from white to black with just the turn of a couple of screws. You can also keep different looks in one room if they blend well, such as mixing some stainless with black or white appliances.
Ready to update your home? If simple fixes aren’t enough to give you the living space you want, Scroggs Construction can help. Our professional team offers remodeling services from redesigning your kitchen to adding another room to the house. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you increase the value of your home and create a beautiful living space for your family.