There exists a multitude of options and reasons for increasing the value of your home. Perhaps your mortgage application was just accepted and it is time to put your old house on the market. You want to get the most out of selling your old house and are willing to put just a bit of time and effort into it before putting on the market. Rest assured, it can be quick and painless to reap the benefits of home improvements.
Landscaping
This is the first thing visitors see when they approach your house, and you only have one chance to make a first impression. If your house looks like an island in an ocean of dead grass or an overgrown jungle, this might be the perfect starting point to make your property stand out. You can easily tackle this on your own in an afternoon or two. Trim the hedges, prune the trees, water the grass or even find some decorative drought-tolerant plants to line the walk, block the view of the foundation or accentuate the shutters or drapes.
Investing in landscaping can, at times, seem daunting and unpredictable. However, creating an outdoor oasis in your backyard or drastically improving the landscape in the front yard can pay dividends. Long and Foster Broker Jill Chorodov says, “homeowners should invest 10% of the value of their home in landscaping, usually expecting anywhere between a 100% to 150% return on investment, or ROI
The front door
It is said that home-buyers make their decision in the first seven seconds they are in a house. It may seem trivial but having an inviting, tasteful front door can change the look of the entire house. Consider upgrading or even just refinishing the front door to refresh that new looking luster. A small overhang or portico over the door will not only protect it, but will give you a sheltered spot to fumble for keys when the sun is hot or the rain is beating down.
Lighting
Artfully lighting an interior space is entering the realm of the interior designer but this doesn’t mean you can’t tastefully lively up a dark corner yourself. Is there a room or corner of the kitchen or living room that is uninviting? Having small ‘can’ lights added into the ceiling is cheap and they tend to be subtle. Another trendy lighting option is light rails. These are usually halogen but super-efficient LED’s are also available. The small, low output lights slide along a metal rail or cable and they are very customizable allowing you direct them to highlight artwork, a reading chair or a mantle. Let’s not overlook the various eco-friendly sun tubes. These consist of a round skylight on the roof with a reflective tube delivering light to a diffuser in the ceiling. After the initial cost of materials and installation, these provide free lighting during daylight hours.
Open is in
Whether it means removing a non-structural wall between the kitchen and dining room or finally tearing out that breakfast bar from the 70’s, large open areas between rooms gives you space to breathe. Short of completely remodeling a room, this is a relatively small project that allows you to be a bit creative and increase the spatial feeling of an area. This can be as simple as cutting a whole in a wall, adding a colorfully tiled counter-top and some stools. For an elegant touch, make that whole into an arch or even an eastern style arch.
Insulation efficiency
It’s a common misnomer that having a well-insulated house is only important for heating but it is equally so for cooling. There are a range of options on the market including blown cellulose insulation, fiberglass rolls and expanding polyurethane. A quick bit of research in your area will show available options and prices. It will not only add value to your home, but help reduce your heating and cooling bills with rapid recuperation of you initial investment.
So, if you have just been approved for a Clear Path Home Loan from BOQ and you want to get your old house sold as quickly as possible and for the best price, taking some, or all, of these simple steps can add a surprising amount of value to your property.
Some brilliant information here, especially with that of lighting tips. Appearance is indeed everything for the buyer, and so it’s a no-brainer to trim and tidy the exterior too.
It is funny how the front door makes such a difference. I know when I was house shopping if a door area had cobwebs or paint issues it was an immediate turn off. There must be some metaphor in there about the front door of a property and putting your best face forward in life to help with the initial impression. Thanks for the read!
That gave me an idea to put plants in the front yard, chinese bamboo, near the fire wall. This sounds interesting but have not stumbled upon one ” round skylight on the roof with a reflective tube delivering light to a diffuser in the ceiling”. Its personal finance blogs like this that helps me save money on house renovations. Thanks
This is great advice! When we bought our house we redid the landscaping right away and it made the house look 10x better. All the neighbours commented on how good it looks now (to be fair, it was just a big pile of dirt before, the old owners had done nothing for 20 years). The best part was that it cost under $1,000 since we did all the work ourselves!
Great tips! Who knew that just keeping a well-manicured lawn can keep the value of your home up?
Great Tips and Advice. People under estimate the value of great landscaping these days. It has become one of the most overlooked factors today!
Lighting is an awesome addition to any property. Arguably it is the most overlooked feature for any house. It is relatively inexpensive compared to other renovations such as kitchens and landscaping. Great Job! Thanks for Sharing!