Giving your home the right upgrades and renovations will not only make your life more comfortable, but it will also increase your home’s value. Homeowners keep their homes for about 13 years before moving to a new one. Whether you’re looking to sell your home fast for the best value or sticking it out for the long haul, the value of your home is important. And besides, you never know what the future may bring. You might say to yourself now that you have no plans of ever moving, but perhaps the future has other ideas for you.
With all that said, be warned that if your house is already on the higher end, doing a lot of upgrades might not be worth it. Know your home’s value to gauge whether to update it for possible resale. Here’s a list of upgrades and renovations that will increase your home’s value.
Maximize the square footage
If you want to go big on this, feel free to alter your home’s floor plan. Add a room or expand one by knocking down a wall or two. Bigger houses sell for higher prices. Just be sure to hire professionals to do this. Moving walls is a serious task that should never be attempted by untrained hands.
An option that might cost you less is to finish your basement or attic. In doing this, you’ll also be able to maximize your space. You can use the finished rooms for an entertainment room, a home office, a stylish storage space, a crafts room, or whatever you want!
Invest in smart technology
Smart technology is the future so installing smart fixtures in your home is sure to increase its value. Smart thermostats, smoke detectors, and light bulbs are smart upgrades that are all worth looking into.
Beautify your home
When it comes to home value, facades are just as important as functionality. Boost your home’s curb appeal. Not only will it improve how your home looks, but it will also make your home an even better sight for sore eyes at the end of a long workday.
Revamp your home’s landscaping. Consult a landscaper on how to bring out the best in your home landscape according to design trends, your budget, and your preferences.
When you’ve taken care of the outdoors, it’s worth reevaluating your kitchens and bathrooms too. Upgrade your toilets to low flow toilets, which consume less water but are still effective when flushing.
If you’re looking to sell soon, a repaint can instantly breathe new life into your home. Experts say that it’s best to use neutral colors for resale to make iteasier for prospective buyers to imagine themselves living there. If you want to save on your costs, you can even try to make it into a D.I.Y. project.
If you’re having trouble visualizing certain swatches on your wall, TapPainter can help you out. TapPainter is a mobile app that allows you to see what your rooms will look like with a repaint. All you have to do is take a picture of the room you want to repaint, and the app will let you choose from a wide range of real paint colors to virtually paint your walls. TapPainter also has a network of qualified painters to get the job done.
Make it low-maintenance
Sometimes what most appeals to other people is having less to fuss about. Certain upgrades can do just the trick.
If you have any carpeted floors in your home, consider changing them out for hardwood. While carpeted flooring is safer if you have children running around, it’s a very high maintenance material. It’s much harder to clean, especially when it comes to spillage. Go for a low maintenance material such as laminate flooring. It is water-, scratch-, and moisture-resistant and much easier to clean.
If you don’t have a green thumb but still want a beautiful garden, choose plants that can thrive in your region and don’t require much water or maintenance.
Make it energy-efficient
Be warned that energy-efficient solutions often cost a lot upon purchase and installation, but they’ll also save you a lot of money in the long run.
Upgrade to LED lights if you haven’t yet. Whether you’re selling your home, they’re a good update to make because they last longer and cut costs on your electricity bills.
If you want to step up your game, you can also consider installing solar panels. However, keep in mind that the worthiness of this upgrade will depend on trade policies, your electric bills, and area climate.
Know what changes can be done to improve your home not just for your everyday comfort but also for the possibility of reselling. Above all, know your home’s value to determine whether such changes will be worth the costs.
