If you’re in the home-buying market, chances are you’ve been around homes that look like they could use a few home improvements. While home improvements can be expensive and time-consuming to execute – not to mention difficult for those who don’t know how to do it themselves – some home improvements will significantly increase home value. And if you’re looking to sell your home, you’ll want to increase the home’s value as much as possible before listing the property.
Here are a few ideas from our expert real estate agent that will help improve the value of your home.
Start with the kitchen.
The first place to start when updating your home is the kitchen? Why? Because the kitchen is the heart of the house, and if you want to get more offers and more money for your home when it’s time to sell, you need to modernize the kitchen completely.
Amanda Brown with Amanda Brown Realty in Gatesville, TX, says the kitchen is what buyers tend to focus on.
She says, “Whenever I show a home, the buyers are always drawn to the kitchen. If the house has a great kitchen, there’s always a greater chance they’re going to put in an offer.”
Remodeling a kitchen isn’t necessarily a quick and cheap way to increase the value of your home, but it will make the most significant difference.
Remove old appliances that don’t work anymore and replace them with new ones, update cabinet hardware if needed to give a major facelift in a relatively short time, and install a large island for cooking and eating.
Once you’ve made those kitchen improvements, it’s time to move to the master bathroom.
Master bathroom upgrades.
Some home remodeling projects, like room additions and home backyard improvements, may increase the value of your home. But one home improvement project that is almost guaranteed to give you a return on your investment is an update to the bathroom.
Most homeowners see around a 70% return on investment when updating their bathrooms, so it’s a great place to start if you’re giving your home a facelift.
While some of the quickest ways to enhance the bathroom are to give it a new coat of paint and swap out the old curtain for some lovely blinds, giving your space a complete makeover is often best.
After throwing on some paint, drop in a new shower, swap out those dated cabinets for modern ones with new hardware, and lay down some new tile. These few updates will make your bathroom stand out and possibly drum up more offers.
Enhance the curb appeal.
One of the home investments that will significantly increase home value is a curb appeal upgrade. This can include a new deck, a driveway replaced with pavers, a fresh coat of paint on the home, or any number of other home improvement projects.
A home that looks well-maintained and cared for will be worth more than a home that is run down and in need of renovations. The exterior should fit the home’s general style while giving off a fresh, new appearance.
Keep in mind that the home’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers see when they pull up to a house to take a look at it. You want to ‘wow’ them with your curb appeal and draw them in.
Start by addressing any problems with the home’s exterior, such as rotting wood or leaks. If you don’t take care of those now, even if you do sell, there’s a chance the buyer’s lender may require those repairs anyways.
Next, patch up any dead spots in the grass with some sod. It’s a quick and relatively inexpensive upgrade, but it makes your home look well-maintained. Then clean up the flower beds and throw in a few perennial flowers to show some class.
Replace old flooring with new laminate.
Flooring always seems to date a home as well. Whether it is the carpet or just an older tile, nothing screams “1990s” like old flooring.
Again, this is not the most inexpensive thing to do to your home, but it can be a quick upgrade with the right contractor that makes a huge difference.
Old carpets need to be changed out every 5-10 years or so anyway, so think about upgrading to luxury vinyl plank (also known as LVP) throughout your home. It will give it a luxurious look and feel while not breaking the bank.
LVP will give the home a wood-floor look, but it’s vinyl. It’s durable, installs quickly, and is much cheaper than natural hardwood floors.
Add a coat of paint.
Just like flooring, most paint lasts between 5 and 10 years. The normal wear and tear of living in a home will start to take its toll on the paint.
Paint is the quickest home improvement option out there; it’s relatively cheap and can even be done yourself if you’re on a budget. It doesn’t matter if you’re updating the color scheme or just freshening up an older home; paint makes all the difference in how buyers view your home.
Amanda recommends more neutral colors if you’re going to sell the home.
“When you’re selling a home, try to appeal to the masses. FLashy colors aren’t for everyone, and they might turn some buyers off. Try simple, neutral tones such as Agreeable Gray or Shaker Beige,” says Amanda.
So give your home a fresh look with some paint and watch the offers start coming in.
Home improvements can be expensive, but some are worth the investment. A home will sell faster and for more money if it looks well-maintained a bit more modernized. This includes exterior upgrades like freshly painted walls or an upgraded kitchen and updates on floors with luxury vinyl plank flooring instead of carpeting, which needs replacing every few years anyway.
We wish you the best of luck in selling your home and getting the most for it.
