Every homeowner takes pride in their property. After all, you bought the house in the first place because you could easily picture yourself there, raising a family, entertaining friends and relaxing after a hard day at the office. Yet as much as you love your home, chances are there are a couple of issues that nag at you. Perhaps the paint job on the exterior is looking a little worn, but you can’t find the time to give it an extra coat. Maybe the hot water heater in the basement groans during the winter, but you just don’t have the available cash to get it replaced. Some issues are tiny, some are significant, and then there are those that aren’t really issues at all, but you know if you handled them they would significantly increase your home’s resale value. Even if you’re years away from selling it’s a good idea to protect your investment. So here are five effortless renovations to increase the value of your home.
First off, consider taking some time and giving your landscaping a bit of a freshening. Okay, perhaps this isn’t 100% ‘effortless’. But compared to something like replacing the roof, this is a chore you can handle yourself and bring from start to finish in a weekend. You don’t have to do anything drastic, either. Just by cleaning up the hedges, trimming back the trees and perhaps planting a colorful garden of flowers you will add some major value to your home. Curb appeal is one of the biggest factors in a sale, and through landscaping upkeep you’ll guarantee you get the price you want.
Another good idea is to refinish any wooden floors in your home. All you have to do is move the furniture into another room, get yourself a can of finish and spend the day laying it on carefully. Wood floors are a huge selling point, but after many years of use they tend to look tired and show all of the scratches. A new coat of finish in the right color will bring them back to life, improving the look and feel when you get around to selling.
You can also significantly increase the value of your home by replacing the fixtures in the bathroom and the kitchen. Trends change fairly quickly in this area, and unless you happened to purchase a new home or luck into buying from someone with timeless taste, they could probably use an update. New fixtures aren’t terribly expensive or difficult to install, and yet they’ll add solid value in each room.
Next, consider having some of your appliances replaced with new, Energy Star-rated units. If you purchase from a major manufacturer they’ll often include free delivery, and installation is a snap. The Energy Star appliances you put in will use about 30% less electricity to do the same job, making them incredibly valuable in any resale. And you’ll reap the benefit through decreased utility bills for as long as you live in the home.
Finally, get around to that paint job you’ve been putting off. If you were to ask the professionals at Movoto real estate for a list of to do’s to tackle before a sale, this would probably top it off. Painting takes minimal effort, yet it completely transforms the look of any room. An exterior paint job might be a bit more difficult, although you can rent a high powered painting gun that will cut the job time down by days. And you may well be shocked at the incredible difference it makes in the look and feel of your home.