A house is likely to be the biggest investment of your lifetime. As with any investments, the idea is for its value to increase over time. Here are 7 ways you can increase the value of your home today.
- Paint is simple and one of the most cost-effective ways to not only improve the value of your home but also the look. A new coat of paint makes for a cleaner, more updated feel for any room in the house. Neutral colors will appeal to more people so think twice before painting with bright and bold colors. The cost to paint an entire standard-sized room is under $100 including rollers and painter’s tape.
- Nothing dates a house quite like popcorn on the ceiling. Removing popcorn from a ceiling doesn’t cost a lot. Most home improvement stores carry a solution for popcorn removal and tools to easily scrape the popcorn from the ceiling. Some popcorn ceilings may contain asbestos so it’s important to have your ceiling tested by a professional before starting the removal process.
- Considering we spend about 90% of our lives indoors it could be argued that the air inside your house is more important to your everyday life than the air outside. If your house has older carpet it could be trapping harmful contaminants. Consider replacing carpet with hardwood floors, tile, or environmentally friendly laminate flooring. These surfaces are easier to keep clean than carpet, don’t smell like carpet, and is an upgrade in the looks category from carpet.
- Renovating small spaces can have a dramatic impact on the value of your home. Start with a guest bathroom. If a total renovation isn’t in the budget try changing out old wallpaper with a textured finish and replace dated lighting fixtures.
- For more adventurous remodelers try attacking that dated kitchen. You can start small like replacing a sink or an old appliance and progress to adding a modern backsplash and even new cabinets and flooring. A new kitchen can add significant value to your home.
- Curb appeal is an important part of the overall value of your home. Plants can go a long way in improving the look of your house. Specifically look for plants native to the region and can live with little water or maintenance.
- Increase your square footage. Sounds expensive but this doesn’t necessarily mean a physical addition to your home. It could be simple changes that increase how big a home feels. Replacing closed blinds and drapes with vertical blinds that let the sunlight shine in will make a room feel larger. Mirrors can open up a room to make people think the room is bigger than it actually is and last but not least, try removing some of the furniture in a crowded room.