As a homeowner, you may have considered selling your home at some point. It may be because you’re moving to a different area or your family has outgrown your current place. Even if you have no plans of moving anytime soon, it’s good to keep your home’s resale value in mind. These improvements are also a way to increase your quality of life now, plus make it easier for you when the time comes to move out.
Regardless of your reasons for renovating, it pays to be strategic and plan ahead. If you prioritize renovations that will also appeal to future buyers, then you can reap benefits both now and in the future. Read on below what home improvements you can do to increase your home’s resale value.
Curb Appeal
From our school days, we’ve been repeatedly told that first impressions last. This is also true when it comes to securing a sale of your home. When a potential buyer pulls up to your home, will they become excited or dread what’s to come? Even if the interiors deserve to be published in a luxury lifestyle magazine, none of that matters if the outside looks beat up and run down.
You have numerous options to improve your curb appeal. Make sure your lawn is clean, and trim down any overgrown shrubs or bushes. This simple clean up plus the addition of some walkway pavers can up your home’s value without too much effort. You can also look into adding a paver patio or an outdoor kitchen if your property has the space for it.
Of course you must not neglect the house itself. Give your exteriors a new coat of paint and replace exterior doors or garages doors. If you don’t remember the last time you had a home inspection, you might also need to fix up some windows and your roof. These can drastically improve your home’s appearance and leave a better impression on people.
Update Your Kitchen
One of the main things buyers look out for is the kitchen, so an outdated one is likely to hurt your sales prospects. Since most people consider the kitchen as a central part of the home, updates to this room can increase your home’s value.
Whether you’ll need a full kitchen remodel or not depends on the current state of your space. If you’re looking to expand a small kitchen or change the layout, then a total renovation will be needed. Same goes if you encounter major issues with the wiring or plumbing. On the other hand, if your kitchen is still in good condition, then you can do with a minor kitchen remodel. You can give the space a facelift by refacing cabinets, changing hardware, and updating the appliances.
However, you should make sure that your kitchen upgrade doesn’t look out of place with the rest of the house. If the charm of your house is its traditional style, don’t put in an enormous contemporary kitchen.
Natural stone vanity island by Wood & Co.
Update your Bathroom
After the kitchen, the next thing buyers zero in on are the bathrooms. Similar to the kitchen, an outdated bathroom will prevent your home from commanding a higher price. You need to make sure that your bathroom looks fresh and is in good working order. Any foul damp smells present will surely turn off buyers.
Inspect your bathroom and check how much bathroom remodeling you have to do. Even if you don’t need a complete overhaul, simple steps such as a fresh coat of paint, replacing tile grout, and repairing fixtures will go a long way.
Add Usable Square Footage
Aside from updating existing spaces, you can also look into adding usable square footage to your home. This doesn’t necessarily mean a home extension, but you can surely go that route too. What we mean is increasing the livable space in your home. An unfinished storage basement can be converted into an entertainment area, secondary living room, or games room. Your attic can be converted into a bedroom. You can also look into adding or reconfiguring walls to maximize the space. This may let you add a guest room or home office. Having more livable spaces makes your home highly desirable to potential buyers. This is especially true with versatile bonus rooms that the buyer can change according to their need.
Bedroom interiors and cabinetry by Wood & Co.
Change the Flooring
Flooring is another important part of your home with the potential to make or break your sale. If you have old and musty carpets and chipped tiles, then you’re sending the wrong signals about your home. People will probably think the rest of the house is also in bad shape and will need a lot of repair work.
Hardwood floors are always a popular choice. You can opt to install new ones or refinish existing ones to give your home that added ‘wow’ factor. Overall, you want your house to look clean and stylish. Spruced up flooring will help with this.
Basic Updates
Little things add up when it comes to increasing your home’s value. Aside from the big ticket items like your kitchen and bathroom, you also need to pay attention to the more minor updates. This can be something as simple as repainting the interior walls and fixing broken lighting. Replace wobbly ceiling fans, fix up the garage, and clean up everywhere. No one wants to move into a beat up and neglected home. If you can give the impression that your home is well maintained, then potential buyers will be more confident when they decide to close that deal.
Am I Doing the Best for My Home?
Even with a list like this and hours’ worth of online research, I’m sure you still have some reservations about your home renovation. There are probably a million things you want to know more and make sure of. How much will the remodel cost? Will I get back my investment? How much does this change increase the price? When you’re serious about committing to your home improvement, it’s best to contact a professional.
We at Wood and Co. specialize in home interiors and cabinetry. Get in touch with us to schedule a consultation or request a quote for your project.
