Flower Love
When considering whether to buy or rent a home, value has the final say. Unfortunately, we live in a time of unstable housing statistics and falling values, which is why every homeowner should look for a way to increase the value of their home.
Improving the quality is not a 100% guarantee of this, but it is a good starting point to become more competitive in the market.
Sometimes this means there are just a few devices to replace, but sometimes a complete renovation is required. Knowing how to add value to your home is a challenging experience indeed.
It’s never too late for a good start. Read these tips to add value to your home and get rewarded in due course.
Quality beats quantity
Image source: Smith Firestone Associates
Before making any serious renovation decisions, remember to prioritize quality. This is an important strategy for choosing valuable supplements, which means you should only buy durable and sustainable materials.
Spending less may be a good idea today, but honestly buyers prefer small, immaculate homes over mansions with cookie cutters.
Start from the outside
Image source: White room
When a shopper arrives, the first thing they impress upon is the exterior of the place. So give him a pleasant view that fascinates him to enter.
If your place looks abandoned, dilapidated, or just plain ugly, that won’t help you get a deal. Repairing the exterior doesn’t cost too much and usually means applying a coat of paint and fixing imperfections here and there.
For a modern and universal look, choose neutral shades and avoid bold and flashy choices such as lime green.
Some people may be absolute fans of your bold ideas, but the majority would go for a humble and expected solution.
Neutral systems
Image source: Sutton Suzuki Architects
Don’t shock buyers with outrageous pink, blinding orange, or neon blue. It is good to use a variety of colors and make the place welcoming.
At the same time, there are many neutral hues that can do the same thing. The magic of neutral hues lies in their safety – people have many different tastes and perceptions, but everyone is fine with beige!
Concerned about what they want, people tend to underestimate this fact and the decision unfortunately haunts them when the time to sell out comes. For this reason, neutral systems are known as the golden rule in design.
Skip the trends
Image source: LiLu Interiors
If you follow the trends you are almost sure to be selling an outdated home. Popular design solutions fade over time. So stick to furniture and appliances that are kind of classic and timeless in the sense that they will blend in with any interior.
Kitchen furniture help
Image source: Josh Partee | Architecture photographer
When talking about the kitchen, consider the impact of your cabinets. This is the first thing customers would notice after entering the kitchen. So think of a trendy, yet classy and durable piece.
Don’t forget about the floors, moldings, and windows, and add wine racks and woodwork to make the kitchen unique. To keep costs down, you’ll need to redesign the cabinets and add drawer accessories.
Make it energy efficient
This is a trend that is really important, and you will understand if you simply remember your monthly water and energy expenses.
If you can cut costs like this for other owners, you’ll make more money selling your space. To understand how to do this, contact local suppliers for audits and advice.
Don’t underestimate the soil
Image source: Neumann Mendro Andrulaitis Architects LLP
Instead of making it strikingly beautiful, make it glass to be durable. The higher you update it, the longer it will last and the better the ROI.
We recommend hardwood, natural stone, and tile, while vinyl and carpets are at the bottom of our list of options to consider.
Hire professional help
Image source: Kariouk Associates
Unless you’re a renovation expert, consider hiring a professional to do it for you, or at least estimate the amount of work.
You may believe in your DIY skills, but that is no guarantee that your lack of attention will not be visible and no customer will be impressed.
Let experts do manageable tasks because they have already done so and they can solve even the most complicated problems. It will cost, of course, but you will be deeply grateful for doing it once you get a step ahead of your competitors.
Change the fittings even if you don’t have to
Image source: Concept kitchen and bathroom
The usual time span in which sanitary fittings have a guaranteed degree of efficiency is 10 years. Once these 10 years have passed, even if it looks like it is working properly, consider replacing it.
Replace off-the-shelf materials with high-quality ones like antique copper, brass, and brushed nickel (they don’t even cost you much!).
For the sink, choose a collection that matches the control, faucet and sink sprayers. For the bathroom, on the other hand, buy showers and wash basin controls that harmonize with the uniform appearance of the rest of your home.
Focus on the details
Image source: Webber + Studio, architects
We know your budget is not unlimited and you are right if you focus on major renovations first. However, do not exceed the effect of details!
You have no idea how much value an attractive staircase or a carved closet for example can add. Give people extras like upholstered headboards, patios or extra storage space and they will appreciate it.
Do your own inspection
Image source: 50 degrees north architects
By inspection, we don’t mean walking around looking for purely cosmetic issues. Inspection means examining every detail and dealing with deteriorating roofs, outdated electrical systems, or possibly termite infestation.
Without a professional inspector, these problems cannot be located. Based on his experience, the inspector himself will spot most of the hidden problems that Murphy’s Law says will arise when they are least expected and will negatively affect the price of your place. Perform the inspection as soon as possible – the longer you wait, the less noticeable the damage will be!
You are responsible for the lights!
Image source: Pure lighting
Even if they cost a lot, they are very important in adding value to your home.
A house full of outdated paper lampshades and old-fashioned chandeliers is not of interest to buyers, as they will immediately start calculating the estimated cost of their replacement.
If possible, fix and hang lights in multiple places and let the lighting play its part in making other decorations appear more visible and beautiful. When the lights are energy efficient, they add even more value to your home.
Cozy master bedroom
Image source: DKOR Interiors Inc. – Interior Designers Miami, FL
The master bedroom needs to create a feeling of comfort and retreat and there are many ways to achieve this. You can freshen up flat ceilings with raised trays and add more than one lighting option.
The preferred one is obviously dimming or a couple of wall lights for a hotel ambience that always makes the place look more expensive than it is.
Landscaped and illuminated courtyards
Image source: CCI renovations
You can do magic for the value of your home when you have a garden and enough time to design it. When the yard looks nice, it usually gives the overall impression that the owners have taken care of their space, while mulch and dead plants can have just the opposite effect.
Therefore, keep the yard organized and welcoming and let them reflect on the pleasant summer afternoons they would spend there.
If you’re not an expert yourself, hire a landscaper to do it for you. Don’t forget to light it properly, because buyers can also arrive in the evening and you don’t want to lose the effect of a beautiful garden just because they didn’t manage to see it.
Of course, there are a variety of lights to choose from, and you’re sure to find the perfect chic addition to make your garden even more beautiful at night.