So you’ve finally decided to sell your home, or maybe you’re contemplating ways to add value, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend and “bang for your buck” is important. Here are 10 easy steps to increase your properties value without breaking the bank.
- Create Space
Knocking out a wall or even removing a kitchen island can be an easy way to open up some space. Right now many buyers want an open floor plan, a great main level should have flow between the family room and kitchen. This is especially true in older homes where you have lots of tiny boxy rooms. For the price of a few hundred dollars and a certified contractor you can transform a space.
- Landscaping
Prune, trim and mow! Overgrown and unpruned trees and bushes don’t give off a great first impression of a house, not to mention they can obscure views, darken rooms and prevent people from truly seeing the home.
People tend to forget about landscaping, yet it can be one of the biggest returns on your home. A recent study in the real estate market saw that an investment of $400 – $500 in landscaping could return up to 4 times that.
- Let there be light
Lighting is a crucial thing when home buyers are looking at properties. Something as simple as adding a dimmer switch can make all the difference in creating a warm and welcoming mood in a home. Having a dimmer switch on as many lights as possible is a huge benefit when showing a home. It allows a mood to be set no matter what time of day.
With proper lighting a small space can be made larger and a large, cold space can be made to feel warmer and more inviting.
- Don’t neglect care and maintenance
Don’t let care and maintenance go out the window. Many potential buyers will notice all the weeds in the yard or the minor repairs that need to be made, all they see is time and money out the window. For just a few hundred dollars you could potentially save yourselves thousands that a buyer may knock off the asking price.
Not to mention that neglecting a minor repair may turn into a bigger and more costly problem down the road.
- Be environmentally conscious
A great way to add value to your home can be swapping out some older units, such as air conditioners, for more modern energy efficient ones. With potential savings up to 40% as well as numerous tax breaks, adding energy efficient and green home improvements is a great option for increasing a home’s value.
- Shut the front door
Don’t underestimate the power of your front door. A recent study showed that buyers make up their minds in the first 7 seconds. So obviously investing some money in a nice front door can make a difference. Not only that a front door with glass can add some much needed light to a dark foyer.
- Flooring
What’s under your feet really does matter. Home owners don’t want to see wall to wall carpet any more, it feels outdated and tacky. Just simply removing flooring like vinyl and replacing it with a modern cost efficient alternative can make all the difference.
- People like a nice bathroom
Kitchens and bathrooms are definitely your best bet when trying to add value to a home. It may not be economical to do a full bathroom renovation, but such small things as cleaning grout, applying fresh caulking, updating cabinet pulls, and replacing faucets can give a bathroom a refreshed feeling.
- Paint, paint and more paint
Most buyers cannot picture themselves in homes with custom or bold colors. A great way to add value is to repaint a house in neutral color tones. New paint adds a fresh clean feeling to a home and can brighten up small rooms, allowing buyers to picture themselves in the home.
- Kitchen – a focal point in most homes
Putting money into the kitchen is a safe bet. Although doing a full kitchen renovation may not be in the cards, there are still numerous ways to refresh your kitchens appearance. Such small things as changing out your cabinet handles and restaining cabinet doors may add a new modern look. Other great ideas are to add or replace the existing backsplash and countertops, or even to buy some new appliances.
About the Author:
Brendan Huff is the Co-Founder of ServiceGems.com and is the resident property management and real estate expert. Bringing his 8 years of experience along with advice from industry experts, Brendan’s blogs are both informative to those who work in the industry as well as to home owners. Brendan Huff is also a Vancouver Luxury real estate expert and is passionate about the local market. If you have any questions or comments feel free to email him at brendan.huff@servicegems.com or visit www.brendanhuff.com.
