When it comes to boosting the value of your home don’t let anyone trick you into thinking there is such thing as cheap fixes! Still, there are fixes that are cheaper than others, and these are what you should opt for.
Regardless the reason of your remodeling (I’m guessing you want to sell or rent), you need to be smart about it so that you can ask (and get!) a rightful price. Here are some steps that will lead you to boosting your home value:
1. Exterior matters!
If your house doesn’t look inviting and welcoming, you can say goodbye to selling/renting it. Most of them wouldn’t even get out of the car if they’re not instantly drawn to the beauty of the home they are cruising, and can you blame them?
So, what you are to do is:
– Remove clutter – old piled up bags, pieces of furniture you couldn’t get yourself to throw away, leaves, shrubs and dead trees. These are major eyesores and yet are so easy to move and dispose of;
– Build or re-paint your fence. Choose a color that matches the outer wall of your home or go with something light and welcoming;
– Wash windows;
– Fix gutters on your roofs and re-paint them once they are fixed;
– Add some flower pots or plant flowers along the front of the house;
– Wash the house’s exterior;
– Re-paint window trims and other wooden surfaces;
– Mow the lawn (needless to say, I hope!) and re-seed patches of grass that are dry;
2. Entrance
The entrance of your home is probably one of the most important parts of your home. If the entrance isn’t welcoming, the buyer won’t give it a second thought.
Ways to make your entrance more welcoming:
– Paint the front door in a glossy color;
– Have the doorbell, house numbers, porch lights and door handles replaced;
– Place a new welcome mat at the front door;
3. Clean is the way to go
If you don’t have the budget to renovate the bathroom and kitchen, you can always do little repairs and clean thoroughly to make everything sparkle! Why am I singling out these two rooms? Because they are the image of you and your hygiene. If these parts of the house aren’t clean, don’t get your hopes up about selling/renting.
So, this is what you should do:
– Have all grout lines (in both bathroom and kitchen) cleaned or re-painted. Believe it or not, re-painting grout lines will give the space a completely new and fresh vibe!
– Change mats – if you have re-painted grout lines then consider buying new mats that match the new décor of the rooms;
– The bathroom must sparkle! …. same goes for the kitchen;
– Replace or tighten door handles; tighten drawer pulls, light switches and electrical plates;
– Don’t forget to clean carpets, remove old stains and wash windows!
4. Use space in a smartly
Almost every house has a room that is rarely used. We tend to use it as storage and we waste a perfectly fine space. If not a room, it’s usually parts of the loft, basement, terrace… If your budget allows it, hire industrial builders to help you out – they will probably have great insights into what should be done in order to get more space. You can always decorate yourself and turn the room into whatever the interested party is looking for – a nursery, crating room, dinning room, etc.
5. Light up the house
The lighter, the better! If the lighting is proper, your home will give away the feeling of cheerfulness and openness.
– Open shades (make sure they are not cracked or broken) and let the sunshine in;
– Add some additional lamps for atmosphere;
– Have brighter bulbs installed in rooms that tend to be darker;
– Set the vibe of the house by strategically turning on lamps that give rooms the illusion of bigger space (no, it’s not cheating – it’s utilization!)
