You Don’t Have to Spend a Fortune to Increase Your Home Value
Owning a home is an investment. Although owning a house will never give you a better return on other investments, the combination of building equity in a large asset that reliably appreciates and not pouring money into the black hole known as “rent” is pretty potent.
That’s reason enough to want to boost your home’s value as much as possible. Every extra dollar your home is worth in equity you magically own. Most of the techniques that increase home value require up-front investment. You don’t have to spend alot of money to increase your home value. Here are some suggestions.
Clean and Declutter
Cleaning is basically free. A deep clean of your home will make it look newer and make it easier for potential buyers to see themselves living there. In fact, a deep-cleaning of your home can add more than $3,700 to the sale price. And, decluttering can add more than $6,500. It is also important to make minor repairs. Also take a look at the caulk around your windows and the grout in the bathroom.
Paint
Paint is considered one of the cheapest home renovations. A fresh coat of paint can boost your home value by $5,000. Painting the exterior of your home can add more than $7,500 to your home’s value.
Light
Natural sunlight and artificial light inside your home can add a dramatic effect on your home’s value. Studies have shown that the more direct sunlight a house receives, the more the house is worth.
Refreshed Hardware
People notice details. Replacing or repairing door handles, drawer pulls or wall plates is pretty easy and makes a world of difference. You might consider replacing the shower head for under $100.
Simple Landscaping
Landscaping and curb appeal can have a huge impact on your home’s value. Professional landscaping costs a fair bit of money. Assuming your yard, patio, or deck is not a disaster it’s likely you can make improvements yourself. The first step is to just clean things up. A power wash, trash disposal, and sweep-up will make a huge difference. You might give your front door a bright color to increase the appearance of your home. Mowing grass and trimmming hedges, trees, or other vegetation so it looks like you did on purpose instead of a losing battle against nature is also a 100% free landscaping step that will boost your home’s value.
