Have you been wondering how to increase the value of your home without breaking your bank? That’s often what most of my clients ask me, so I thought I would share with you the tips that I give them. There are two main things to consider when you’re looking at increasing the value of your house – how much is it going to cost and how long is it going to take. While making drastic changes may seem too intimidating to take on by yourself, listed here are some simple ways to increase the value of your house without having to hire a contractor or spend too much money.
New Coat Of Paint
This has to be one of the easiest and most affordable way to give your home a new look. Not only is it an excellent way of raising your property value, but it’s also a fun project to take up with your family over the weekend. A fresh coat of paint is bound to give your house a fresh and clean look, making potential buyers more likely to walk-away impressed. Don’t get too carried away though, stick with neutral colours as you’re trying to make your house appeal to as many people as possible. Painting the whole house may not be on your budget, which is why painting some rooms or covering up chipped parts of the wall might be a better idea.
Let in the Light
Walking into a bright house is always an uplifting experience, especially for home buyers. Good lighting across your entire house can create an uplifting mood for your guests and prospective buyers, immediately increasing the value of your home. Open up the shades, change your old bulbs for some high-wattage bulbs, move out of the away that massive bookshelf blocking the windows, and maybe put up some new light fixtures. Place some floor-standing lamps in the corners or motion-detected lights in the backyard. So, spending a few $100 can give your house a more modern and open look, by revealing some of that hidden space in the shadows.
Clean up your house
You wouldn’t believe how much a clean house makes a difference to buyers. Buyers who walk into your house, want to be able to imagine themselves living in that house. It is the buyers prerogative to visualize themselves in your house before they spend all their hard earned money in purchasing said house from you – so keep that in mind when you’re preparing your house for buyers to come see. Put away the kids’ toys, pick up those rags lying in the corner of your kitchen, and make up the bed! Spending a few hours on cleaning up can make a drastic difference in how buyers respond to your house. You could go as far as having one of your neighbours store your excess furniture for a few days while you show your house to buyers, as this would open up more space for buyers to visualize their own furniture in your house.
Out & Around
While you may be focused on fixing up the interior, don’t overlook what’s going on outside your house. The outside of your house makes the first impression in the buyer’s mind, making it important for you to keep it clean and organized. Spending a couple of hours on the weekend in raking your leaves, trimming the hedges, and pulling out dead patches of grass, can save you some money on hiring a landscaping company. A new mailbox, a few potted plants, a working doorbell, and a clean backyard deck, can make a big difference in the appeal of your house.
Kitchen & Bath
If there is one thing that brokers seem to agree on, it is the value that a renovated kitchen and bathroom adds to a house. By replacing old fixtures and appliances in your kitchen and bath, hanging fresh towels in your bath, putting in good lighting in both rooms, and having a fresh coat of paint on the walls can give your house an instant upgrade in it’s value. All this might seem expensive, but you’ll be surprised how affordable it can be to simply replace a few faucets and knobs around the house, considering the overall increase in value it will provide to your house. If you’re looking to keep it simple, then a good scrubbing can be worth a thousand upgrades. Get deep in the corners and get that grime and dirt out, leaving your bath and kitchen with a fresh shine!
Pro Tip
Not all buyers are fond of pets and animals running around the house they are about to purchase, so be sure to keep your fluffy friends out of your house while potential buyers are visiting, or at least have them out of sight. Pets can be a turn off for many buyers, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Other than the tips listed above, there are many other ways to increase the value of your house depending on your budget and the time frame you have in mind. I would suggest getting in touch with a designer or a real estate broker (like myself) in your area, to give you a free assessment of the things you possibly change or upgrade to increase the value of your house.
