Adding Value To Your House

Adding value to your house can help you get more money if you want to refinance or sell it. Small improvements can lead to a great payoff in the long run. Here are a few ways you can do this.

Improve the Curb Appeal

The first thing anyone sees as they come to your house is the landscape. Mow your lawn and keep it to a manageable level. Repair broken siding, trim, and shingles. This improves the appearance of your structure as well as protects it from damage. Keep bushes trimmed and plants weeded so they are appealing to passersby. Fill the cracks in your sidewalks and driveway. This keeps visitors from tripping and injuring themselves. During the winter, keep these surfaces shoveled and sanded to prevent them from slipping.

Update the Kitchen

Another way to improve the value of your home is to update your kitchen. It can be as simple as repainting the walls. Changing to a light color will make the space bigger. Adding track lighting or additional light fixtures will make it easier to see when you are working with food. New counters, cabinets, appliances, and flooring will increase the amount that your house is worth while giving you a pleasant place to prepare meals and entertain guests.

Repair Damage

Have an inspector look over your home to see if they can find anything that might harm it. Getting ahead of a leak in your basements or vermin eating away at your structure will allow you to prevent it before it becomes an issue. If these are found when you are trying to refinance or sell your home, it can cause you to get much less that you hoped for. If the inspector does find an issue, remedy it as quickly as you can.

Increase Light

Potential buyers want to find a house that gives them a great deal of light in the rooms. Thoroughly clean your windows and purchase window treatments that allow light to come in. Replacing your older windows will increase the insulation to your house as well as let the sunshine in better than your old frames. Switch out your standard light bulbs with energy-efficient ones. This will reduce the amount of your energy bill as well as provide more illumination to your room.

Modify the Bathroom

The bathroom is another spot in the house that potential buyers are interested in. If there is the presence of mold or mildew in the tiles or grout, scrub the areas clean. Apply more caulk to spots where it may be missing. Replace any cracked or broken tile there may be, whether it is in the tub surround or the floor. Consider replacing the sink enclosure especially if it is showing its age. Install brighter lighting and paint the walls a lighter shade to make the room seem larger. Change out the toilet, shower head, and water heater to more energy-efficient models. This will cut your utility costs in the long run. Buy new towels and rugs that coordinate with the rest of the remodel to give it a finished look.