Home Improvement Projects That Add Value

• Smart moves to increase your home valueHouse and Color image by Aleksandar Jovanovic from Fotolia.com
  
  Making home improvements can increase the value of your home and its selling appeal. Something small like repaving your driveway, replacing a window pane, or fixing a noisy step can convince a potential buyer. Step back and analyze what flaws your home has or what details are lacking and if it would be profitable to change them.
  
  

Exterior

• First impressions are long lasting. The first view any potential buyer has is of the outside of your home. Start by fixing any obvious flaws. You can clean the yard, repaint, revarnish the main door, make sure the roof is in good shape, or add a few small plants. Also, make sure that the outside lights work for any night or cloudy day viewings.
  
  

Interior

• Make sure there is plenty of light, add some higher watt bulbs or paint the walls in lighter tones. Caulk or plaster any obvious gaps in the foundation. Also, to increase the spacious feeling of your home, remove unnecessary knickknacks. This helps future buyers better imagine themselves living in your home. Replace any old carpet, and in general it is best to remove wallpaper. Buyers might pass on your home if they think they will have to do any lengthy removing or changes themselves. It is also a good idea to focus on areas like the kitchen and bathroom. Replace your counter-tops and tiles if they are cracked or worn.
  
  

Appliances

• Your appliances may be in working order, but do they look outdated? A buyer thinks of what they will have to shell out besides the purchase price. Will they end up spending more money on improvements and updating appliances? If your fridge, stove, or bathtub looks too old or rusty, replace them with a visually pleasing, yet average-priced model.
  
  

Budget

• It is a good idea to make improvements on your home, but you need to make sure that you are not spending too much on them as there is no guarantee you will get a sufficient return. For instance, a pool sounds nice, but it comes with a lot of maintenance, and future buyers may not want that. Make a budget of what you have to spend and from there decide what necessary improvements to make first.