A home will be most people’s biggest investment, so it makes sense to nurture it. Even if you plan to live in your home forever, it’s still a good idea to continue to make improvements whenever possible. There are so many ways to increase your home’s value, many of which are easy to DIY.
So, whether you’re planning on listing your home in the very near future, a few years down the line, or just toying with the idea, I compiled a list of things you can do to increase your home’s value!
This post was created in partnership with Homie. All words and views expressed are my own, as always!
Curb Appeal Adds Instant Value
When you’re driving through a neighborhood and a house catches your eye, that’s curb appeal. The front of a home is everyone’s first impression, so making it as pretty as possible will instantly boost your home’s value.
If you have a garden, make sure to keep it clean and well-maintained. Even if you aren’t selling your home right now, it’s much easier to stay on top of your landscaping than it is to let it get out of control and have to reign it back in. (Not that I know this from experience or anything… Ha… Ha… Okay I do!)
If you’re selling your home, consider painting the door, polishing or replacing the numbers on your home, and sprucing up your mailbox. If you have a porch, make sure it is sparkling clean! Replacing your doormat, adding a bench or other decor, and keeping it clean will all make your house seem more like a home.
You can control your curb appeal without spending thousands of dollars. You can do it yourself or hire some landscaping help if needed.
If your lawn has dead spots, you can head to the hardware store and bring it back to life for generally under $200 (depending on the amount of dead spots and size of lawn, of course). That’s a pretty minor investment that will make a world of difference to a potential buyer.
The Kitchen is the Hub of a Home
It doesn’t matter if you’re Betty Crocker or if you make frozen dinners most nights, the kitchen is generally the center of a home. It makes sense, then, to make sure your kitchen is eye-catching, clean, and functional.
An affordable way to update your kitchen is by painting your cabinets and (if needed) replacing your countertops. This can give your kitchen new life without an expensive remodel.
Keep the colors throughout your home neutral if you’re selling it. This includes the kitchen. You may need to repaint the walls.
Consider updating your lighting, as well. A few quick searches on Pinterest will show you some beautiful options. Obviously never take on more than you can handle. If you need to hire a professional, weigh the cost of that against the potential benefits before moving forward.
Add (or update) your backsplash. This is something you can definitely DIY once you do some research. A backsplash can go a long way in making your home feel modern and stylish.
If you can, make your appliances match. For some appliances, you can find new doors so that you don’t have to buy an entirely new dishwasher to match the rest of your stainless steel kitchen. Do some googling and see if this is a viable option for you.
Never Underestimate a Deep Clean
This might seem a bit silly, I mean, aren’t the new home buyers going to clean it anyways? But it’s easier to imagine yourself living in a home that is well kept and sparkling clean.
Sure, you could hire a company to do this, but if you have the time and willingness, you could also do it yourself. Take this task on one room at a time so it isn’t completely overwhelming. Pick a room and begin!
- Empty the room as much as possible. The emptier, the better.
- Clean the ceilings and walls with hot, soapy water. Then rinse with clean water. Bring a Magic Eraser with you so that you can scrub any scuffs away. And make notes of anything that will need to be patched or painted.
- Now that the room is empty, time to deep clean the floors. You can rent a carpet cleaner for pretty cheap, or hire a professional. Explore your options and decide what’s best for you.
- Before you put your furniture back in, scrub it down. Toss cushion covers, throw blankets, and curtains in the washer. Scrub and polish all hard surfaces.
- Now, be very intentional with what you put back. If your house is currently on the market, or will be very soon, you will want to keep things clutter-free. Pack away any knickknacks. Make sure each piece you put back has a purpose in that room.
This brings us to the next thing you can do to not only boost your home’s value, but also sell it faster!
Declutter
This can’t be stated enough! The more items in a room, the smaller a room looks. The more cluttered a room is, the harder it is for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there.
Having a cluttered home also makes potential buyers wonder if there will be enough room for all their stuff. I read that 30% is the sweet spot: when showing your home, keep your closets and shelving 30% empty. This tells buyers that there is so much storage space that the current residents haven’t even been able to fill it (without making it seem empty and barren).
You definitely don’t need to throw everything away. But things you won’t need between now and when you plan to move can easily go into storage for now. Plus it’ll make packing easier when that time comes.
Paint in Light Neutrals
Painting your home is an easy way to increase it’s value. Especially if you have any rooms that appear dark, heavy, or too intense. You don’t need to paint every wall white, but think pale neutrals.
Here are the best colors to paint your home before selling:
- Kitchen: Soft blue or gray is the best color for a kitchen. Previously, white was popular, but that trend is fading!
- Bathrooms: According to Zillow, “light pale blue to soft periwinkle blue bathrooms” sold for $5k more than expected!
- Living Rooms: Oatmeal or light beige is the best color for living rooms.
- Bedrooms: Apparently “light cerulean to cadet blue” bedrooms are where it’s at. Although I think it would be kind of odd to have all the bedrooms in a house be this color.
- Dining Rooms: The best color is either a slate blue or pale gray for your dining room.
Again, the point is to make each room appear larger, brighter, and cleaner. You certainly don’t need to follow those guidelines. Be sure to patch any holes and take down any distracting artwork.
Feel free to keep up (or add) mirrors, as they tend to make a space look larger than it is. A few well-placed mirrors can open up an otherwise cramped room or hallway.
Tackle Small Repairs
This one may not inherently increase your home’s value, but it will likely help your home sell faster. When a potential buyer walks through a home and notices multiple small issues, they’re likely to wonder what big issues are hiding in your home.
It’s also a turn-off to know you’ll immediately have to start making (even small) repairs. So it’s best to do it yourself, before any buyers walk through.
If you have any faulty doorknobs, missing cabinet handles, broken outlets, etc, fix them!
Get a Great Team to Help You Sell
Once you’ve done all this hard work, you’ll want to know that you have a team behind you that will get you the best offers on your home. That’s where Homie comes in!
True, Homie doesn’t instantly up the value of your home, but they do save their customers an average of $10,000! You might wonder how they could possibly save you that much while still offering all the help you need. But when you sell with Homie, they take care of:
- Scheduling the photos of your home
- Sending value reports and pricing recommendations
- Installing your yard sign
- Building your social media ads
- Publishing your listing on their website and the MLS, as well as Zillow, Realtor . com, and Facebook
- Filtering your buyer calls
- Negotiating offers on your home
- Guiding you through contract with inspections, title work, and closing
- Attorney assistance with contracts and negotiation
They do all of this for one flat fee! You pay $199 when you list with them and $1,299 at closing.
Be sure to check out Homie if you’re ready to put your home on the market! And if you’re looking for a home, they can help with that, too!
Tell me…
Are you planning on making any home improvements this year? Do you think they’ll increase the price of your home? Be sure to pin this post for later!
