Potential home buyers look at things beyond the simple home exterior. The average cost of complete home renovations can get pricey fast, but not all changes have to be expensive and painful.
Many DIYS are affordable and easy to complete in a weekend or two. The average cost of a home remodel does not need to be ridiculously high if you are not afraid to do a few things yourself and give up some free time in return.
Many things factor into the value of a house to not only potential home buyers but also the national association of realtors. If you are looking for some of the cheapest ways to increase home value, look no further and continue reading for some low-cost ways to increase the value of your home.
Cheap Ways to Increase Home Value
A simple makeover can do wonders to add value to any home. Curb appeal is a crucial selling point for many homebuyers. Little home improvement projects can take the place of a complete to remodel to help boost resale value. DIY projects are cost-effective while also still producing a high return on investment. They are some of the cheapest ways to sell a house for good money.
Redecorating and Recarpetting Your House
Between faucets, light fixtures, and the front door, all these small cosmetics things date a home. However, just as quickly, these things can be switched out and updated to increase the value of a home.
The most basic first step is to declutter. A real estate agent suggests this first, and it is true. You are trying to add value to your home by selling it, not your stuff inside. A living space should not only be welcoming but also something they can see themselves living comfortably.
Clean up your countertops and carpets to freshen up the space. A dirty or dated carpet is immediately a negative to any house. The carpets must receive either an intense deep clean or a complete replacement.
Update the little things that make the most significant impact, like door knobs, showerheads, grout, and even your kitchen countertop and backsplash. This helps owners sell a house fast in Fox Point amongst other locations.
Landscaping Your Garden
While it may seem superficial and a waste of time since the grass will grow back, landscaping adds to curb appeal, and home buyers look for well-managed mulch and shrubbery. Something about flowers and well-trimmed bushes makes people think a home is better for them.
The home’s exterior is going to be the first impression home buyers receive of your listing. Mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes, and tidying up the flower beds may take a long day of yard work but proves worthwhile over time.
A backyard is a deal breaker for many families, and that does not mean it has to be big, only well-managed. Gardening may take a significant amount of work, but it is well-rewarding, whether it produces just flowers or vegetables and spices.
Get a New Front Door
Similar to the other superficial parts of the exterior of your house, such as the driveway, garden, and landscape, the front door is a pretty cheap fix that provides maximum benefit. The front door is the first part of your house they touch and see up close and personal.
The front door does not have to get replaced. It may need a fresh coat of paint and a new knob. Research what is popular for the area, around your listing and update what you can to fit into the preference of as many people as possible.
Cleaning Your Driveway
Whether it is the shrubbery or the garage door, a little driveway freshening can go a long way. A deep clean can be as simple as a quick power wash, or it could be the whole nine yards with some serious repair on cracks and other structural issues.
The boost in curb appeal from a quick power wash makes the long and challenging task worthwhile. Power washing cleans off the dirt and bird poo and removes any allergens, pollen, and dust that builds up over time.
Update Fixtures, Knobs, and Easy Stuff
Some renovations anyone could do if they had the time. Most people do not make the time until they have to when they prepare to move out and get someone else into their property. However, a quick and relatively cheap upgrade to light fixtures, door knobs, and doors does wonders for increasing the value of a home, no matter how dated.
Clean what can be replaced, such as grout, hardwood floors, and windows. Replace what you can afford if you want to make as much money as possible from your listing. We buy houses Milwaukee residents know will be updated and ready to be loved by new families.
Other Ways to Increase Home Value
There are other small DIYs that can add value without taking a lot of time or money. Repainting walls with a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color makes any property easier to sell, as people are more likely to see themselves in the space.
People always suggest big projects like new windows and hardwood floors, but those are not the only ways to increase the value of a home. A new home is hard to compare with an older one that is dated, so the most crucial step is bringing it to modern times.
It never hurts to research your area and other homes for sale near you, as they are your competition.
More Expensive Ways to Increase Home Value
Some renovations get a little pricey but do wonders for first impressions and hold up better under more careful observation. These home renovations can provide a high return on investment and increase the value of your home.
Some investments are quality with great returns. Many house flippers pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into places to get it all back. You do not need to speed nearly as much but, keep in consideration, that some expensive projects pay off in the end. Here are some of those costly projects that pay off the most.
Adding Space to Your House
Square footage is one of the most crucial pieces to bolster your home appeal. Not all houses have to have lots of unusable footage space, but practical places like basements, balconies, and storage units are good uses of space.
The idea of more space appeals to anyone, and it is achievable, whether you complete an unfinished space such as a basement or create more space with an addition. Additions are expensive, but the square footage they add can be extremely appealing, especially in tight city areas where people utilize every space they have.
Adding a Pool to Your House
There is rarely a person who does not want a pool in their backyard. For practical reasons, many buyers do not get a property with one, but adding it to your home not only adds value but excitement to prospective buyers.
Typically the only pool that truly increases the value of your home is an in-ground pool that is put into the backyard. It also depends on where the property is. A swimming pool in the northeast may be valuable because it is rarer to find, but a pool in the south is coveted as an enjoyable way to beat the heat.
The most ideal place to add a swimming pool, if you are trying to bolster the value of your home, is somewhere the pool could be used year-round like Florida or far south. This is because the investment has the most possible return when it can be used often.
Rebuilding Your Driveway
Time erodes all things, including driveways. It is a part of life, but it is not one of the parts that make your home more appealing to real estate agents and buyers alike. A driveway is a simple way to renovate your listing for a large impact.
Driveways, as part of the home’s exterior, are the first things people notice. This is where they will be driving every day, and although you may have gotten used to the potholes and cracks the size of the grand canyon, others might not appreciate it as much.
It can be a costly expense, especially if you are up north and decided to add in a heated driveway. However, a new driveway starts the home-looking experience on a good foot.
Adding Solar Panels to Your House
Solar panels are more expensive but are associated with expensive, luxurious, and cost-effective homes. Solar panels are a way to add an energy-efficient touch that puts your listing a step above the others nearby.
Solar panels are becoming an added benefit that can push the deal faster and get homes off the market quicker. While they are a heft price, over time they will pay off the cost, and when you put your home on the market create a great advantage many other homes do not have.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to real estate, the goal is to make your home the best option through whatever necessary means possible. A realtor is going to do their best to sell a house to potential buyers, but that may not be your house, so improving your home raises your home equity. You may want to look for cash home buyers in Wisconsin instead of going through a realtor.
Some renovations will be costly, but there are many cheap ways to increase the value of any home by considerably attacking the problem areas of your home. This could be the driveway, kitchen, bathroom, or yard, but whatever it is, by making intentional changes that modernize, you add value to your home.
