As your home ages, it can lose much of its former glory. Bathroom tiles get grimy, kitchen cabinets seem shabby, and the living room walls look… well… lived in.
It’s tempting to want to do a whole house renovation, but that’s like letting an army of Vikings ransack your savings. There are ways to upgrade your home and add value that don’t cost the proverbial pound of flesh.
With some willingness to roll up your sleeves and invest some old-fashioned elbow grease, you can add some real value to your home, especially if you’re looking to sell any time soon. But even if you’re not, you can reap the rewards of living in a more beautiful house.
Home experts say you’ll get a decent return with cosmetic improvements, such as deep cleaning, painting, updating fixtures and hardware, and landscaping. These updates can spiff up your home’s curb appeal, as well as bumping up your home’s value.
Let’s take a look at some economical, high-value home improvement projects.
Photo by David Pisnoy on Unsplash
Get fresh with the walls
Are your walls dirty and scratchy? Or that avocado green color that seemed like such a good idea a few decades ago – how’s that working out for you now?
It’s amazing what freshening up your home’s paint inside and outside can do for home value. It sends a signal to potential buyers that the home is cared for and well-maintained.
A quick fixture-upper
Small things can make a real difference in your home’s appeal to buyers. Don’t overlook those grimy old switch plates and outlet covers. Fancy brass jobs can cost less than $10 each, but they add a lot of class to the place.
Resist the urge to install those purple switch plates and covers. Choose colors and finishes that appeal to a wide audience.
New light fixtures in the kitchen or bathroom can be a bit pricey, but the wow factor they bring can really pay off in the realm of buyer satisfaction. More on this below.
Dear John
Out of all the fixes you can make, bathroom improvements give you the best bang for your buck. The average return on bathroom renovations is around 70%, and you don’t have to rip the whole room apart to get these benefits.
A dull, outdated bathroom can be a real turn-off for buyers. Here are some modest projects to increase your home’s value by way of the bathroom.
Update the bathroom floor. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you can save a lot of money on labor and splurge for some higher-end floor materials. Be sure to aim for neutral colors to add the most value.
Really be honest with yourself. Just because you sat through a floor tiling class at your local home improvement store or watched a few videos on YouTube, that doesn’t mean you’re cut out for the job. If you’re not the handy type, hire an expert to do it.
Upgrade outdated fixtures. For less than $100, you can replace a tarnished vanity fixture or ceiling light with something more elegant and eye-catching. They’re easy to install, or if you’re not confident, it won’t break the bank to get a handyman to install them for you.
Switch out old faucets, shower heads and towel bars. A luxurious spa-style shower head costs about $80. New towel bars cost between $20 and $30, and they’ll look great!
Next, the kitchen
An old saying goes, “No matter where I serve my guests, it seems they like my kitchen best.”
The kitchen looms large for house hunters, but (surprisingly) not as much as the bathroom.
While a full kitchen remodel may be tempting, experts say the ROI for a mid-range kitchen makeover is around 53%.
This means if you put $25,000 into a kitchen remake, you’ll recoup about $13,250. So, focus instead on smaller changes, such as painting the cabinets, installing a new tile backsplash, upgrading lighting, and (if necessary) swapping out Grandma’s old appliances.
Zillow points out that “tuxedo” kitchens (contrasting upper and lower cabinets) are popular and can increase home value more than $1,000 dollars. A very popular contrast is white and dark blue or charcoal gray.
Speaking of Grandma, if her quaint wallpaper still adorns your kitchen walls, replace it with some bright, neutral paint.
Don’t curb your buyers’ enthusiasm; go for curb appeal instead
Photo by Dmitry Burdakov on Unsplash
When potential buyers pull up to your home, the exterior is the first thing they see. That includes your landscaping.
Experts say landscaping has an ROI of about 15 to 20%.
That means don’t go crazy with huge, expensive projects. The idea is to make the path to your front door look elegant and clean.
Flowers and shrubs are a tried-and-true way to spruce up your home’s exterior. Low growing greenery and mulch along walkways can draw visitors’ eyes to your front door, which should be clean and welcoming. Give it a fresh coat of paint if it’s starting to look dull and dreary.
Speaking of plants, choose perennials, rather than annuals. Perennials come back every spring, saving you the trouble of constant replanting. Some gardeners like to add a bit of spice with a few strategically placed annuals for extra color, but they will die at the first frost in the fall.
Don’t leave bald spots in your yard. Add fresh sod or grass seed to fill those rough patches. And be sure to keep trees and bushes neatly trimmed. This gives the impression that your home is well-maintained.
Think small
Avoid taking on huge projects, such as installing a pond and waterfall or a shaded pergola. You will not see enough ROI to justify the expense, and potential new owners may not even desire these additions.
As you can see, there are strong advantages to upgrading some features in your home to prepare it for sale. The key is to take a sensible approach, and focus on small improvements that add visual appeal without breaking the bank.
Buying or selling a home in Western North Carolina?
Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.
