New Year home resolutions can increase value

Improving and maintaining the value in your home is a continuing process. Even if you’re not considering selling your home any time soon, keeping it in tip-top shape is a boost to both your peace of mind and your home’s bottom line. With that in mind, here’s a list of New Year home resolutions to aim for in 2018 that won’t break the bank.

The Kitchen

“No matter where I serve my guests, I seems they like my kitchen best!”
– Anonymous

When potential homebuyers enter a house, they head right for the kitchen. Keeping your kitchen clean, bright, and updated goes a long way toward upping the value of your home.

This doesn’t mean a costly kitchen makeover. A few inexpensive upgrades can work miracles. Try replacing the kitchen faucet set with a newer, shinier one.

Do your cabinets look ugly and dated? There are companies that will remove the doors and drawers, refinish the boxes, and then put in new doors and drawers. You’ll end up with a shiny, new look for a fraction of the price of cabinet replacement.

What about those appliances that don’t match? Did you know you could get new doors and face panels, depending on the brand and age of the appliances? Unless you’re dealing with a relic, do a Google search for appliance doors and face panels. They’re not hard to install yourself and a breeze for any handyman.

So don’t underestimate the importance of a clean, coordinated kitchen to your home’s value.Make this number one on your list of New Year home resolutions.

The Bathroom

“There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.” – Sylvia Plath

Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are the next most important rooms to update. We’re not talking big bucks here, but just some small fixes. A new toilet and sink can really brighten things up. If your tile floors and shower are looking grubby, regrouting can work wonders. If your tub and shower are too far-gone, consider a one-piece prefab tub and shower surround. You’ll need professional installation, but it’s bound to be less costly than a new tub and tiles.

Storage

“More closets mean more stuff.” – Anonymous

Older homes are notorious for a lack of storage space. There’s not much you can do about that, other than adding on to the house, which is an expensive proposition. However, take the closets and storage you have, and look for ways to make the space more efficient.

Measure your closets, draw a simple sketch, and then visit a local hardware store or cabinet shop. They will have shelf and storage systems to improve your closet space. Always buy local whenever possible. This keeps our hometown shop owners in business.

This kind of makeover can be done in a weekend and adds real value to your home.

The Entryway

“First impressions are the most lasting.” – Proverbs

What does your front door say about your home? Is it old and forlorn? Time for an inexpensive makeover!

Is there a worn little knob on your front door? Replace it with a solid-looking handle and lockset. Make it large and regal to give the impression of a good, solid home.

Stuck with a shabby metal door? Try a new paintjob or faux finishing to make it look like new. It’s amazing what you can do in just a few hours.

 

The Front Yard

“I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.”
­–Walt Whitman

Before a visitor gets to see your kitchen, bathroom, or even your front door, they are greeted by your front lawn. Real estate people like to call this “curb appeal.”

This isn’t rocket science. If your lawn is more weeds than grass, put in some new sod and some strategically placed evergreen shrubs. A trellis and flowering vine are a great combination, but keep in mind that in areas with cold winters, these become annual plants. That means you must replace them every year.

If you’re not vegetatively inclined, get a landscaper to do the job.

So as the New Year approaches, make a few home resolutions, and stick to them. You will increase both the beauty and the value of your home.

Happy New Year

Peter Young Home Inspections wishes all of you a happy and safe New Year.

Buying a home? Know before you buy. Make an appointment with Peter Young Home Inspections today.