Make your house more efficient, adding square footage, upgrading the kitchen or bath and installing smart-home technology to help increase its value. If, like most homeowners, you believe your house is your biggest asset, taking care of it is probably a top priority. Keeping up with repairs and making smart improvements are proven ways to increase home value over time.
Use the tips below to raise the value of your home.
Make it More Attractive
Curb appeal, how your home looks from the street is your first chance to make a good impression. A home’s exterior needs to make a prospective buyer want to walk through the front door. Make sure existing landscaping is well-maintained and exterior of the home looks good. Once the exterior looks good, focus on the kitchen and bathroom to increase the value of the home.
Make the Home Low-maintenance
Improvements that make things easy to clean and maintain may also increase home value and reduce new buyer’s maintenance concerns. Replace an old furnace or water heater or even replace the roof. Consider replacing easily stained carpet with hardwood floors or replace high-maintenance wood siding with vinyl siding.
Improve Energy Efficiency
Energy conservation features can have a significant impact on home value. Consider double-paned windows, enhanced attic insulation, LED lighting and efficient appliances as a way to increase home value and entice energy-conscious buyers. Of course, solar panels on the roof are a major energy efficiency improvement that most buyers are looking for.
Add the Space
Price per square foot is one-way people compare homes that are similar in style and upgrades. Adding square footage has a huge impact on value. Adding a room is the obvious way to make your house bigger, but you can also create additional living space by finishing a basement or building a deck.
Add Smart Home Features
Safety-enhancing gadgets top the list of “smart” technologies buyers want in their new home, including smart thermostats, fire detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, security cameras, door locks and lighting. For as little as $1,000, you can make your home more appealing to tech minded buyers.