5 Ways to Boost Your Home's Value
1. Add natural light.
People love homes with abundant natural light. Granted, if parts of your home already get blasted by afternoon sun it might be necessary to take steps to keep those rooms from becoming ovens; however, a far more common situation is for potential buyers to pass up a home because it's too dark.
-> Install a skylight or solar tube. Keep in mind the angle of the sun. North-facing skylights tend to provide diffuse light all day long, whereas south-facing ones can sometimes overheat rooms, according to
this HGTV article. Solar tubes generally cost less and work well in hallways and small rooms where a traditional skylight won't fit.
Velux and
Solatube are two popular brands
Cost: Starts at around $500 for a solar tube or the simplest skylight installation. Closer to the $1,500 range and up for installations that require drywalling a skylight tunnel.
-> Install a window. If privacy or a non-optimal view is an issue, consider a glass block window.
Cost: Starts at around $500.
2. Create an outdoor living area.
It's amazing how even a simple covered sitting area on a balcony or patio can increase a home's appeal. By demonstrating that exterior space can be used for relaxing and entertaining
you are increasing your home's perceived living area as well. Even improvements as simple as the patio set and shade sail pictured below immediately open up new possibilities in terms of how a home can be enjoyed.
Cost: Runs the gamut from negligible to many tens of thousands of dollars, depending on how extensive the design is. Here are a few ideas:
Shade sails: Roughly $70 to $300, including the parts needed for installation.
Gas firepits: From under $100 to around $6,000.
Patio sets: From around $100 to unbelievably expensive. :)
Stainless steel outdoor grills: From around $600 to over $10,000.
3. Open up interior spaces.
The open floor plan trend is still going strong, especially when it comes to the kitchen and family room areas. While opening up a floor plan sometimes requires a substantial remodel, simpler options can also work wonders.
-> Turn a full wall into a half wall. This isn't an option for every home, but when it is you'll usually see a big improvement in flow and natural light.
Cost: Starts at around $600. More if electrical or venting features are involved. (Always make sure a wall is not load-bearing first.)
-> De-clutter and/or rearrange. Again, this doesn't apply in all cases, but many floor plans would appear larger and more open if some non-essential furniture or decor were rearranged or removed.
Cost: None, unless you hire a consultant or have to bribe friends to help shuffle furniture around.
4. Repaint with new colors.
One of the fastest, least expensive ways to rejuvenate a home's interior is by giving it a fresh coat of interior paint.
-> Go for updated colors. If the primary goal is good resale value you'll need to play it somewhat safe, which probably means saying no to "Rose Quartz" even though it was one of
Pantone's Colors of the Year. Below is a snapshot of part of Benjamin Moore's 2016
color trends palette; click on the image or on the link to see the complete line-up.
-> Switch from cool undertones to warm. Regardless of trends, warm colors make people feel welcomed, which is a huge plus when you're selling a home. Be sure to
compare similar paint swatches next to each other in order to detect subtle undertones of blue, green, or pink that can turn your warm colors into cool ones.
Cost: Starts at around $150 if you do one or two rooms yourself.
Tip:
Kilim Beige by Sherwin Williams is an excellent sale-friendly choice for many homes. You can always ask the paint store to mix a half or three-quarter shade of a good color like this one if you need something slightly lighter.
5. Maximize curb appeal.
What impression do visitors get as they approach your home? On a subconscious level your home's exterior appearance may affect you in the same way, so when curb appeal is maximized everyone benefits.
-> Paint or replace the front door. This creates a clean, fresh environment for potential buyers who usually have time to look around and notice details while they wait for the front door to be opened.
Use contrasting colors to desirably highlight your home's entrance, as shown in this photo.
Cost: Painting a door yourself could cost under $100, although it's not always simple because glossy paint shows errors easily. Low-end exterior doors start at around $300, and many popular models cost between $1,000 and $3,000.
-> Add exterior plants. Work with plant sizes, shapes, and colors to create visual interest that guides people to your home. Even just framing a doorway with some potted plants can make a huge difference.
Cost: Starts at under $100 for plants. Extensive landscaping can easily run into the thousands.
Are you thinking of making any of these changes to your home in the near future? If so, please click "Reply" to this email and ask for recommendations specific to your home.
