The Most Cost-Effective Home Improvements You Can Make
If you’re planning to sell your home, but you don’t like the state of the current real estate market, then like many people you may want to stay put for a while longer. Still, you shouldn’t be letting the time between now and then go to waste. There are a range of home improvement projects that you could be carrying out on your home, but only some of them will add any real value to your property. Here are a few of the most valuable and cost-effective ones.
Reinventing a Space
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Adding more actual space to your room can be an extremely expensive project to follow through with. You may be able to recoup some of the investment, but the cost of an extension can quickly spiral out of hand. You don’t want to run into unexpected problems, and be told that you have to double your budget on short notice! A much better alternative is reinventing an existing space in your home. Consider finishing off your basement, or converting your attic into another bedroom. You may also want to turn an unused garage into a bedroom or another living space. Of course, you’re not dictating what the buyers are going to use the space for, and versatile rooms are extremely attractive to buyers.
Remodeling the Kitchen
Real estate and interior design professionals frequently call the kitchen “the heart of the home”. With this in mind, it makes sense that a kitchen remodel in your home is one of the most profitable home improvements you can make. Just make sure you’re not going too far, and making this one room more lavish and attractive than the rest of the home. If you have a quaint, historic home, for example, you’re likely to attract a class of buyers who are going to be turned off by a deluxe kitchen that’s bursting with modern amenities. If you overstep the mark, and create too big of a contrast between the kitchen and the rest of the house, you’ll only be pouring money down the drain. If the size, quality, and style of any room (but most of all the kitchen) clashes with the home and surrounding neighborhood, you’re going to have a very hard time making a sale.
Sweat the Small Stuff
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Many people don’t realize it, but sometimes the most basic updates can add the most amount of value to your home. Keeping the coats of paint fresh and bright, patching up the roof when it leaks, and replacing any rotting wood, can all have a surprising amount of difference to the market value of any property. Just don’t make the mistake of leaving these little things too close to the sale. By making them part of your routine house chores, and keeping on top of this kind of maintenance constantly, you’ll prevent your home from deteriorating over time. People who are house hunting want to move into a durable, safe, and healthy home, and will check carefully for signs of important routine maintenance.