8 Ways to Increase Your Home Value

The housing market is a tricky thing to master, especially if you are just starting out. When you want to increase the overall value of your home, some investments are worth making, while other additions or renovations to your house will never pay themselves off.

If you are considering selling or auctioning your house, you should consider increasing its value with these helpful tips.

1. Provide a clean slate

In a survey, around 62% of realtors recommended giving your buyer a blank slate. The goal is to help potential buyers feel as though the space is waiting for them- as in, there should be little to no feeling of your presence.

This means you should go for simple, neutral updates to your home. Try repainting some bedrooms to be a refreshing but neutral grey or sand color. This also applies to removing any smells- you never know how people will react to strong smells, so go easy on the candles and incense.

2. Spruce up the bathrooms

Although not all renovations pay themselves off by increasing the value of your home, re-doing the bathrooms in your house is one of the most effective ways to increase the value of your home.

Although buyers value character in an older home, in the bathroom older appliances become disgusting and tacky. Aim for a sleek, modern but still functional finish with a large mirror and plenty of storage. If you are tight on budget, look for low-cost switches like changing the shower head and faucets.

3. Focus on the kitchen

The kitchen is another area of the house where buyers appreciates modern finishes. You don’t need all marble countertops to create an elegant space to eat and entertain.

Appliances such as the oven, dishwasher and stove top should be the first items to get a makeover. To go even further, try repainting your cabinets for a fresh new color scheme and change the head of your faucet.

4. Maintenance is key

Often the most expensive renovations are the hidden ones- updating electrical systems or replacing plumbing.

If you are looking to sell, make sure that all the relevant systems in your house- HVAC, plumbing, electrical, insulation, etc.- are fully updated.

5. Look at the future

Technology in our homes has come in leaps and bounds from when many houses were built a decade or so ago. Updating your home to fit in with all the new potential for technology is attractive to many buyers, especially young ones.

You can install remote-controlled thermostat devices, or smart lock systems for increased security. Increasing the number of outlets in every room is also a safe bet.

6. Add light

Increasing the amount of natural light in your house plays a key psychological factor in helping buyers feel more at home when they see your house. Brighter houses also appear better in photos, increasing the number of people who will see and visit your home.

Try taking down your heavy curtains and switching out old light bulbs for ones designed to mimic natural light.

7. Curb appeal

First impressions are everything, even with houses. Curb appeal is how attractive your home appears as people approach it from the street. Giving the exterior some love is a great way to make the house seem more attractive, especially in comparison to the neighbors.

Make sure all your windows and trimmings are clean and updated. Check the paint on the exterior for chipping or stains and repaint if necessary. You can also power wash the driveway and plant some flowers in the front garden.

8. Deep clean

A staggering 89% of realtors recommended cleaning- really cleaning- your home before you put it on the market for buyers.

Hire a company to deep-clean your home for you. They have tools to get into all the places our standard commercial vacuums are no match for, and they will have an eye for small details (such as fingerprints on glass) that we might miss.

Following these steps will make your home more attractive to potential buyers.

Good luck!