When planning or preparing to sell, many homeowners desire to increase the value of their house. This is so that, when their house goes on the market, the home’s value is increased and the owners can sell their house for more than they bought it for. It is often quite difficult to alter a home’s value right before listing. However, there are several projects you can complete as a homeowner to steadily increase your home’s value over time.
Taking your time and improving your home’s value gradually is an excellent plan for increasing home value. It also helps with the cost factor. Many homeowners balk from home improvements due to the monetary requirement. Completing smaller projects over time will not only be easier on your wallet, they can also significantly increase the value of your home. The following are some ideas for small remodels that you can complete on a budget, while simultaneously increasing the value of your home.
Front Yard
One of the most important places to assure that you improve over the course of home ownership is the front yard. A potential buyer’s first impression of your home will be the front of your house, and that includes your yard. Even if your house is pristine, if your yard comes across as dingy or ill-maintained, a buyer could shy away from potential purchase.
There are a few things you can do to your lawn to improve its value. One thing that you can do is plant fast-growing, visually-attractive trees. A red maple is a prime choice, as it is highly colorful, disease resistant, and can grow almost anywhere in the continental United States. This is a small investment, as you can get a fairly strong and sizeable young tree for under $80.
Another change that you can bring to your yard to increase its value is the inclusion of a flowerbed. This is another cheap addition to your property that will increase the value of your home. All this takes is some time, manual labor, and a little bit of monetary investment for the flowers themselves and any mulch and fertilizer you use. To decrease cost even further, you can purchase flowers in their seed or bulb form.
When it comes to these projects, when you invest a few years before you plan to sell, they can really pay off. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on the flowers or tree, because over time they will increase in size and visual appeal. When you have a few years until you sell, you can purchase plants for cheap at a small size, and allow them to grow from there. A buyer won’t be able to tell; they only be impressed with your yard!
Front of the Home
The purpose of keeping the front of your home maintained is the same as the reason for remodeling your front yard. It is the first thing your buyers will see. In as such, it should also be the focal point of some of your remodels.
One simple remodel is to seal your driveway (assuming that it is asphalt). This is a fairly cheap remodel, and only requires a little bit of time and labor. You can typically get about 5 gallons of sealant for close to $20. The advantage of sealing your driveway is that it adds a crisp, clean, and attractive sensation to the front of your home.
Another good remodel for the front of your home that isn’t terribly hard on your wallet is replacing your door. This is especially important if your door is old, weak, or is a factory standard. While it may not be a fully necessary remodel, replacing your old door with a strong, attractive door will absolutely increase the value of your home, and make it more appealing to buyers.
If you have some more time to invest into a project, you can remodel through adding some paint to the front of your home. If you have a porch with a railing, adding a fresh coat of paint (or a different shade of paint) can really revitalize the front of your home. The better you maintain the front of your home over time, the more it will be worth. Without knowing it, a buyer will be attracted to your home when you do these small remodels.
These are just a few small remodeling projects that you can do that will steadily increase the value of your home over time. Be sure to check out part 2 where you can find some ideas on how to remodel the interior of your home over time on a budget.
