In case you haven’t been keeping up with the news, it’s a buyer’s market. Home builders continue to build new houses, and there’s more inventory than buyers. How can your older home compete? There are several home renovation options that are a good investment, as they’re not expensive, but increase the value of your home. With a few of these changes, you may even be tempted to stay in the home yourself!
- Recessed lighting: You see them in just about every newly renovated and built home, so it’s time to add them in yours. Canned lighting is impeccable and brings a new glow to your home. You don’t need to put them all over, but great places to add them are the living room or den, and your kitchen. Don’t forget to grab LEED certified light bulbs to cut the cost of electricity. Going green could save you green in the long run.
- New paint/wallpaper: Long gone is the allure of blank canvas walls. People are looking for color and texture in rooms around the house. Painting the house is a great activity for family bonding, and completely turns the room around. Look into what different colors translate into as far as emotion and go from white to “superneutrals” as Martha Stewart calls them, or deep hues. If painting isn’t your cup of tea, look into various wallpaper designs. You don’t have to go for the hippy tie dye flowers; there are conservative patterns you can opt for.
- New fixtures: You can change the fixtures in your kitchen and your bathroom for a subtle upgraded feel. Sinks could always use some TLC, as well as towel racks and shower heads. You can choose from a variety of colors like chrome, brushed nickel or oil rubbed bronze. Changing door knobs and light fixtures will also make the little details pop.
- Landscaping: Who said you need a gardener to make your yard look amazing? Everyone has a little green thumb deep down inside. Grab some gloves and make a day out of it. Digging out weeds and planting colorful flowers or even fruit trees can bring a yard to life! You can also find inexpensive lights to place in your garden to bring a warm ambience.
- Electrical outlet covers: If you haven’t already, you should highly consider changing old beige electrical outlet covers from the 70s to the more modern white ones. They’re very easy to change, and even cheaper to implement.
- Closet organization: One thing that makes or breaks how a woman makes a decision about buying a house is the closet space. Even if you don’t have a walk in closet, you can still make it a dream come true. Closet organization hacks like adding shelves and adding a second rail to hang clothing in will give the illusion of a bigger closet. It’s all about using the space in a smart way.
There are many other things you can do to upgrade your home, but these choices are great place to start. In the home buying business, looks account a lot for the value. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to selling your home for a competitive price.
Briana Myricks is a 20 something freelance writer and blogger. Striving for financial independence as a newlywed, she blogs about young married life at 20 and Engaged.