If you are thinking about some home improvements, believe it or not, now when it’s fall and into winter is a good time to do some renovations. This is because many contractors are not as busy in the winter months as they are at other times of the year. Easy ways to increase your home’s value without costing a lot include updating the kitchen, improving the backyard, and rethinking your curb appeal.
Update the Kitchen
Yes, completely remodeling the kitchen will be expensive. Updating the “heart of the home” can be a budget-friendly way to boost your resale value. You don’t have to do everything at once. Little changes that can have a big impact include:
- Installing new handles on drawers and cabinets
- Replacing old appliances with energy-efficient ones
- Replacing outdated lighting with eco-friendly fixtures
- Purchasing new countertops
- Repainting – brighten up walls, cabinet doors, or window/door trim with a fresh coat of paint
Install New Siding or Gutters
Home improvements like installing new siding or gutters or both can increase your home’s value especially if they look outdated, are worn, or have been damaged. While replacing old gutters and siding will definitely improve curb appeal, you will also want the new installations to appeal to future homebuyers. Select siding and gutter materials that are eco-friendly, easy to maintain, and blend seamlessly colour-wise with the other exterior elements of your home.
Improve the Backyard
Nothing increases your home’s value faster than having a functional yet beautiful backyard. A neat, attractive place to entertain is sure to increase the value of your home. Some suggestions to accomplish this are as follows:
- Build a deck or patio where you can grill and dine
- Repair or re-stain the existing deck
- Resurface a worn patio
- Add a privacy fence
- Weed flowerbeds and the vegetable garden; maintain the lawn; trim trees near the roof, siding and gutters; prune bushes
Facelift for the Garage
Especially if the garage is at the front of the house, you want it to look as cared for as the rest of your home. Replace a garage door that is not working properly or looks old and worn. Upgrading to a door that has more security features will make you and your family safer.
Power wash the driveway or resurface it if cleaning the driveway no longer improves its appearance.
The garage will help increase your home’s value if it is clean, tidy and functional. Add more storage with ceiling racks, a workbench with built-in shelving, or a recycling station.
Install gutters and downspouts on a detached garage that does not have any. A gutter system will prolong the life of the garage and its flooring, while protecting the area immediately surrounding it.
Rethink Your Curb Appeal
While it might seem like intricate landscaping or a formal garden will increase your home’ value, actually just the opposite is true. With everyone’s busy busy schedules, most potential homebuyers want landscaping that looks good but is easy to maintain. Stick to perennials, native plants and grasses, and hardscape features such as a retaining wall, flagstone pathways, and decorative fencing that adds character and charm.
