5 Steps to Boost Your Home’s Value 

Planning to sell your home soon? Not so fast, friend. Set yourself up for financial success by making a few strategic updates before putting up that “for sale” sign. Keyword: strategic. Not all updates lead to a return on your investment (ROI) and it’s crucial to take a comprehensive look at surrounding comps and consider potential buyers before making pricey updates to your home. Keep reading to get the scoop on the top updates to make in order to raise your home’s value, and the steps you need to take to be profitable after closing.

Step 1: Plan Your Remodel

Don’t just start knocking walls down. Plan it out — the fastest way to increase your home’s value is to make upgrades intentionally, not on impulse. Home improvement projects cost about $0.20-0.25 on the dollar. The other $0.75-0.80 spent goes directly back into the home through increased value.

Start slowly. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. List the things you want to change and the updates you would like to make. Don’t worry about organization, just write it all down. Take a guess as to how long you may want to live in the house. If you’re planning on selling, talk to your real estate agent and make a selling plan.

Next, categorize your list by how much it may cost, including your time and money. Be realistic! It’s okay to list an outdoor pool with a waterfall, but keep your financial picture in mind.

Look at your categorized list and prioritize what is a real “must-have” and what is more of a dream. Try to find a reasonable balance.

Once you have a plan, do research or talk to a real estate agent to see what sort of return those improvements may bring. Some improvements will add considerably more value to your home than others

Step 2: Tackle One Room at a Time

Easy there, tiger. Don’t get too excited and start fixing up every room in the house. Keep projects manageable by tackling one room at a time. Whether it’s a simple coat of paint or knocking down a wall, focus on one room to keep projects achievable.

Make a list of all the things you dream about doing, break your list down into categories based on cost and write down how much time each project may take. This will help you get results. If you only have a day or a weekend, choose a project that fits within your time frame, comfort level and financial commitment.

If you set out to paint a living room wall on Saturday, and you know what it will cost in time and money, it gets done. By the end of the day, you have a stylish upgrade that will add value to your home. By strategizing, you will see your dreams take shape as you transform each room before moving on to the next.

Step 3: Add Sense and Style

Your primary bathroom needs an updated vanity mirror, your living room sofa has seen better days and your dining room windows are in desperate need of new shades and drapes. So, which update should you choose to boost your home’s value? That depends on how long you plan on staying in the home before moving and the size of your budget to do the updates. 

The average return at resale for decorative living room updates is 66% so investing in details like new window treatments, crown molding or floorboards will add welcoming charm to your space and provide a cushioned recoup at the closing table. 

Our advice? Create a list of the decorative upgrades you’d like to make for yourself (like that updated vanity mirror) and another list outlining upgrades you’d like to make in order to boost your home’s value (window treatments). Use your lists and your timeline as parameters and slate the projects and your budget accordingly.

Step 4: Clean Now for Profits Later

A house can never be too clean. If you were a buyer, would you choose the house that is slightly dingy or the home down the street that is clean and welcoming?

By making a clean house a priority, you: a) stay on top of maintenance issues, spotting potential problems before they become expensive ones, b) prevent dirt and junk from building up over time (things like mold can become a nuisance if allowed to spread unchecked) and c) ensure healthier living for you and your family.

Remember, decluttering is a form of cleaning. Just as dirt builds up, so does clutter. Don’t waste money moving your junk around. Get rid of it now. When it’s time to sell, you will feel confident about what you are presenting to the buyer. Clear out dirt and clutter to snag that buyer.

Step 5: Count on Curb Appeal

For a fresh perspective on the value of your home, walk across the street, turn around and ask yourself, “Does my house have curb appeal?” Does your home look attractive, welcoming and structurally sound at first glance?

Make a list of ways to enhance the positive and eliminate the negative. If you have a nice curvy walkway, accentuate it with flowers or lanterns. If the first thing a visitor sees is your big wide garage, try to guide their eyes into a beautiful front yard, or paint your front door a bright color to guide the eye there. These things add value.

• Take a digital photo and look at your home in black and white. When the color is removed, the truth comes out. That is where you see the cracks in the walls and the glaring flaws.
  
• Keep things clean and tidy. Talk to your neighbors because this affects them, too. Curb appeal doesn’t stop at your property line. Your home will be more valuable if you live in a place where everyone pays attention to appearance.
  
• Host a neighborhood cleanup party. Team up with neighbors to mow lawns and trim hedges. See who wants to go in on a few flats of border flowers. By adding curb appeal to your entire neighborhood, you will all boost your home values.
  
• When you’re looking at your curb appeal, don’t forget the side and rear views. Buyers walk around and peek over fences.
  
• There are no do-overs for first impressions. Make that initial glimpse memorable.

Visit HGTV for more tips on boosting your home’s value