In most cases, buying a home is the biggest investment a homeowner will make. Whether you live In that house until death or plan to flip it over for a new one, you want to make sure that you can increase its estimated worth as much as possible. The higher your house is worth, the more money will be in your pocket. You could always use an equity loan for other things such as home improvement, medical emergencies, or funding a new business. If you decide to sell that home in the future, you can get a larger price than what you initially paid for it. As you can see, there are many reasons to work on increasing the estimated worth, and here are some ways you can go about it.
Curb Appeal
Before anyone takes a step inside your beautiful abode, they’ll see the outside. Those exterior aesthetics of your property refer to curb appeal. In other words, exactly how appealing is your property to view upon first viewing? The levels of curb appeal at your home can play a major role in not only increasing its worth but also being able to sell your home faster. It’s also important just for your ego to know that you have the nicest home on the block that many people envy and may even begin to model after.
So how do you go about increasing the curb appeal? You can call fencing professionals to assist you with protection. A chain link fence install can help ensure people understand the exact boundaries of your property. If you have pets or little children, it can also protect them from running into the street or another neighbor’s yard. However, you have many other materials to choose from, such as wood or vinyl. You can match your fence to the aesthetics of your home as well as your taste.
Don’t forget about your lawn. Hiring local landscapers keeps your grass green and weed-free. If you don’t have a green thumb, let them plant flower beds out front and in the back. When it comes to your driveway, keeping it paved isn’t only great for aesthetics, but also for safety. Your driveway takes up at least a third of your exterior, so make sure it lives up to the quality the rest of your house does.
Access to Water
Humans can’t live without water, so you must make sure that your residential property has the best access to a clean supply. One of the best ways to do so is by hiring a local water well driller. When you have a well on your property, you don’t have to rely on the local water supply that is susceptible to contamination and other issues you have no control over. At least with your private water well, while it requires regular maintenance, you’re in control of how healthy and clean it stays.
In addition to using water for hydration and sanitation, it’s also for recreation. In other words, building a pool in the back may be a great way to increase the estimated worth of your home. When people have the option to swim in their residential pool, it’s easy to do daily aqua aerobics. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that not only burns calories but helps to strengthen muscles. The buoyancy of water provides a natural resistance that increases muscle strength without putting strain on your ligaments. Since swimming can be such a fun activity, adults and children can often do it for hours on end without feeling like they’re exercising. So, if you or a potential home buyer has a family, a pool can be a great activity for everyone to do together and stay fit.
Foundation
No home can stand without a strong foundation. Your foundation is made from wood and is susceptible to many vulnerabilities because of it. For example, termites are destructive insects that can literally eat through your home by feasting on the wood. According to pest control experts, an untreated termite infestation can destroy a home and make it unlivable within less than three years. So make sure your home’s estimated worth stays on point by investing in regular pest control.
Water damage from leaks or flooding can also wreak havoc on your foundation. If you live in an area prone to flooding and your basement has recently been filled with rainwater, there may be lingering damage you’re not aware of yet. The same can happen with roof leaks from above. When water seeps into the foundation, it will rot the wood and weaken it. To make a long story short, a weak foundation isn’t safe for anyone to live in, as a collapse can happen at any time.
Even if your vulnerable foundation is still strong enough to stand, if mold has begun to set in from water damage, your family’s health will be at risk in other ways. Regardless of what room mold may be in, those spores can travel throughout the air and latch onto the lungs. So if somebody has an allergy, asthma, or other lung ailments, it can worsen due to mold.
Luckily, a local foundation repair business is available to keep your foundation strong for years to come. If you suspect water damage or recently had a flood or termite infestation, a foundation repair business contractor can check things out and make the necessary repairs so that you can stay in your home.
Let in the Light
All homes need light in more ways than one. First of all, make sure your electricity is functioning and safe. Call your local electrician to check for frayed wiring and replace bad sockets as needed. You know you’ll have electrical problems if a socket is hot to touch, appliances and other devices short circuit when you plug them in, or if you begin to see flickering lights.
You can upgrade your existing light fixtures so that you can have different types of lighting moods throughout the home. In addition to overhead lights, you can install ambient lighting in cabinets and corners, as well as task lights over your kitchen islands and desk areas. Don’t forget about the outside, as your security also relies on keeping the front and back well lit as possible.
When it comes to natural light making sure you have the right window replacements is the way to go. If you’re still dealing with outdated single-pane windows, you should switch them out for more energy-efficient double-pane ones. More energy efficient your home is, the better chance you have of improving its estimated worth.
You can further enhance your windows by buying the right window treatments such as blinds, shades, and curtains of various materials. These treatments allow you to let in as much or as little sunlight as possible but also protect your privacy.
Timeless Flooring
You walk on your floors all day long. So make sure that your flooring is not only durable and aesthetically pleasing but as timeless as possible. Installing floors you’ll feel comfortable having for years on end is important because replacing them can be very labor and time intensive. After all, to replace it, you have to move out all the furniture in that room. So if you’re doing this in more than one room in the house, it can take a great deal of time and effort.
A timeless flooring option is ceramic tile flooring. Ceramic tiles are versatile and can give your home an air of elegance and luxury. You can give your home a Mediterranean feel with this type of floor. Use all sorts of colors and designs to customize those ceramic tiles as you wish.
Updated Bathroom
The bathroom is the room you must use several times daily, so the right upgrades can increase your home’s estimated worth. Starting with improving your fixtures. Call a local plumber to install water-saving features like a dual-flush toilet and better shower heads. According to the EPA, American toilets waste as much as five gallons of water with each flush. Luckily, with a dual-flush toilet, you have one option for liquid waste and another for solid waste.
Don’t forget about color. Did you know that painting your bathroom a baby blue hue can earn you an additional $5000 in resale value, according to Forbes? So call those interior painters to get started. When you’re done painting the bathroom, invest in bathtub refinishing. Instead of replacing a tub that’s still useful, you can make it look new again with a refinishing job.
Clean Your Carpets
Do you have a carpeted floor that you want to keep? If so, the best thing you should do is to invest in carpet cleaning services. Due to the nature of carpets, they can hold tons of dirt, mold, and other debris that regular vacuuming never fully gets rid of. So, in addition to your regular vacuuming, calling a professional cleaner can make sure that your carpet stays clean, stain-free, and presentable at all times, increasing your home’s estimated worth.
Durable Flooring
Do you dream of having floors that will last for as long as 100 years? If so, invest in a hardwood floor installation. Due to the popularity of wooden floors, it’s a great way to quickly increase the estimated worth of your residence. Plus, hardwood floors look beautiful and add to the aesthetics of any house.
Regardless of your floor material, you can increase your home’s estimated worth and make the flooring more durable with a protective Epoxy seal. Epoxy coating can go on any floor as it’s transparent. It makes floors durable from scratches, dents, and other damages. It can also protect people from injuring themselves with slips and falls. This protective coating not only makes your floors more durable but also makes them easier to clean.
Transforming Inside
When you’re ready to change the interior design of your home, you have many ways to do so. Start with a good interior painting job. According to reports, interior painting can increase your rate of return by as much as 107%. In other words, you’ll eventually get all that money back upon resale.
You can paint each room a different color or have one consistent theme throughout the home. Bear in mind the colors you choose can affect the mood. So you can have a serious home office painted in light gray, a meditative room with purple walls, or a playroom adorned with bold reds and yellows. Does your kitchen appear too small? Open it up by painting it white.
Welcoming Entrance
When people come to your home, you want to make a good first impression, especially if they’re a potential buyer or appraiser. A beautiful entrance also adds to the curb appeal mentioned above. It also makes you feel good every time you leave or come back to your home to be greeted by a beautiful flower bed where you can stop and smell the roses. So get those flower beds out in the front windows and near the door.
A welcoming entrance involves a pavement that’s safe and level. Utilizing a good pavement cleaning service can make sure you can do just that. In addition, you can reduce liability from falls and prevent tire damage when you enlist the services of a driveway asphalt paver. When it comes to eco-friendliness, most asphalt pavement is made from recyclable material.
Masonry can make the entrance stand out further. Create a brick path to line the paved walkway, as well as landscape stones for further effect.
Your home is your castle, so you should treat it as such. It’s a place where you live and create many memories. Whether you plan to stay there your entire life, pass it down to your heirs, or flip it for a better home one day, you should do your best to increase its estimated worth. When you put so much into your home, you should get what you can out of it, including a financial upgrade. Use this guide to make your home as financially profitable as possible while also enjoying it more.