Home improvement is generally done for our own sakes. We renovate the space we live in so that we feel more comfortable and find new ways to enjoy the home. It’s a personal thing, and the word ‘improvement’ is often subjective.
However, sometimes it can help your bottom line as well. Home improvements can lower your home insurance premiums if they increase its safety and security. Furthermore, some simple home improvement jobs can bump up the value of your house.
It’s important to note that we’re talking about the appraised value. The price of a home on the market is affected by a number of factors, with supply and demand in particular having an impact. As such, with the current downward trend in housing prices, you’re going to struggle to get a good value on your home no matter what you do.
That said, with all things being equal, these 5 home improvement jobs can increase the value of your home.
1. Convert a room to a home office
A home with a spare room is nice, but a home with an office is in high demand at the moment. The thing is, any room can be an office. The first step in turning it into an office is simply deciding to call it that. Any subsequent work you do to make it look like an office asserts that this is its purpose.
You can empty out a spare room, put up a couple of shelves, and furnish it with a desk and office chair. That’s all you need to do to become the owner of a home office. With many people working from home, the demand for a house you can advertise this way immediately goes up.
2. Knock down a wall
It is great to have separate rooms for things like an extra office. However, if your living room and dining room have a separating wall between them, knocking it down can open up the space. The home immediately feels bigger and more comfortable. Open-plan homes also look more modern.
You could do this with your kitchen wall, too, especially if it leads into a dining room. A nook with a kitchen window really lifts the aesthetic.
3. Paint the exterior
A home with a shabby exterior paint job loses some value right away. No matter how well maintained your house is, the first impression sticks. You don’t need to do major work or even use the most expensive paints. As long as the paint job looks fresh and isn’t cracking, it adds value to your home.
4. Upgrade your kitchen and bathroom fixtures
Another small job that makes a big difference is improving your kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Because hygiene is so important in both these rooms, anything that looks old or dirty is immediately off-putting.
You don’t need to replace your fixtures if they’re in good condition. However, a polish or a paint job can make them look as good as new. If you’re able to create a color thread that continues through the whole home with fittings and fixtures, you’re going even further to improve its value.
5. Add smart home features
If you don’t intend on selling any time soon, adding smart home features is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your home while improving its value in the long run. Smart features, like smart locks, curtains, lights, and security systems make your home feel more modern. They also provide convenience and safety.
The above 5 home improvements will bump up the value of your home. Remember that no matter what you do, the market will dictate prices. That said, these simple improvements (among more expensive ones) will always give your home extra selling points.
