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8 clever ways to improve your home’s value

As a homeowner, you don’t always need to be at the mercy of the housing market to change the value of your property. If you’re looking to sell your home in the near future or just want to spruce things up around the house, there are many projects and steps you can take.

Here are some fun and easy ways to add value to your home ahead of a move or otherwise to make it a little cozier.

1. Grab some paint

According to HGTV, a newly painted room can make a big difference for anyone looking to buy your home. It’s a way to brighten up a room and improve its appeal.

Paint is also relatively inexpensive, meaning touching up a bedroom or kitchen doesn’t have to break the bank. Dirty walls or cracked paint can sour even the best interior decorating, while a fresh paint job is a way to reimagine and reinvigorate a living space.

2. Fix what’s broken

Home improvement projects should take a backseat to a leaky pipe or obvious malfunction. Damage from a storm or termites may be a pain in the neck you’ve been able to ignore, but HGTV reported that these can be big hindrances to your home’s overall value.

3. Bring in a pro

When it comes to fixing something that’s broken, especially a household system like electrical problems or pipes, opting to call in a professional technician is a good idea.

Forbes stated that buyers will often hire inspectors to look for potential problems, and for that reason, being proactive is a good way to avoid unforeseen problems. Hiring your own professional to identify issues and fix them is important for mitigating any problems or having the price of your home knocked down ahead of a potential sale.

4. Cut energy costs

Making your home more energy efficient is a good idea for two reasons, both of which can lead to a better value for your home.

According to HGTV, efforts that make your home more energy efficient can improve appeal and value. For example, a well-insulated attic is an asset in and of itself, and is a good selling point. An attic that’s drafty or has obvious holes or inefficiencies will be hard to justify for a potential buyer.

Secondly, taking steps to make your home more efficient is an easy way to save money. These savings can be used to finance other household projects that further increase the value of your home.

5. Do some landscaping

Another way to improve the aesthetic and monetary value of your home is to address your outdoor areas. This can be a great family activity, and there are a number of ways to go about doing so.

If your home has an outdoor seating area or patio that’s cracked or shows signs of age, restoring the brick, wood or stone can make it much more marketable to potential home buyers. At the same time, your family, friends and neighbors will marvel at your beautiful new backyard.

Making changes to your yard is another fun and inexpensive way to improve your home’s value. Planting trees, bushes or new grass will make your yard look newer, nicer and add curb appeal to your home. Picking plants that are low-maintenance and don’t require lots of water or treatment is advisable because you can add value to your home without too much effort or extra cost.

6. Attempt modest renovation projects

According to This Old House, taking on a small-scale remodeling of a bathroom or kitchen can create more space and increase the value of your home overall.

Retiling an old bathroom or bringing in a new toilet is a way to give the entire room a facelift, and new facilities will look very nice to potential buyers. Similarly, This Old House reported that open floor plans are especially popular at the moment, and taking out an old kitchen island will make your home trendy and spacious. A good compromise is a moveable island, so your family can flaunt open space while still enjoying extra space and storage.

7. Update the lights

A quick and easy way to make your home more appealing is to make changes to your indoor and outdoor lights. A motion-activated flood light is a good security measure and selling point.

Inside, dimmer switches and updated lighting panels help make your home feel cleaner, newer and more elegant, according to This Old House. Small steps and little touches go a long way during tours and can make your home more energy efficient.

8. Go green

An insulated attic or new light system may lower your bills, but if you’re serious about raising the value of your home, the cost of installing solar panels may be worth it in the long run.

Solar energy tax credits make installing panels a little less expensive and will raise the value of your home, The New York Times reported.