Making improvements to your home is an exciting venture, you can experiment with different things and unleash your creativity. However, it’s important to remember that any home improvements not only increase your home’s value for you, but they also improve its overall property value for the day you decide to sell it.
Simply put, a property’s value is determined by the present value of the future benefits associated with property ownership. Hence, any property value estimates take social and economic trends that influence the demand, utility, supply, and transferability of the property.
If you’re looking to invest in your home and add improvements, you should look into the market before committing yourself. Knowledge of the local market can help you make an informed decision about what’s worth investing in.
Los Angeles, for instance, has the eighth-most expensive housing market in the world. If you’re a property owner in LA and are wondering what valuable improvements you can add, then you should keep the local market in mind. Once you’ve decided what adjustments to make, you can consult a Los Angeles mortgage broker who can facilitate the sale of your house.
So, if you’re in a similar boat and are wondering which home improvements are worth the investment, here are six additions that would prove to be valuable:
Updated garage door
While a new garage door may not seem obvious, it adds instant appeal to your property. It impacts several aspects of your property, including its asking price, energy efficiency, and security, and safety.
The best garage doors today are made of durable materials, such as aluminum, steel, and wood composites. One of the most popular options for the material is wood, and while wood is not as weather-resistant, wood composite or fiberglass can help you solve this issue.
Lastly, it would help if you equipped the new garage door with security features, such as auto-reverse mechanisms and safety sensors. These features can help make your property more secure against external threats by protecting the main entry point of your home.
To get the most cost-effective and attractive garage door, it’s vital to hire people who know what they are doing. Many resources can help you find the ideal tradesman who can provide you with the kind of garage door you have in mind.
Kitchen Extension
The kitchen is one of the most vital parts of any property. It’s often the first place buyers go to when they’re determining the worth of property since many people want to avoid getting kitchen upgrades after they move in. There is a wide variety of home improvements that can boost your property value, including stainless steel, energy-efficient appliances to new countertops and cabinets.
A new kitchen can increase the value of your home by 6%, given that you spend your investment smartly. Some valuable improvements include increasing your kitchen storage and giving your kitchen a color theme that makes it look clean and is easy to maintain.
Yard landscape
When someone pulls over to your house, the first impression they’ll get is from the look of your yard. An overgrown or unkempt yard looks poor aesthetically — which is why you should maintain your yard regularly by trimming anything overgrown and removing any dead plants.
Moreover, if you have space and money, you can also add a seating area to your yard to create a beautiful place to relax after a busy day. Additionally, you can add a burst of color to your yard by experimenting with different plants, helping your yard look more fresh and attractive.
Bathroom remodel
A bathroom remodel is one of the most popular home improvements people go for. This popularity isn’t just a result of a bathroom’s functionality; mid-range and upscale bathroom renovations, both, yield high returns.
This doesn’t mean you should overhaul your entire bathroom; just like other renovations, you should remodel your bathroom smartly. Some of the most valuable bathroom upgrades include new fixtures, fresh paint, vanity upgrades, new flooring, and energy-efficient upgrades.
New fixtures, for instance, can quickly transform your bathroom’s look from old to inviting and modern. What’s even better is that fixtures, such as faucets and shower heads, don’t exactly have to be too expensive. Just ensure that the fixtures match the color scheme of your bathroom.
Update the exterior
Apart from your yard, another external aspect you could work on is your home’s exterior. Improvements to the exterior can lead to a strong return on investment, especially if you choose a stone veneer.
Contrary to what most people believe, a stone veneer isn’t exactly made of stone and is, instead made of man-made composites shaped in molds. Despite this difference, stone veneers look and are installed the same way as regular stone.
An exterior made of stone veneer boosts your home’s curb appeal and gives it a much-needed upgrade. You don’t necessarily need to go all out; even remodeling a small portion could yield benefits.
Flooring
Many homeowners choose to revamp their flooring through repairs or by replacing carpet. If you have different flooring options in every room, then it might be a good idea to change the flooring of all your rooms to create a cohesive feel throughout.
Faux wood or wood floors, while more expensive than carpets, are a better option. On the other hand, if you’re opting for carpets, then you should go for a neutral color that goes with all the rooms.
The Bottom Line
Home improvements can be thrilling, but you need to ensure you don’t get carried away. Before investing in any significant enhancements, you need to check whether all the essentials, such as your roof, heating, and plumbing, are functional.
Additionally, any home improvements you take on shouldn’t just be based on whatever you’ve wanted for ages. It should be practical and backed by research. By looking into what home improvements can add actual value to your property, you can expect to sell your home for the best possible price when the right time comes.
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These are nice if you have a relatively new, large house. In our town ALL the medium sized and smallish older houses, even ones in excellent condition, are either total tear downs for the lot where everything including the foundation is removed (Mostly this is what happens.) or they are partly demolished and turned into mega mansions with huge additions, they are total gut jobs. Do not be cajoled into “fixing up” a house which will be demolished or totally gutted. That’s money down the drain and you will try to recoup the money you spent by adding it to the total price of the house, making it harder to sell. Do not put in a new kitchen. My neighbor did that on the “advice” of the local real estate agent whose cousin was a kitchen cabinet salesman. The house was big and would have been an easy sell except this fool put in a DARK, GLOOMY 1970s looking kitchen (in 2018) with all yellow counter tops. This is what was fashionable when he bought the house in the 1970s. It was so awful and delayed what otherwise would have been a quick sale of the house as he waited to recoup the price of this disastrous, ugly, outdated the day it’s dark, gloomy self was installed kitchen.
Great blog post! Thanks for sharing this with us. Keep it up