Low-Cost Projects That Will Boost Your Home’s Value

Home renovations are a great way to boost your home’s curb appeal, make it more functional, and increase its overall value. However, not all renovation projects are the same since some offer a higher return on investment than others. Major projects also require more time, money, and effort than smaller ones. As a result, you may not be ready to take on a major home overhaul, like installing a new kitchen island, when you’re on a budget.

Fortunately, there are many simple home improvement projects that can refresh your home and boost its value without spending a fortune. If you’re on a tight budget and are looking to sell a house fast and for top dollar, you need only to tackle projects that will increase your home’s value. This will ensure you get the most money when you sell your home. Here are a few inexpensive home improvements that can help increase your home’s resale value:

1. Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint

Painting is arguably one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to revamp your home. If the paint on your walls looks outdated and dirty, has scratches, or is faded, a new coat of paint can instantly refresh the walls and the entire house. Use a neutral paint color for your walls to unify the whole house, make it stand out, and appeal to many potential home buyers. If your kitchen cabinets look dark and outdated, you may also consider painting or staining them with white paint. This will brighten your kitchen and make it easy for the next owner to repaint them to a color of their liking.

Besides the interior spaces, consider also painting your home’s exterior. While you may need to hire a professional painter to repaint the exterior for you, it still won’t cost you as much, and it can dramatically enhance your home’s curb appeal and increase its resale value.

2. Upgrade Your Flooring

If professional cleaning doesn’t brighten your home’s carpeting, consider installing new flooring. While hardwood flooring makes a great option due to its timeless look that appeals to a pool of buyers, it may not be a viable option, especially when you’re on a super tight budget.

An excellent alternative is laminate flooring with the real look of hardwood but for less. Other great options for your flooring include carpet tiles, vinyl, and cork that come in different colors, styles, and prices to suit your unique budget and taste. On the other hand, if you already have wood flooring, refinishing it can make it look as good as new. This can be a more affordable way to revamp your flooring than installing a new one from scratch.

3. Update Fixtures and Hardware

Besides painting and installing new flooring, another inexpensive home improvement project that can increase your home’s value is updating hardware and fixtures. Cheap or outdated faucets, lighting, and doorknobs can significantly affect your home’s overall appeal when you decide to sell. Check any fixtures and hardware in your house and replace broken or outdated ones with new, more modern options.

You can find beautiful metal outlet covers and switch plates that can add significant personality to your space for a low cost. For curtain rods and light fixtures, spray-painting them can be a cost-effective way to make them look elegant since new ones can be expensive. Upgrade your kitchen’s drawer handles and cabinet knobs to give the space a facelift. When updating hardware and fixtures, it’s always best to choose finishes and colors that appeal to many buyers.

4. Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Making your home more energy efficient can help reduce utility costs and boost your home’s overall value. Eco-friendly improvements that you should consider include sealing air leaks on your doors and windows using weather stripping, replacing single-pane windows with energy-efficient options, and installing tankless water heaters or solar panels.

You can hire a professional to check around your home for poorly insulated areas, cracks and openings in masonry, and drafty windows and doors. Seal up any cracks and openings on your masonry and add insulation to your attic to prevent cold air from penetrating through and retaining heat inside, reducing your home’s energy bills. Making your home more energy efficient can also qualify you for the energy tax credit, which can appeal to most homebuyers.

5. Landscaping Your Front Yard

A messy and unkempt front yard can reduce your house’s value by up to 10 percent and turn off potential buyers. On the other hand, landscaping your front yard can increase your home’s curb appeal and create a positive first impression for potential buyers when they visit for showings. Simple, inexpensive landscaping ideas for your front yard include regularly mowing your lawn and pruning seasonal trees and shrubs.

Adding colorful plants and shrubs can also add significant value and beauty to your home. Consider planting perennial plants to get the most value year after year as they bloom and beautify your front yard, drawing attention to your home. Perennial plants also require less maintenance and watering, saving you time and money. Also, plant grass seed or add fresh sod to any bald spots to give your yard a new, stunning look.

6. Make Basic Repairs

Leaky faucets, clogged toilets, and torn screen doors can significantly reduce your home’s value and turn off potential buyers. If left unattended, these issues can be hazardous to the occupants and, over time, become major issues, requiring expensive repairs. It’s critically important that you fix any minor damages or worn-out parts of your home before putting it on the market. Identify missing or broken posts and rails in your fence and fix them instead of replacing the entire fence.

Endnote

Updating your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune and doesn’t always require hiring contractors. There are many low-cost, DIY home improvement projects that can increase your home’s value and make it more appealing to potential buyers. Implementing the home improvement ideas above will help you make the most out of your home sale when you put it on the market. Always ensure that any new changes or additions will add to your home’s overall aesthetics.