3 Ways You Can Add Value to Your Home Instantly

3 Ways You Can Add Value to Your Home InstantlyHousing prices may be dropping all around the nation, but the smart investments you make in your home will help maintain its value. You’ll have to know what type of changes to make because some home improvement projects –expensive though they may be – will not affect its value. Here are some home improvement projects that will pay off in more ways than one.

Change the Windows

If your current windows do not match the style of your home, there’s no better time than the present to start this project. Don’t go for the fancy windows that your neighbor just purchased if they don’t match the age and style of the original home. While you’re focusing on the windows, make sure that you install the appropriate safety guards to protect your younger children and pets. Window treatments will also enhance the look of your newly installed windows.

Curb Appeal

Your home must look attractive on the outside if you hope to get potential buyers indoors. First impressions count, and in this case your home’s outside appearance counts for 10 percent the value of your home. A fresh coat of exterior paint will add to life to faded walls. Again, you need to choose colors that match the style and age of your home.

Use shutters to add depth, appeal and give your home a whole new perspective. Pave your broken driveway because it’s the path that welcomes people to your home. An attractive, well-maintained front yard will boost your home’s value by 15 percent (according to HGTV). Use perennials to maintain a pristine appearance year round especially if you don’t have the time required to care for seasonal plants.

Your backyard may not be visible from the street, but it still deserves a bit a tender loving care. Most homeowners love outdoor entertainment, so a backyard garden, deck, and fountain or pool will increase your home’s value and provide years of enjoyment for future buyers.

Home Security System

You cannot be too safe nowadays. Crime and burglary are now a commonplace even in relatively safe neighborhoods. Potential buyers with younger children would be more partial to a home where there’s a security system installed. In fact, a security system will give homeowners peace of mind, and that’s a feature you cannot put a price on.

Improve your home’s safety with a monitored system such as the one offered from sites like www.quortek.com. For a small investment, you can increase the home’s value by as much as 20 percent. Ultimately, it will be money well spent.

Bonus

Any home upgrades must be consistent in order to get the value of the upgrades. For instance, vinyl floors in the bathroom or shag carpeting in the bedrooms will completely overshadow any flooring upgrades in the kitchen and entryway. So make sure that you can afford to upgrade the entire space if you initiate a project.

Focus on the areas that will add value because some home improvements – like changing your roof- are a given and won’t increase the value of your home.

John Bowen is a real estate agent. He enjoys sharing his home security insights on various homeowner blogs.

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