Smart Home Improvements
If you’re planning to embark on a few home improvements, it's best to know which of them are likely to pay off if you sell your home and which won’t. When you’re deciding where to put your remodeling dollars, consider the return on investment (ROI). In a nutshell, how much money could you recoup when you sell your home?
- Clean/De-Clutter – 973%
Remove clutter by storing items in basement, attic or friend's home. Rent a storage space or sell excess items, if needed. Keep every room very clean during open homes. Do pre-open house cleanliness inspections
- Remodeled Kitchen – 150%
Update kitchen and baths by resurfacing cabinets or painting with neutral color. Replace toilet seats, dated fixtures and drawer/cabinet handles. Freshly caulk and redo grout in countertops, sinks, tubs and showers.
- Paint interior - 148%
Repair any damaged interior walls by patching all chips, holes and cracks; then touch up or repaint interior walls with neutral color.
- Carpeting = 104%
If carpets are only lightly soiled, shampooing and/or spot removal should suffice. If there are rips, fading, heavy wear, smells or deep stains, replace with neutral color.
- Revitalized Landscaping- 100%
Store away personal effects from front yard. Trim back the overgrowth and maintain yard. Make sure that your lawn has a healthy green appearance. Replace dead or dying plants and trees. Freshen up appearances with bright flowers here and there.
- Second Bathroom- 90%
Once considered a luxury, a second bathroom is now seen as a “must have”. If a bathroom can be reasonably added, this is a great selling point for most families, especially if there are more than two bedrooms.
- Basement Remodel- 79%
A great way of adding space, a finished basement can be a good investment. This is an especially desirable feature if a door can be added to the outside.
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8. Window Replacement- 84%
Replacing old, worn out windows with good quality, efficient, vinyl windows can keep heating bills down and make your home much more attractive. Both of these results are highly desirable for new buyers.
9. Deck Addition- 70%
Adding a maintenance free, attractive deck can be a huge bonus in most areas. This is enhanced if there are nice views from the deck.
10. Garage- 30%
A garage is another item that, once considered an amenity, is now a necessity. Depending on the size of the house, most people prefer two or more car spaces. A functional, organization system is also a plus.
people, to be the heart of the home. With careful planning, a beautiful, simple and moderate priced remodel can be a great selling
The above ROI figures are just averages. There are many factors to consider when thinking about remodeling returns. Location is always a key issue. Some improvements are popular with buyers regardless of the region, while others seem to be in higher demand in certain areas of the
Also, homeowners should definitely look around at other houses in the neighborhood to see what is popular. If the average home in your neighborhood has 2.5 baths and your house has 1.5, adding another bathroom could net you a better return than the average when selling.
One last thing to remember before heading to the nearest hardware store, is to avoid unusual or personalized remodeling projects. Most buyers want a home that they can move right into and meet their needs. When you stray too far from the norm, you either limit your pool of buyers or you have buyers who are unwilling to pay for your projects (and may even factor undoing them in to their offer!).
Okay, get to it!po
