Boost Your Home’s Value Inexpensively

Before you install that granite counter-top in your kitchen, consider breathing new life into your home with the following inexpensive strategies.  Keep in mind that your return on investment will vary based on your home's condition, as well as your region’s real estate market.   

1. Kitchen 
The kitchen is top priority for buyers when they tour your home, so make sure it’s clean, neat and reasonably updated.
Tip: Replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and spruce up old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.
If Your Budget Allows:  Reface the cabinets.  A refacing company will remove the cabinet doors and drawers, refinish the cabinet boxes, then add brand-new doors and drawers. With a fresh coat of paint over the whole set, your cabinets will look like new.  Retailers like Lowe’s Home Improvement and Home Depot can order replacement cabinet doors and door fronts and you can install them yourself.  

2. Kitchen Part Two
Again, the kitchen needs to shine to attract today’s buyers.  Give your kitchen a cohesive look by ensuring the appliances match.    
Tip: If your kitchen appliances don't match, order new doors or face panels for them.  Something many don’t know is that many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other.  Just unscrew the panel, slide the panel out and flip it around.
  
3. Bathroom
Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update.  Buyers want to see a well-maintained bathroom that sparkles.  Make sure yours is spotless.  
Tip: Install a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink.  Replace old, discolored floors with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl.  Re-grout your tub and shower and replace any chipped tiles.
If Your Budget Allows:  Install a prefabricated tub and shower surround.  This may require professional installation but can still be cheaper than paying to re-tile walls and refinish a worn tub.

4. Major Systems
Make sure your home systems are in top shape.  Leaky faucets and loose wires do not inspire confidence in a buyer as they’re walking through your home.  The condition of your major home systems speak volumes about how the home was cared for.  
Tip: Have an electrician, plumber and HVAC professional look over your electrical services, attend to loose wires and faulty outlets, fix any water leaks, and inspect/clean your heating and air conditioning system.
  
5. Curb appeal
The first thing a potential buyer sees is the exterior of your home.  Perception creates value in the mind of the buyer, and you want them to fall in love with your home from the start.     
Tip: Keep the lawn mowed and the walkway swept.  A few well-placed shrubs and flower pots go a long way toward generating excitement from potential buyers.  
If Your Budget Allows: Consider hiring a landscaper to install some new sod, plant a few evergreen shrubs and give your front yard a good cleanup.
 
6. Flooring
Worn, dirty and outdated carpet is an instant turnoff to buyers and can make the home look tired and neglected.    
Tip: If your carpet is in reasonable shape and is a neutral color, a professional carpet cleaning may be just what you need to freshen up your home.  You could also consider removing outdated or excessively worn carpet if you have hardwood flooring underneath.   
Unless it is truly hideous, it probably doesn’t make sense to replace wall-to-wall carpeting right before you sell your house.  Consider offering a carpet allowance as an alternative.  The new homeowners may want to choose their own carpeting after they move in.
 
7. Lighting Fixtures
New lighting fixtures can help move your home into the 21rst century.  Give your home some added pizzazz by brightening up your interior.   
Tip: Replace boring recessed lights in your dining and living rooms with inexpensive light fixtures from your home store.  If you have a ceiling fan and light, you can also buy replacement fan blades (leaving the fan body in place) to update the fixture's look.

8. Main Entry
Be sure that your home makes a solid, quality impression, starting with the front door.
Tip: Install a substantial-looking handle-and-lock set on your entry way doors.  Make sure the paint on the door and entry-way is fresh and well-maintained.
    
9. Storage
Older homes traditionally don’t offer a plentitude of closet space which may make your home seem cramped, unaccommodating, even obsolete.   
Tip: Help customize your home by adding do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets.  Some firms like ClosetMaid offer the ability to measure and redesign your closets online.  Many home-improvement stores offer design details and parts for closet systems.
    
 10. Bedroom 
Your home may have everything a prospective buyer needs, except a place for everyone to lay their head.  Generally, a 4 bedroom home offers greater value to your home by providing more appeal and flexibility to buyers.  
Tip: Have your den undergo a metamorphosis by adding a closet to the room.  As a general rule of thumb, a custom closet system can be added and drywalled in for less than $1,500.