A home’s property value is an essential number for buying/selling the home, planning for retirement, making renovations and insurance coverage, among other important functions. You have more control over your home’s value than you think and can increase it through many avenues. Here are ten of the best ways you can add value to your home.

1.  Increase the Square Footage

A home’s square footage plays a major role in determining its value. While you can’t physically increase the square footage without making additions or renovations, you can use several tricks to visually expand your home’s size: 

●     Replace heavy draperies with vertical blinds or shutters.

●     Add a single large mirror to a room.

●     Clear the clutter to open floor space.

●     Join connected rooms with the same floor material.

●     Use floor tiling larger than the standard 12 inches. 

These adjustments will make your home appear larger, grander and more organized. Size and organization are imperative to a home’s value.

2.  Improve Your Home’s Air Quality

Test your home’s indoor air quality and determine if you need to make improvements. Your HVAC system might need an upgrade, or your old carpets might contain significant amounts of allergens and pollutants. A new HVAC system and hard-surface flooring will make your home’s air quality cleaner and more comfortable.

3.  Invest in Energy-Efficient Features

You should replace old and outdated features with new energy-efficient substitutes. Light fixtures, fans, refrigerators and washing machines more have eco-friendly alternatives. These products self-monitor their energy consumption and enable you to set limits on much energy they use daily. Some of these changes will prove expensive, but the return on investment is worth it because you will save money on energy bills and increase your home’s value in the process.

4.  Spruce up Your Landscaping

Curb appeal is also an integral part of estimating a home’s value. You should take these actions to make your home’s exterior look warm and welcoming: 

●     Plant trees to shade the building and lower cooling costs.

●     Prioritize plants native to your region’s climate.

●     Tend to your lawn frequently and take care of weeds and pests.

●     Add an outdoor lighting system to put the entire landscape on display. 

If you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of landscaping, search for “lawn installation near me” in order to find suitable qualified professionals. Guests notice when a home looks more at peace with its surroundings. They see and appreciate small details like shade, sufficient lighting and a well-tended yard. Add these details and your home will increase in beauty and value!

5.  Install a Fireplace

An indoor fireplace is one of the most cost-effective features you can add to your home, especially the electric or vent-free varieties. However, a fireplace of any kind can increase your home’s value. They provide heat, create a cozy atmosphere and give a home’s interior some flair, literally and figuratively. Install a fireplace in your living room to encourage more family time and increase its value.

6.  Choose Trending Paint Colors

A home painted in a neutral shade has greater appeal than an eccentric paint color. With that in mind, you should repaint your home’s interior with trending hues that are both relaxing and welcoming. Earthly tones with some blue and green mixed in should do the trick, but you should also consider your home’s structure. Some colors simply “fit” better inside certain rooms. Trust your artistic eye and choose the best paint colors for your home!

7.  Make Small Bathroom Upgrades

If a complete bathroom renovation is off the table, you can still make small but noticeable upgrades to maximize the room’s potential. Give these changes a shot: 

●     Replace your old wallpaper with something fresh.

●     Get higher-quality shower curtains.

●     Update the light fixtures for better lighting.

●     Get a showerhead with unique features. 

The bathroom experience is an essential part of daily living. These details will make that experience more enjoyable and thus increase your home’s value.

8.  Replace Worn Rugs and Carpets

Rugs and carpets affect your home’s air quality when they’re dirty, but they can hurt your home’s property value even with frequent cleanings. Guests and buyers generally like hard-surface flooring more than soft surfaces for several reasons: 

●     It’s more durable

●     It’s easier to clean

●     It has a wider variety of fitting rooms. 

Aside from these convenient reasons, hard-surface flooring is the better option because it directly increases home value more than other surfaces. This change is well worth the investment.

9.  Add a Water Filtration System

You can save on your water bill and improve the quality of your drinking water by adding a filtration system to your kitchen sink. It can also lower your grocery expenses if you spend a lot of money on bottled water. This tiny bit of luxury can go a long way in boosting your home’s value.

10. Address Those Minor Issues

Any DIY project or other minor issues you keep ignoring should jump to the top of your to-do list. Cleaning up clutter is one thing, but we’re talking about structural flaws and damages that seem insignificant but can add up to major expenses if left unchecked. Here are some examples that might apply to your home: 

●     Drafts

●     Peeling paint

●     Squeaking doors

●     Jammed windows

●     Dripping faucets

●     Loose tiles 

Address any similar issue you can think of while they’re still manageable and inexpensive to fix. Plugging up these holes will add up to a significant increase in value for your home.

Boost Your Home’s Value Today

While some of these changes require a long-term plan and investment, you can complete some of them today. Start that improvement project you’ve been avoiding. Paint the living room. Mow the lawn. Replace that flickering light bulb in the bathroom. You can make many changes to add value to your home, both big and small. Start with a few changes today!