You may be wondering how to add value to your home, regardless of whether you’re selling now or in the future. Investing in your residence can benefit your quality of life while also increasing eventual selling price and overall home value. Luckily, there are plenty of simple things you can do to boost your home value. Here are some ideas to get started:
Upgrade for energy-efficiency
Whether it’s to help the environment or to save on utility bills, homebuyers are continually looking for energy-efficient homes. There are many ways you can add to your home value by investing in energy-saving appliances and features.
For example, using low-flow bathroom fixtures and tankless hot water heaters are both great options with good ROI. If you have an old home, consider upgrading your HVAC system and windows for better temperature control and lower costs. You may even want to add some smart home technology, such as a smart thermostat, to complement your new HVAC system.
Add new fixtures & surfaces
Simple changes can make an enormous difference. Swapping out old, dated finishes and materials can be a simple way to make your home more attractive to potential buyers and increase the internal appeal.
Try replacing brass handles and drawer pulls with sleek, contemporary stainless steel. Replace linoleum flooring with real or synthetic wood flooring for instant appeal and great ROI.
Invest in landscaping
Landscaping is another area of home improvement that consistently has tremendous resale value. Every so often, it can be as simple as cleaning out weeds, but also consider replacing garden pathways and planting new flowers and shrubs. Water-saving hardscaping with rocks and drought-tolerant plants is another way to keep the yard healthy and add value to the property with low upkeep.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
