What brings the greatest value to a home? – Questions and answers about the value of the home

This article is for the average homeowner and not for people looking to renovate “upper class” homes in great neighborhoods. The things that add advertising value to a home come in two ways; one is the value of the home to a new buyer and two is the actual appraised value. There are different things that add value to one or the other and, sometimes, to both.

First, the things that add value to a new buyer are the visual things. 80% of the sale is attractive. The houses for sale look a lot like humans if you think about it. We all have our own problems and dysfunctions, but we don’t want to announce it to our neighbors. Yelling at husband / wife and children is something we try to do around the house, if you know what I mean. Selling the house has some similar characteristics; It is the house that looks nice on the outside that is sold first. Any minor defects within the home can be repaired once the buyer has moved in. Most people don’t want to be the one with the ugliest house on the block.

Another similar feature is that the newer the better. People like new trends, what is currently popular, and are always looking for something better. Having some of those popular items scattered throughout your home will update you, even if your entire home hasn’t been remodeled. How does it look updated and modern? Here are some tips;

• Cleanliness (most important)
• Green lawn, trees. Prune shrubs and trees, plant annuals for excellent curb appeal.
• If your kitchen cabinets look bad, consider painting them if you can’t replace them.
• If your sinks or toilets are not white, replace them.
• Light and neutral paint colors. Paint the ceiling lighter than the walls to add height.
• Neutral and light brown rugs.
• Natural stone look tiles (if not real already)
• Stainless steel. Brushed bronze or steel accessories (gold is out)
• Vinyl windows, energy efficient
• Textured walls.
• The kitchen and bathrooms are the most important rooms in your home.

Creative decoration can be a great asset. Get creative and make it look clean and tasteful; This will add the most value to a new buyer. Just keep in mind that “general decor” is better. Not everyone likes the same decoration. I once bought a very nice (expensive) ceiling fan to put in a house. I thought it would be a great selling point as it was so beautiful to me; it was the first thing the landlord tore up when they moved in. So don’t overdo it and fall in love with your decor.

Second, the things that add value to an appraiser and really make your home worth more are more structural and product-based. Modern updates have little influence, but they mostly update in a general way that makes the best difference. For example, if you replaced your old woodgrain Formica countertops with a tile countertop that would be considered an “upgrade”. Whether you used granite or ceramic tile may or may not make any difference. That difference would depend on your home, if you are in a $ 500,000 home and you add ceramic while all your neighbors have granite, then your tile countertops would be a small improvement. But if you live in a modest neighborhood where most of the other countertops were still Formica (but newer than wood grain), then installing granite doesn’t add more value to your home than ceramic. A good example is like seeing a really big beautiful house with all the bells and whistles built in a neighborhood where all the houses are that size with minimal improvements. The value of that big, beautiful house will be less than one of its peers located in a better neighborhood. What your neighborhood offers will give you an excellent indicator of how far you need to upgrade to add value. Go “a little” beyond your neighbors, doing your best and getting over them for miles won’t give you as much value as it sounds. Try to think of the upgrade in a general way, buy wisely and forget about the “brand” purchases. 25-year-old carpet and 10-year-old carpet rarely make a difference in appraised value.

Then it comes down to adding appraised value to a home, it will be limited to things like square footage, age of home, construction or rebar, etc. Within those limits, this is the best way to add that value (yes, these are in order);

• Add square footage with an addition.
• A garage or commercial premises.
• Drywall and textured walls. (Get rid of wood panels, especially if it’s dark)
• The kitchens and bathrooms are the most important rooms.
• Kitchens; new countertops, new cabinets (or tile), new linoleum or tile floors, etc.
• Toilets; good lighting, white bathtubs and sinks, tile or linoleum floors, very clean toilet, etc.
• New Carpet / Flooring – Hardwood floors (real and laminate) may have a higher value. Generally, the carpet brand doesn’t make a difference, and neither does the padding. Details such as fixtures, appliances, paint colors (neutral, not white), etc.

Above all, new paint offers great value – even if it looks good, a fresh coat of paint can make a difference in the world for both a prospective buyer and the appraiser. It is also a task that the whole family can do.

Determining what adds the most value to a home will take a little neighborhood research, but when you’re done, you’ll be sure that your hard-earned dollars will be spent on things that really add value. Plus, we all love saving time and money. If you need a definite number of what a certain improvement could add in terms of value, you should visit an appraiser in your area.