Home Improvement Guide

In our years of experience selling real estate, we have easily walked through more than a thousand homes for sale in the Charleston, SC area. Some homes are very well staged for showings, and you can tell that the home owners have really taken care of the home and have made good improvements to it. And, the money that the owners spent to update or improve the home should be paid back in full (and maybe with some profit) when they sell it.

Although we’ve seen some really good home improvements that pay off in the end, we’ve also seen some really bad home improvements. In fact, some of the worst features we’ve seen in homes for sale have actually been made by the sellers from “do-it-yourself” projects.

Sellers assume if they spend $10,000 in home improvements that their home is worth $10,000 more. This assumption is often true – indeed, it is the goal of the project. But, you need to make sure that you invest in the right areas so that you don’t waste your money.

So, which home improvements pay off? We’ve included below the five home improvements we’ve found to be the most effective during our experience in real estate.

1) Covering the basic necessities – the first improvements you need to make are the ones that really matter. If there are any problems with your home’s structure or systems, you need to fix these first. Potential buyers care more about problems that affect a home’s function (like a leaky roof) than problems that are cosmetic (like an outdated kitchen). And, when potential buyers find out that the home needs major repairs (replacing the roof, updating an electrical system, or removing mold), they will move on to the next home for sale on their list. So, use your money wisely – especially if you have a limited budget. Focus on areas that make your home more livable.

2) Kitchens – if your home poses no major problems, you can start your renovations in the kitchen. When you’re making home improvements, the kitchen is a good place to start because it can greatly affect the value of your home. Buyers want clean, updated kitchens. Be sure to use good quality materials and classic designs (but don’t go too modern). In order for your home improvements to pay off, you need them to appeal to a wide range of home buyers. Some of the easier improvements to make include painting the kitchen (using a neutral color, of course) and replacing cabinet hardware if the current hardware is too basic or outdated. Replacing outdated appliances almost always pays back more than full. Also, make sure that your kitchen has sufficient lighting.

3) Baths – if your kitchen is up to par, I would recommend working on the bathrooms. If you can only fix up one bathroom, I would focus on the master bath. Some of the easiest and least expensive improvements to make are repainting the walls and cabinets, recaulking the sink and shower, and replacing outdated light fixtures and faucets.

4) Creating Functional Space – if your home has a “catch-all” room, try to give that room a purpose. For example, if you have a finished room over your garage that is used simply for storage or for a recreation room, you can sell this room as an additional bedroom. Often these rooms don’t have closet space. So, adding a closet to this room would be a good investment because having an extra bedroom can greatly increase the value of your home. But, if the room over your garage is not finished, I would not recommend converting it. It would cost a lot of money to finish the room and run heating and air conditioning to it, and you would probably not get a full return on your money. The same would be true for finishing an attic.

5) Landscaping – lightly landscaping your yards can be a good investment. Small yard projects, like replacing dead bushes and reseeding (or resodding) bare lawn areas, can actually give you a small profit. But, we’ve seen some homeowners invest literally tens of thousands of dollars into their yards with fountains, gazebos, and goldfish ponds. These homeowners will only get a fraction of that money back when they sell their homes.

Making home improvements can drastically affect your home’s value. And, you can earn back more money than the amount you invested in the improvements. Just make sure that you invest in the right home improvements in order to get a full return on your investment. If you are not sure which areas to focus on, be sure to talk with your real estate agent in order to maximize your profit.

People think of their homes in different ways. The old adage – a man’s home is his castle – can be true for many men and women. Your home can also be your biggest investment and as such it is deserving of continued improvement to increase the value of your investment. Or perhaps you’ve bought your home with a view to making some quick improvements an on-selling it.

Whatever your reasons for buying your house you will expect to see a rise in your home improvement value.

Estimating your home improvement value is a simple process and increasing that value can also be easy if you plan well. Regardless of where your home is located, or its amenity or size, it will have the potential for home improvement value. A simple rule of thumb in home improvements is that every dollar you invest should return you two dollars.

D-I-Y Improvements

Planning is the secret to increasing your home improvement value. Spend time in the planning stages and you’ll be rewarded in the renovation stage.

Start with pen and paper and two columns. In the first column list all the features that your house currently has, for example: two bedrooms, one bathroom, combined lounge/dining area, etc. In the other column write down the features you’d like to have in your home; for example four bedrooms, two bathrooms, rumpus room.

You may not be able to achieve everything you’ve written down in the second column; however, writing down the features that you desire is the first step in achieving your home improvement value.

Gaining Another Bathroom

Many people desire an en suite bathroom and this can be a great way to add value to your home. If the main bathroom is located adjacent to the master bedroom – as it frequently is – it can be a relatively inexpensive job to know a doorway between the two rooms. This will give you and immediate home improvement value!

Often a well-located closet can be turned into a toilet area, providing another boost to your home’s value.

Adding A Bedroom

Before you go to the expense of calling in a contractor, take a look at the present bedrooms. Do you have a large bedroom than could easily be divided into two smaller bedrooms by installing a stud wall? These bedrooms may be small but can give children or teenagers some much needed private space. What about a sunroom or a verandah that can be closed in to provide a bedroom?

Adding bathrooms and bedrooms to a property is a great starting point to improving your home’s overall value.

If adding additional rooms is outside of you price range, then something as simple as a fresh coat of paint can transform a house or apartment. Keep the wall colors light and the ceilings and trim white if your aim is to make the rooms look larger.

In the bathroom and kitchen the addition of new taps and cupboard handles can brighten and add a contemporary touch to the rooms.

Remember the basic rule that a small investment now will turn into a big investment in the future. Keep making those small improvements and you’ll be able to watch your home improvement value grow over time.