Increase Your Home's Value in 5 Easy Steps

Thinking about taking on some small home improvement projects to boost the value of your home? Here are some smart upgrades and fixes that won’t cost a lot, but could help you clinch a deal if you’re trying to sell.

Consider curb appeal

Source: Zillow Digs

First impressions are everything, and potential buyers often decide whether they’re interested in a home within seconds. As they’re walking toward your house, they’re asking themselves, “Could I live here?”

Keep the walkway swept and tidy, and spruce up your entryway landscaping with well-placed shrubs, new plants and trimmed hedges. And don’t underestimate the power of a new front door, fence or mailbox.

Buff up the bath

Source: Zillow Digs

Sure, bathroom improvements can get pricey, but small cosmetic changes can reap big rewards. Consider replacing dated frosted glass with clear glass, updating fixtures or putting up new wallpaper.

Other projects that are worth the effort include re-grouting the tile, replacing an old vanity with a new one and buying a new toilet seat.

Make your kitchen cook

Source: Zillow Digs

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where the family congregates, guests gather and the kids do their homework. To appeal to potential buyers, this space has to look clean, inviting and warm.

Beyond making sure your appliances work well and look shiny, consider updating cabinet doors and drawers, light fixtures and faucets. And a basic coat of neutral paint can go a long way toward impressing buyers.

Let there be light

Source: Zillow Digs

Is there an old chandelier that needs to come down? Dated lamps that age the room? Take care of that!

Also, increase the wattage in dark rooms that lack natural lighting. Rooms will seem larger and more open.  Visual space — or how large a home feels — is crucial.

Reconfigure the layout

Source: Zillow Digs

Assuming you’ve already covered the basics, such as removing clutter and personal belongings to make rooms look larger, why not take it one step further and think about reconfiguring the layout?

Substituting one room’s use for another is a cheap way to transform a two-bedroom home with a den into a three-bedroom home, for example.

CR: VERA GIBBONS