Which Home Improvements Pay Off (and Which Ones Don't)

Article by: TC Thorn

There are two main reasons people take on home , Buying Bedding for your improvement projects: for their own pleasure and in hopes of increasing the resale value of their homes. , Wet Rooms - Great, But What Do They Really Mean? As long as you spend time and money for the first reason, you'll be okay. It's when you start thinking more about the second reason that you may be in for a disappointment. Even if improvements , Should I Sell My Home or Remodel Instead? add value to your home, , Garages few recoup the money they cost. For example, a swimming pool, which costs tens of thousands of dollars to install, adds little to no resale value to a home. , The Bathroom - The Forgotten Area Of Your ? People are turned off by the maintenance aspect, and parents with small children will worry about safety , Want Free Money? It’s Easier Than You Think! issues.

So, what improvements , Buying Discount Tools and Equipment at Auction do add enough value that you'll come close to making back what you spend? It's the highly visible improvements , Using Reflective Roofing Materials that will help most. Unfortunately, the less visible ones don't impress. Replacing the roof , Cheap Bedroom Decorating Ideas or furnace, while they may need doing, won't convince a home , The 5 Things that Spoil Your buyer to pay more. Likewise, new energy-efficient doors , Inspecting Home Inspectors - Examining the Quality and Consistency of Home Inspections and windows , Best Remodeling Investments - Bathrooms are Best! are not likely to recoup the cost of installation (However, if you are going to continue living in your home , Should I Sell My or Remodel Instead? for the next few years, $1,000 spent on insulation and caulking existing windows , Shaw Laminate Flooring – Experience A New Dimension In Laminate Flooring and doors , Home Improvements – Get Your Envelope In Order can help you save , Stains Will Run From You When You Do This... on your energy , Tips For Choosing The Right Bathtub bills).

The biggest home , Canvas Awnings – How To Care For Them And Keep Them Good As New improvement you can do to impress homebuyers (and make them want to pay more) is one of the cheapest. Paint. , Home Generators As long as you pick colors , Central Air Conditioning that will appeal to a wide audience--and you do it right before you list (before it has time to get mucked up)--you'll increase appeal. Likewise crown molding is relatively inexpensive to install but adds the wow factor to otherwise regular rooms. , Carpet Cleaning Machines

So, what else is worth doing? You may have heard that kitchens , Want Free Money? It’s Easier Than You Think! and bathrooms , Home Generators are what sell a house, , Design Elements and this is true, but don't think you have to spend tens of thousands on a whole-room remodel. Getting rid of outdated wallpaper or paint , Lower Your Heating And Cooling Bills With Vinyl Replacement Windows will help tremendously. Also sand , Buying Discount Tools and Equipment at Auction and paint/stain old cabinet doors , Should I Sell My Home or Remodel Instead? to make them look new. Switch out the dated cabinet hardware , Solar Projects – Should You Do Them Yourself? for something stylish and modern.

Any time you can take dead space (i.e. an attic or basement) and turn it into functional space (i.e. bedroom, office, media room), you stand a good chance of recouping much of the money you invest in the project (85% of the cost returned at resale is the national average).

If your house , Garages only has one bathroom, , Kitchen Cabinets: Parts And Accessories you can recoup about 90% of the cost by adding a second. (Adding a third gets you back less).

Landscaping can also improve curb appeal and salability of a home, , Stains Will Run From You When You Do This... but don't spend thousands on hiring a professional (it won't increase the value anywhere near that much). Tackle landscaping , Buying Bedding for your Home projects you can do yourself , Tips For Choosing The Right Bathtub instead.

Keep this advice , Bottle Openers – Did You Know? in mind before you open your pocketbook to hire contracts and buy materials for massive remodeling projects. If you're going to spend a lot, make sure it's--first and foremost--for you and your family, with resale of the house , Building Materials a distant second consideration.

TC Thorn writes for Home , Buying Discount Tools and Equipment at Auction Improvement Ideas, a blog with pictures and descriptions of new products , Solar Projects – Should You Do Them Yourself? and trends. This article may be reprinted as long as the link is left in place. , A Hardwood Floor For Your Home

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