Month: December 2018

Looking to Increase Your Home’s Value? Here are Some Tips

 Are you thinking about putting your home on the market, but you don’t have a ton of money to spend to increase the value? Never fear because there are economical ways to accomplish this without breaking your wallet. If you’re ready to jump on the home selling bandwagon, here are some tips that will help increase your home’s value. 

Don’t Ignore the Outside 

Curb appeal is no joke. The very first thing a potential buyer is going to notice and assess is the outside of your home. Is it pleasing to the eye? Does it have nice landscaping? Are the sidewalks, driveway and entrance in good condition? If there’s a fence, is it in good shape? Are the trees and shrubbery healthy? Some, or all of these items will be selling points for your buyer, so they should be taken into consideration. Make sure the outside is presentable and clean. Because if the outside looks shabby, a buyer will equate that to what the inside might look like as well. 

Give Your Walls a Face Lift 

It’s amazing what a can of paint can do. If you think a buyer will love your orange walls as much as you do think again! One of the best ways to add value to an interior is to recreate its blank slate. So grab a brush and a can of paint and open up your space. Removing loud or dark colors will give the buyer an immediate visualization of they can personalize the space to their liking. 

Less is So Much More 

Removing clutter and organizing your space can breathe new life into your home. Make it a fun activity by creating three piles for Keep, Throw Away, and Donate. If you’re having a hard time figuring out what to put into each pile, hiring an organizational expert would be money well spent. They can help remove the emotional toll out of this daunting task. 

Small Improvements Can Go a Long Way 

After sprucing up your outdoors, adding a coat of fresh paint, and de-cluttering, consider small DIY fixes that won’t require a contractor. If you have carpet and can’t afford to replace it, have it professionally cleaned. There are an assortment of reliable products on the market that will remove scuff marks from hardwood floors. Replace outdated door knobs, kitchen, and bathroom hardware with newer updated fixtures. Add new window treatments that allow natural light to enter your rooms and make sure all the windows are clean. Update your lighting with new lamp shades, pendants, or can lights, which will further brighten your space and make it look new again. 

Invest in a Certified Inspector 

While making minor improvements to the curb appeal and interior are excellent ways to add value, also seriously consider having an inspector walk through your home. They can identify any major problems that will need attention. The last thing you want is to lose an offer because of an unforeseen issue that could have been taken care of before going into contract. 

Give Yourself Time 

Be honest and realistic with yourself. Adding value to your home takes time and patience. So if this is your goal, then set a reasonable time frame and take things slowly. The more time you spend, the better your rewards will be.

How To Plan Your Front Yard To Wow

 There are several tips that you can use when you plan your front yard to wow. 

Walkway 

The first tip is to make a walkway. Basically, this is how your guests are going to be able to get to your front door. Sometimes this is going to be in the form of stepping stones. But if the stepping stones are too small and set too far apart. Therefore, they are not going to be very comfortable to step on. This means that it is going to be better for you to create a whole walkway so that all of your guests are going to be comfortable when entering into your home. 

Space 

The second tip is to create an outdoor space that is inviting to all of your guests. Make this the place where you are going to be able to entertain all of your guests or a place where you can just relax when you want to. You can plant a bed full of beautiful trees, perennials, and flowering shrubs. These are things that are going to grow throughout the year. It might also be a good idea to add some accents to your garden with some annuals. All of these things are going to make your outdoor space look inviting to everyone of your guests that come to your home. 

Scale 

The third tip is to create some scale. This can be done when you plant some flowering beds in your garden. You want to make sure that they are going to fit the size of your home because you don’t want it to overcome the home. You can start with a small yard and go from there. But you are going to need to find a space where you are going to be able to plant a variety of plants in the garden. This is the best way that you are going to be able to create your garden on a larger scale. 

Interest 

The fourth tip is to create interest in your garden that is going to last all year. You can choose from a wide variety of plants that are going to bloom throughout the year. Therefore, you are going to need to come up with a plan for all of your plants. You can start off with the spring bulbs and then transition to the perennials that are going to work great during the summer months. Some of the favorites during the fall are going to include grasses and mums. It is also a good idea to plant some trees and shrubs that are going to work in the winter months so that during the winter, your garden is not going to lose interest. 

Annuals 

The fifth tip is to add accent to your garden with annuals. This means that you are going to need to leave some space in your garden to celebrate all four of the seasons. If you are wanting to add a lot of interest in your garden, then you plant some tulips in the spring, daises in the summer, and peppers in the fall. Plus you can change the colors of these each year so that you never have to worry about your garden ever losing interest. 

Surfaces 

The sixth tip is to create some soften hard surfaces. The best way to do this is to plant up some containers on your patio, along the stone walls, or on your front stoops. The containers are going to be very welcoming when they are on your patio or the stoop. This is going to be especially true when it comes to your driveway. This is because it is going to allow your driveway to reach your home in a more inviting way. 

These are the top six tips that you can use when you are trying to plan out your front yard so that it is going to have a wow factor.