11 Key Tips to Unlocking Your Potential Home Value

Most property owners are unaware of how to increase home value after they apply, what they believe, are the finishing touches.

It’s easy to misjudge the home resale value and end up losing out on a much higher price, even after using extremely precise tools like the Zillow Zestimate home value estimator. After the sale sign goes up, finding hidden potentials of your home becomes less of a priority.

Even a penthouse, with a 19th century Chesterfield studded leather sofa and a gold plated tub in the bathroom, still has room to grow in value, given that the right choices in home improvement are made. these are just a few you can try out for yourself and see how much you can increase your home value.

Home Exterior Improvements 

A good-looking property doesn’t start with the interior. On the contrary, your home should be as clean on the inside as it is outside. Most people don’t get the chance to see the inside of your home, so it’s easier for them to make an opinion based on its exterior. 

1. Curb Appeal

The Importance of Curb Appeal

When you walk by a house, notice how you feel as you approach it. Some buildings are really inviting and invoke feelings of comfort, even if you’re standing on the sidewalk nowhere near the house itself.

This is what curb appeal is all about; it’s how pleasant that first impression of the property is. You can use this to attract higher bidding buyers and increase the home value. Most buyers would much rather pay a little extra to get a house that looks immaculate from the front than save money for one that looks run down. 

Attention to detail is a crucial element of curb appeal. Keeping the garage door closed, putting the basketball hoop somewhere less obtrusive, getting rid of decorations from past holidays, and having a newly painted front door are a few examples of what you could do to increase your property valuation. 

While they may seem like minor changes, they really make a huge difference overall. You can get most of them done in a single afternoon and they won’t cost you a dime, other than a few buckets of paint or cleaning equipment.

2. Lawn Maintenance

There’s also lawn maintenance, which speaks for itself. Get rid of loose pieces of trash, keep the grass clean, make sure to regularly mow the lawn, and see that your hedge or thickets are evenly trimmed. If you have the experience and equipment, you can try sprucing it up yourself or consider hiring a professional gardener, who will definitely be more thorough.

Little touches like this will make your house a lot more presentable for prospective buyers. If they see how much effort you put into keeping your front lawn clean, imagine how high their expectations will be for the interior.

3. Solar Power

Ways to Increase Your Home's Value

Any big transaction we make has to be future proof. As a buyer, you don’t want to make a purchase, only for it to become outdated a few years later. You want it to last as long as possible, maybe even a lifetime.

A big part of the scientific world says that solar energy is our future. As energy sources slowly shift to environmentally friendly alternatives, you could join the trend early and install solar panels. You probably know how expensive solar power can be to install. You can expect a service charge in the tens of thousands in states like California.

However, if you have the resources and time to spare, getting solar panels installed can be one of the most high-return investments that will improve the value of your property.

4. Patios and Decks

Why Your Patio Can Be the Key to Unlocking Your Home's Value

While the front lawn acts as the eye candy for your house, let’s not forget there’s also a backyard. Patios are very popular additions to backyards and can be very attractive, but are also prone to get worn out over time if they don’t receive enough care. Look at the patio sun covers, the flooring, and don’t forget the lawn furniture. 

If you have a deck, regularly sprucing it up is crucial as well. Most decks you’ll find in the country are made of either cedar, or its stronger counterpart, redwood. Both are very durable, can withstand a lot of wear and tear, and are naturally insect repellent. But over time, with enough water damage, they can get weaker and if left unattended long enough, can even become a hazard. Take good care of your decks and patios, organize them, paint everything that needs a fresh coat, and make sure the decorations all fall into place.

5. Roof Retiling

Home Improvements to Consider to Increase Home Value

Buying a house with a broken, leaky roof is like buying a car with a cracked windshield. At first, a few missing tiles don’t really bother you all that much; who’s going to see them up there? But after a few storms, a couple more tiles will go missing and then your home might look like a haunted house. Zillow home value and other online estimations can greatly increase or decrease based on the condition of the roof alone.

It may be a little pricey to get your roof repaired or completely retiled. However, not only is it going to make your property look more presentable, but it’s also going to save you the money you would’ve otherwise spent on repairing water damage before putting it on the market. Roof renovation is a very sensitive project, so make sure to get in touch with a professional tiler.

More Exterior Improvement Ideas

You can find tons of other exterior improvement tips for a boost in property value. Try out at least a few of them and see how the changes resonate with your potential buyers. To do this, continue to estimate your property value with every little improvement you make to see the positive effect they have.

Home Interior Improvements

As good as the exterior of your house may look, rarely will buyers make a decision exclusively based on how attractive your front lawn is. They’re going to have a thorough look inside.

6. Declutter 

Organization is crucial for many buyers. Looking through completely empty premises won’t give buyers an idea of what the rooms look like when they’re lived in. On the other hand, there may be the issue of clutter if you opt for a very 'lived-in' look.

There are many methods of organizing and decluttering the interior of your property that in turn improve its value. Think about all the busiest rooms in your home: the kitchen, the bathrooms, hallways, the staircase, or any other area that people walk through often. 

You can start decluttering your rooms by getting rid of excess pieces of loose furniture that may not serve a purpose being there. Sure, you want to have some furniture here and there, but give your potential buyers a canvas to imagine their own belongings in that space as well.

Home Organization Can Effect Buyers

For this kind of organization, you may want to hire a team of professional organizers. These are specialists whose expertise lies in maximizing space and minimizing clutter. With their help, you can raise your home value with nothing more than a little extra organization.

7. Attic and Basement

The attic and basement can potentially become the cornerstones of the sale. Many high-bidding clients will look for these two rooms to be extra features, as opposed to mere storage areas. 

How to Use Every Space In Your Home to Increase Its Value

If you’ve just cleared out some extra furniture from your other rooms and have nowhere to put them, consider taking them down to the basement or attic and creating a little makeshift loft office or playroom. Why keep tons of useless furniture in rooms that are already full? 

Use this extra furniture to your advantage; move some of the boxes to the back of the room, put an old TV in there with a couch. Now you have another small room you can include in the purchase — which naturally lifts the property value. It doesn’t need to look fancy or luxurious, but it’s that extra mile you can take to make the best of what you have.

As you’re making these changes, be mindful and make sure everything is done with the right permits, so you don’t accidentally end up violating a code and get fined.

8. Walls

Small Touch Ups That Are a Big Deal

Stains, holes, scratches, and paint chips. These are all very easy to fix, but also very distracting when left unattended. Walls are very easy to damage, especially after a couple of redecorations and renovations. 

Get a painter or drywall expert to come in and give your walls all the touch-ups they need before the sale. This will really improve the overall appearance of the interior and have a positive effect on the property value.

9. Flooring

Whether it’s wood, carpet, or marble, the floors can get really dirty. It’s very easy to clean them, but they are quite difficult to maintain in the long run. If you have a few floorboards missing or yellow tiles that used to be white, that’s not going to look good to your potential buyers.

Make sure to get some quick floor maintenance. If you have marble or carpeting, you may be in luck, as all they usually need is a specialized deep clean, but wooden floors are a little more tricky. They require regular coats of polish and lacquer, replacement boards for any that are chipped or broken, and then there’s the issue of mismatched floorboard tones.

10. Retrofitting

The Benefits Retrofitting Your Home

Just because your property is an older structure doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of modern retrofitting solutions. Retrofitting your home has many benefits. 

First, there’s better insulation. A lot of clients see this as a major plus, as they can save money on heating. Retrofitting can also help strengthen the building and the walls, making it more durable. Make sure to speak with contractors, heating engineers, or plumbers that could help you get your retrofitting done.

11. The Smaller Touches

Be more attentive to everything around the property. One of the biggest put-offs for many clients with high bids is foul stenches and odors. Keep the premise aired out and clear of any smells that could ruin the otherwise perfect atmosphere. 

This also goes without saying, but keep the windows clean too. Some clients are super attentive to the windows. If there’s a cracked or missing glass pane, make sure to replace it too. If you find it hard to pinpoint exactly what needs fixing or a touch-up, you can get a hold of special home inspection services. An expert will come in and point out all the little things that need to be taken care of.

Basically, just take your time and see what small touches need to be made. Even small touch-ups like fixing a single window could increase the value of your home.