47 Ways to Improve the Value of your Home

Adding Value to Your Home

You’re looking at the housing market, and, with its rises and falls, you’re wondering how to make your home more valuable. Maybe you’re building a new house, and you want to see what can give you the most bang for your buck. It could be, that you want to remodel, and you want to give your house more “umpf”. Whatever your reason is, this is the article for you. We’ve found 47 tips that you can implement to improve the value of your home.

**It’s important to note that these tips do not guarantee any sort of value increase. They are suggestions. One should also not assume that doing them will greatly increase the value of a property. Each market is different, and you should consult a local professional before doing any of them in order to do what is actually effective in your area. Do not expect to do these and double your home value. These will generally only raise the value slightly.

This article is meant to help you find starting points so you can get to work. It’s not meant to be a step-by-step guide on any of these processes. Instead, we encourage you to seek professional help when actually doing the improvements. Consider yourself a DIY expert? Great, just don’t hurt yourself, or mess up your home. If you need any questions answered about remodeling, building a custom home, or residential construction go on over to higherdesignutah.com and check us out. We have architectural design experience as well as experience in the construction field.

Before you read on, realize that no single minor improvement will drastically bump up the value of your home. It is when your home is holistically improved that its value rises. Remember also, that everything is based on your local market. Make sure to consult a local professional before doing anything major. Only talk to the best, so weed out the unqualified professionals first. Here are some questions to ask an architectural designer to see if they are legit. Ask similar questions to professionals in other industries to gauge their competence.

We know this is a long article so we’ve added some quick-links so you can jump to the tip that most intrigues you.

47 Ways to Upgrade the Value of your Home

1: Repaint in Neutral Colors

For resale value, being extreme is generally not good. Not many people look forward to becoming “the people who live in that yellow house with purple shutters down the road” when they move into their new house. Make sure to paint in neutral tones. Add some accent color to prevent the place from feeling dead.

For interior paint choices, you can go with a darker tone, but you’ll still want to stay very muted and neutral.

In general, you want to remember that the paint should generally go unnoticed while still enhancing the entire experience. It is the seasoning on the steak, not the other way around.

2: Paint Cabinets

Painting your cabinets can give them back that “Like-new” look. It seems to make the whole area more crisp and fresh (if that’s possible). There are things that the average person should think about though. Think about both the pros and the cons. In some cases, you might want to replace or get rid of some cabinets. Think about all the factors involved. Imagine the space without the cabinets, and with cabinets painted, and see which looks better. If you need more help, talk to an interior designer.

3: Update Handle Hardware

Get a handle on your home’s value by updating the handles (see what I did there). Seriously though, you can make an old kitchen look so much better when you add newer, more modern hardware. It can also serve to accent the previously painted cabinets (see #2), depending on the color and material. Check out your local hardware store for options.

One of the nicest parts of updating the handles is that it is so simple. All you need is a screwdriver, the handle, screws and the cabinet or drawer. The holes should already be drilled in the wood so you just unscrew the old handle and then screw in the new one. Simple.

4: Add a Nice Backsplash to the Kitchen

Adding a backsplash in your kitchen might just be one of the best DIY projects. It isn’t too hard, but it can give you the right amount of challenge for a great amount of satisfaction. It is simple to understand, but it does require skill. The best part is that it gives your home an upgrade. The kitchen will look better, and the walls will be more durable and stain resistant. It’s a win-win.

There is a great video from Home Depot on how to add a nice backsplash to your kitchen. We’ll give you the basics steps, but we’d suggest going over to the video and giving it a watch to understand thoroughly exactly what you’ll need to do. Here are the steps:

Measure the surface. You’ll want to get a good idea of how much area you want to cover so that you can purchase the right amount of materials.
Prepare the surface. To do this, you’ll want to move everything out of the way, clean the surface, remove or cover electrical outlets in the way, and cover countertops with cardboard or other coverings.
Prepare your tile. This means to layout the tiles, or the pre-made tile sections so that you have a nice idea of how they will fit on the surface. You can even try pre-cutting some of it if you need to.
Mix the grout. You won’t want to mix all of it, but enough to use on the surface.
Place the tile. During this part of the process, it’s important to get the tile lined up nice and straight as well as to make sure the tiles are firmly on the wall.
Let sit.
Apply extra grout to fill in gaps if you used pre-made tile sections.
Clean off extra grout.

Again, that was just a simplified version of adding a backsplash to a kitchen wall. We highly recommend getting more information. You know the basic steps, and how to make it look nice. Now go try it yourself.

5: Refinish the Front Door

According to Forbes, “The front door signals to many what to expect before you walk inside.” The front door is a very important part of the face of any building. If your front door is wood, then refinishing it can be an excellent way to improve the value of your home. It even has very simple steps. You’ll need sandpaper, a mallet, a screwdriver, some wood finish, some painter’s tape, some saw-horses, some sandpaper, a washcloth, and an extra person.

Remove the door from its hinges by using the mallet and screwdriver to hammer out the pins in the hinges. (Use the extra person to help you carry it.)
Place the door on the sawhorses and remove any hardware. Tape any glass panes, or hardware you don’t remove.
Sand away the old finish. Be careful not to leave the door grainy. You’ll also want to wash off any excess sawdust off the door.
Apply the wood finish and then repeat on the other side.
Replace the door.

It’s pretty simple and you can even paint the door instead of refinishing it. It will add a nice look for your house which will attract better offers.

6: Update Your Windows

Replace old windows with newer ones to add some sparkle to your home. In a way, windows can act like teeth. If they are nice, they greatly enhance the appearance. If they are ugly, they severely detract. So think about replacing your windows. It doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. HomeAdvisor shows that the per-window-price can go from $300 to $1,200. It will cost less per window if you do more in a batch, but you can do it piecemeal.

One great advantage of updating your windows is that you improve the energy profile of your house. This can help you save on certain costs. It seems like a no-brainer.

7: Wash Your Windows

If your eyes are the windows to the soul, then what else could the windows be but the eyes of the house. Regardless of whether that statement holds any truth, having clean windows makes a big difference. It’s very easy to notice the ugliness of windows covered in years of hard water damage. If you wash your windows regularly, they won’t have much long-lasting damage and you can prolong having to replace them. Plus having them clean makes your house look newer. You can do it yourself, or hire an expert if there is too much hard water on the window.

8: Add an Extra Bedroom

This one is definitely dependent on your situation and your market. In many cases, adding an extra room will boost your home’s value. It’s simply because people generally look for homes based on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the home. Adding an extra bedroom can bump you up into a new price range. As stated, this depends highly on the factors in your market. It is always a good idea to consult a competent professional such as a realtor or a broker.

Just make sure that your bedroom actually meets the legal qualifications of a bedroom based on your area. If you have any questions about bedrooms, check out our article How Many Bedrooms Can I Have?

9: Add in a Theatre Room

In Utah especially, it seems, the theatre room is a highly valued feature. Putting one in has become simpler and easier, aside from the electronics. Simply add in a graded floor (either by steps or ramping) and then put a screen on a wall. Add in some chairs and you’ve got a very rudimentary theatre room. You’ll likely want to add in some awesome additions like sound-proofing, thematic lighting, and excellent electronics. If you want to find some companies that specialize in building out home theaters in Utah, you only need to ask Google. You can even theme your theatre room to reflect your various movie-watching preferences. A theatre room can look really cool if you put in the time and the money.

10: Update the Ceiling

Adding trendy features to your ceiling is very popular nowadays as well. You can do so much with those simple wooden beams and it can change the feeling of a room completely. You can add paneling to give it a more wooden look. You might even add in a false ceiling to try and add some depth. Homedit has a great article on how to update your ceiling. The best part about this tip is that every single room in your house has a ceiling, so there are many ways to improve your house. The sky’s the limit! We suggest here that if you don’t have the experience, hire a professional. You don’t want to mess with something that you can’t fix.

11: Add More Shelving

Everyone needs more usable shelf-space, especially in areas that seem wasted or unused. The key here is that you don’t want your house to look more cluttered by adding in shelving. If you can make it look nice though, it really brings value to your home. You can get very creative. Often there is some space even between the walls as in the case of the wall drawers. Even above doors, there is extra space where you can put bookshelves. Nothing is off-limits, except what is. Just make sure it only adds to your home’s value and doesn’t detract.

12: Redo Carpet

The carpet almost always gets the most wear and tear in the house. Even if you take off your shoes, your feet will inevitably be dirty and will drag that dirt all over the house. Not just that, but if you have animals, their hair will sink into the carpet. Let’s not even talk about the dried human skin that falls off of us. Changing the carpet can make the place look new, but it can also freshen up the space as well. There are many great options for re-carpeting. If you’ve had experience then go ahead, but generally, trust professionals to do it. Just think of that feeling you get when you walk in fresh carpet. It feels great. That is what you want to add to your house.

13: Clean Your Carpets

Similar to cleaning your windows, sometimes all you need to do is clean your carpets. Between all the foot-traffic of animals, children, and whatever else, our carpets can get to be in a really sad state. Cleaning can add a sense of freshness and rejuvenation to the house. It is better to get your carpets cleaned by a professional, but if you buy a high-grade carpet cleaner, that could work too. ServiceMaster says that it’s a good idea to vacuum twice a week and have the carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year. It could need more treatments depending on the traffic. ZeroRez is a great Utah option but Yelp can give you other options as well. In the end, your carpets need to give the “ahh” feeling in every single room. Clean them or replace them.

14: Put in Trendy Lighting

Add in some trendy lighting to give some style to an otherwise neutral space. By trendy lighting, we mean lighting that serves as a decoration as well as a light source. You can see examples of trendy lighting in this article by Overstock.com. You have so many options. Most of the time you can install one or two pieces in the house, and it ups the value tremendously. Here, you might want to consider hiring a professional if you are unsure of how to hang lighting or have no electrical experience. Otherwise, please don’t get shocked.

15: Improve Window Shutters or Blinds

It seems more and more that indoor shutters are becoming all the rage. Blinds still work, but generally not the metal blinds that cut you if you run your finger along them the wrong way. People want the ability to choose how much light comes through the windows as well as how much privacy that particular window gives them. Blinds are an easy method of changing up the feel of a room. You don’t necessarily need to hire a professional, however, it is usually much easier that way. Either way, blinds, and shutters spruce up the window or, if not done strategically, they detract from the window. Make sure it’s the first one.

16: Add an Island

If there is enough space, add an island to your kitchen. Islands are very popular and can also be very functional. Nothing can give your kitchen a new look like adding in an island. If you have the budget, you can even add in amenities to the island that would take it above and beyond the ordinary. You might decide to add in an ice-maker. You could add in a designated space for the trash can. Why not even add in a second sink. Make sure it makes sense with the visual appeal of your kitchen, but don’t hold yourself back.

Unless you have a lot of experience, it might be a great idea to let the professionals handle putting in a new island. It could make a great DIY project, or it could become a DIY nightmare. There are a lot of things to think about. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it is done well. Remember, you are trying to add value to your home, not another mess.

17: Put in New Countertops

Making the move from linoleum countertops to granite, marble, or another surface can transform your kitchen or bathroom. It usually can withstand more damage as well and will be a better option as far as durability is concerned anyway. You can even change some of the design of your countertops. Waterfall countertops are becoming more and more popular. You can even give your countertops even more flavor by using new silicon and vinyl countertops. It gives you great color options, and be the perfect accent piece in your space.

18: Repaint the Outside

Much like the first way to improve your home’s value, painting the outside is very trendy right now. If you have old brick, you can paint over it and refresh the entire look. HGTV gives a great guide on how exactly to paint the outside of your house. Check out the house painting guide. You could turn your old, scary, grey house into the nice, new, white house on the block. It’s like taking off old dirty clothes and putting fresh new ones on. It will literally give your house a makeover. Try it out. See if you can even imagine your house in a different color. You’ll likely be very surprised.

19: Trim Your Edges

Everyone should trim their edges regardless of whether or not they intend to sell the property. It gives your lawn the very distinct and precise look that you want future buyers to appreciate, but it also just makes it look nice. From the moment you step out of your car, you see the reason behind it. It changes your lawn from looking like “those people down at the end of block” to “golf-course level grass”. The best part is that trimming your edges shouldn’t cost very much. You can buy an edge trimmer or go rent one. Depending on your lawn size it shouldn’t take you more than a half hour. Imagine that, having a crisp well-defined lawn in a half hour.

20: Add texture to your walls

Add some energy into a room or space by adding texture to the walls. If you are repainting the area, this might be a fantastic idea anyways. You can do it with a number of different methods. You can even use a number of different materials (i.e. drywall mud, paint, etc.). Here it depends on which method you use to apply your material that determines the specific steps you take. In general, the basic steps are:

Prep the wall for the texture (this means either do it before you paint or while you paint)
Apply the texture material
Optional: Use sponges, brushes, or other tools to create a textured effect
Optional: Use a putty knife or other tool to smooth down the effect if it is too textured
Let dry
Optional: Paint

Though that’s it in a nutshell, Bob Vila has an excellent article on adding texture to walls. The article goes into depth about the different kinds of material compounds you can use and methods to apply them.

21: Add More Recessed Lighting

Certain rooms in your house might not have optimal lighting. If possible, add in some more recessed lighting. This equates to adding more canned lighting embedded into the ceiling. It can make rooms that are not used as often much more pleasing because they aren’t the dark hole they used to be. You’ll definitely want to hire a professional for this because dealing with electricity can be dangerous if you don’t do it right. Give us a call if you need a referral. We’d love to point you in the right direction.

22: Add new Molding

Adding molding can be both simple and difficult.. You can buy premade molding from stores like Home Depot. Lowes also has some options in the molding and millwork department. If you go with these premade options, it’s easy to pick what you want your molding to look like. The hard part is getting the molding joints to line up exactly how you want them to. In simple steps, the process is this:

Choose molding style
Measure length
Cut molding (miter the end at a 45-degree angle)
Nail down molding
Repeat steps 2-4 until all molding has been cut and nailed down
Touchup (you can paint your molding, or fill in cracks with caulk, silicon, or plaster, as well as fill in the nail holes)

For a more detailed understanding of the process, see this article on how to install molding from Wikihow.

23: Paint Your Fridge

Generally, you only paint a metal fridge. It’s simple to do and can really spice up your kitchen. This will also only improve the value of your home if you plan on leaving the fridge with the house. The steps to do this are really simple.

Choose a paint that goes well with your other design elements
Tape off or cover everything around the fridge you don’t want to drop paint on
Paint the fridge as many times as you want.

See? Super simple. This is a great Saturday DIY project if you have some time.

24: Update Bathroom Faucets

Change out your old bathroom faucets for newer models. Replace the out-of-style fixtures with better ones. Sometimes, ironically, you might switch a newer looking faucet for one that looks older in order to complete the design of the bathroom. It’s ridiculous how many options there are for you. Just check out Wayfair to see a full catalog of faucets. You could overhaul your bathroom if you wanted. The thing about updating anything in a bathroom is (generally) you have to say consistent with every other bathroom in the house. This cacn makes one upgrade into much more. Know what you’re about before you really get into it in order to prevent any unforeseen remodels.

25: Update Doorbell

How many times have you gone to a neighbor’s house and you either couldn’t find their doorbell, or you wondered if it even worked at all? Add one in or people will be immediately annoyed when they come to visit your house. You have many options. Nowadays, one of the best options is to put in smart-doorbells. Ring is a fantastic option. It adds value to your home because you make it so visiting guests know the bell has been rung. Smart-doorbells also allow guests to talk to you, even if you aren’t home. It can also add a layer of security if you spring for that option. At the very least, get a doorbell that works. Your neighbors will thank you.

26: Improve Exterior Lighting

Even at night, you want your house to feel like a house. Light is a critical element of doing just that. Take some thought into how you want your house to look at night. If you don’t have any exterior lighting or the quality is poor, then it’s time to upgrade. Think about installing some lighting that showcases your beautiful home. Highlight the walking path. Show the beautiful plants that we planted in an earlier tip. Homelight has some excellent tips on improving your exterior home lighting. They even included a chart describing the best lighting temperature for different aspects of your home. A lot of this stuff can be done DIY and relatively cheap. Turn your home into a warm welcoming place, even at night. Coming home can be a heartwarming experience even in the dark of night.

27: Refurbish Rusted Railings

Do you remember that railing that, as a kid, you always avoided touching because, if you did, it would cut your hand? Yeah, it’s time to get rid of that. It will lower the necessity of getting a yearly Tetanus Shot, and it will also make your house look and feel better. When you sell your home and people come to walk through it, a rusty rail is going to make many buyers run screaming. Luckily, you can do this one by yourself if you really want. A great article by Wikihow tells exactly how to refurbish your rusted railings. The steps are simple, but ultimately they boil down to:

Clean the rust off the railing.
Prime the Railing
Paint the Railing.

The full article goes more into depth, so go check it out. Also, make sure to refurbish your rusted railing in order to make your house safer, and honestly just better. Do it for the kids 🙂

28: Buy a New Shower Head

Showers can help sell houses. It’s crazy, but it’s true. Improving your shower heads has the added benefit of actually making your showers better. Double-whammy. Putting in a new shower head is one of those details that people look for when walking through a home, or kick themselves for not noticing after they’ve bought. It’s because we all take showers so they affect us on such a regular basis. The nice part about this is that it is relatively easy to install new shower heads (depending on the complexity of the job). For a lot of them, you just unscrew the old one and screw in the new one. You can do a lot more, but that generally requires a larger remodel. If that’s something you’re interested in, give us a call. We have a lot of contacts that could probably help you out.

29: Update Your Bathroom Vanity

Sometimes you need to update your bathroom vanity. Nowadays, the style trends towards minimalism. That might mean taking most of the vanity out or replacing it altogether with a much simpler version. You can also just paint your vanity to give it a new look if you want. HGTV has a great article on how to update a vanity this way. Because there are so many options, you’ll want to look at your budget and the effect you want to have. Make sure that when you’ve updated the vanity, it blends well with the design in the bathroom as well as the rest of the house.

30: Install More Towel Racks

If you can add towel racks while still keeping your space very tasteful, the value will go up. Adding function while preserving beauty boosts value. It’s simple. The best part about installing towel racks is that you can do it yourself. You drill the holes, and then you screw it in. The hard part is finding the right number of racks to install, and finding the right style. The Spruce offers its take on the 8 Best Towel Racks of 2019. Make sure it blends well with your bathroom. If it does, it’s sure to improve the appeal. If it doesn’t your bathroom will just look more cluttered.

31: Add Accent Lighting in the Kitchen

Much like garnishing a meal, accent lighting enhances the appeal of your kitchen. Because kitchens are the scene of many home activities, they play host to numerous different occasions. From birthdays to barbeques, romantic dinners to riotous gamedays, the kitchen sees it all. Adding in accent lighting makes your kitchen much more versatile in setting the mood for whatever situation. Some accent lighting can even change color. Stock Cabinet Express has some great ideas in their article about putting in accent lighting in the kitchen. It has some really cool stuff. I challenge you to take a look at that stuff and not be enchanted with the possibilities opened up to you.

32: Update Light Switches

You can even improve the value of your house by updating its light switches. People might not think it’s a big thing, but imagine the difference between a house that has nice light switches and one that doesn’t. Buyers will notice and that, in turn, will lower the offer amounts you get. Hence a lower value.

In doing this, make sure to make them look good, but to also make them function properly. No one likes a light switch that only works if another switch has been turned on. Get rid of those weird three-switch-circuits. Try adding some spice with some dimmers or other options like them. As technology advances, these little things become so much more dynamic. They’ll make any room as versatile as you need it to be.

33: Refinish the Deck

Similar to refinishing the hardwood floors, you can refinish the deck. The same basic principles apply here. You will make sure your desk is thick enough to refinish. You will then sand off the pre-existing level of finish. Then clean the deck and apply the new finish. Presto-Change-O! You have a new deck. In doing this, you might have to replace a few boards here and there, but that is a good thing. Update and improve. Your deck will look nice and it will be perfect for your next neighborhood barbeque. It will probably be safer too.

34: Open up More Space

You can sometimes add more value by opening up more space. This is literally a way to break down walls and become more creative. A lot of people might be too scared to break down some walls. If you are, consult with a local, competent professional to see if your ideas are feasible.

Here’s the basic premise of this tip. Break down walls to open up more space in your house. You might turn two separate rooms into a bigger multi-purpose room. You might even just tear down some walls to open up space while keeping the two rooms. The point is to make the space more open and pleasant.

Important note: Make sure you don’t tear down any load-bearing walls. That would be a very bad idea. Do things strategically, or consider not doing them at all.

35: Install or Upgrade Bathroom Fans

Having a fan in your bathrooms is almost a necessity. We won’t go into details, but if you have a bathroom that doesn’t have a fan, putting one in will drastically change things. Trust us. Even just updating the bathroom fans is a good idea. Because the fans deal in moving air, it is very easy for them to be bogged down with dust. Replace or clean the old ones and they should begin to make the bathroom fresh. People will note the difference.

36: Upgrade Ceiling fans

Just like your bathroom fans, your ceiling fans get extremely dusty. Cleaning and or replacing them will improve how your house feels and even how the air flows. You can purchase any sort of ceiling fan at your local hardware store. This one’s a no brainer. You can even add some stylistic elements to your ceiling fan. If you talk to your architectural designer about it, they can even help you create airflow patterns in your home. Make sure you think about whether you want straight-blades or curved. It all comes into play.

37: Install Storage in Garage

Everyone needs more storage in their garage. Putting in more can add some serious value. Imagine walking into a garage that could store everything you own. That would go a long way. If you don’t have storage in your garage, you can easily add some. You can make it look very visually appealing as well. If you have experience working with wood, then feel free to do it yourself. If not, make sure you have the right tools, and knowledge and expertise available. Do it right. Otherwise, enjoy watching a professional do it right. You can add in cabinets, wooden lockers, metal shelves, or any other combination of extra storage.

Another option here is to update your current storage options. Maybe you need to clean the garage and patch any holes that mice have been using. Take your metal shelves out and give them a nice wash down. Maybe you’ll want to paint your wooden shelving. If you do spot mice droppings, make sure that you wear gloves, and sometimes a mask might be a good idea. You’ll want to wash your hands afterward as well.

38: Plant Flowers

Add some curb appeal to your home by planting some flowers in front of your house. You don’t have to be a landscape design artist, but it definitely helps to get the opinion of one. The nice thing about planting flowers is that almost anyone can do it. At its very basic principles, you dig a hole and plant the flowers. Obviously, it can get more complicated than that. You’re going to want to make sure the plants get sufficient nutrients, but it is still a relatively simple project. Be warned though, if you plant flowers and then do not take care of them, they will die. That will only make your house look worse. Do the smart thing, plant flowers, and then take care of them.

39: Install cabinet Lighting

Add some extra lighting inside, or around your cabinets. Doing this can add a lot of versatility to the lighting of the space. It also adds function as well. Whether you want to accent the old crystal glasses you have, or highlight the tiling under the cabinets, adding extra lighting does the trick. This can be a very simple add-in, especially if you just consider LED lights that you can practically just cut and paste. Ok, so the process is a little bit more involved than that, but you get the idea. Check out this video on how to install ribbon LED lighting. Any good architectural, or interior designer would love to play around with the lighting in the home. If you need any recommendations, just ask.

40: Install Screen Doors

Add in screen doors, or fix the ones already installed to increase functionality. This is especially true in places that can get very warm, or have nice breezes. Screen doors allow for the fresh sensations of the outdoors, while still keeping out the annoying insects. Putting in a screen door doesn’t have to be too difficult and can really make your deck, or patio much more enjoyable. For steps on how to install a screen door, check out the article by Wikihow. Otherwise, a professional is just a Google search away. We have a lot of good ones here in Utah. Don’t let your lack of information stop you from having an excellent summer with an excellent screen door.

41: Refinish Stair Railings

You probably don’t think much about it, but our hands touch it every day. I’m talking about the railings that line your stairs. A nice way to touch up your home is to refinish the railings. We are, of course, assuming that your railings are made of wood in this one. This is a great choice especially if you have already decided to refinish your floors. What a great way to add a new feel to your home by changing the value of the color in the finish. Maybe you can make it darker, or maybe you choose to lighten the wood, either way, it can really transform your living spaces. It is also very nice not to have to touch the same greasy wood day in and day out.

42: Add a Mudroom

If you have the space for it, installing a mudroom can give you a lot of value. Mudrooms are fairly popular in Utah County. Putting one in could mean either making your house comparable to those on the block, or it surpassing the value of the other houses. It makes a very nice addition to any home. You just need to make sure you do it right.

FamilyHandyman has a nice article about optimizing your mudroom. We’d recommend putting some lockers, a bench, and a place to put muddy shoes. That would make it an effective mudroom right? However, you decided to style it, make it big enough and comfortable enough, otherwise people won’t use it.

43: Replace all Light Bulbs

Go through your entire house and figure out which bulbs need replacing. You’d be surprised how often people don’t do this. Though it seems like a no brainer, lightbulbs are so easy to forget. Nothing is worse than buying a new home and then having to replace a bulb within the first month. This is the responsible thing to do. In fact, it can be a great opportunity to improve the energy output of your house. With technology going ever greener, updating light bulbs could decrease the energy drain on your house. Why not be more eco-friendly to the world, if it also increases your house’s value.

44: Have your Home Professionally Cleaned

Yes, cleaning your home will boost its value. This kind of cleaning goes way beyond the normal Saturday-morning-do-your-chores cleaning. This cleaning is the scrub-behind-the-refrigerator type of cleaning. The reason this boosts the value so much is that it gets in those hard to reach places. If you do this regularly then it will help preserve the value of your house. You can find great services just by doing a google search. Utah County has several great options. Make sure you get a great one and you’ll notice the difference.

45: Retile the Kitchen

This tip goes for any place in your house where the tiling is a little lackluster. The kitchen is one of the rooms you interact with every single day, so making it look nice is very important. The steps for this are fairly simple:

Pull up the old Tile
Measure and Prep to put the New tile Down
Put the new tile down.

Obviously, it gets a little more nuanced than that, but we wanted to give you a general idea of the steps.

The nice thing about tile is that it is usually more durable than hardwood. You can also affect the look of the kitchen heavily when putting in tile. I mean, can you imagine a Tuscan look, without a tile kitchen floor? Probably, but tile sure adds to that effect.

The point is that putting new, modern tile can really infuse the kitchen with new energy.

46: Refinish Hardwood

In many cases, you can simply refinish the hardwood floors to revive your house a little bit. You can do it yourself, however, it can be a long and very involved process. HGTV has an in-depth article that covers exactly how to refinish a hardwood floor. Go there and read the full article but here’s a quick summary.

Make sure your flooring is thick enough to refinish.
Remove any flooring on top of the flooring you want to refinish.
Remove the molding on walls where the walls meet the floor (be sure to save the molding if possible).
Sand thoroughly (they recommend going from a 20 grit to a 60 and then to a 120).
Vacuum and clean the floor.
Apply the refinish.

Again, that’s just a quick summary to give you an idea of what to expect. Read the full article to get down to the nitty-gritty.

47: Update the Garage Doors

Update or replace your garage doors and the machinery attached to it. We use garage doors almost every day, so the machines wear down. This is the functional element, but replacing the garage doors can make your house look very different. If you have a white garage door, you could replace it with a faux wood garage door. From the curb, it totally changes the look of your house. Even getting the garage doors professionally cleaned will seriously improve the aesthetic of the house. The moral of the story is DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR GARAGE DOORS.

Conclusion

There you have them. 47 tips. Now as we already mentioned, a thing to remember is that no single tip is going to dramatically change the value of your house. There might be a few that you can leverage for greater value, but the real value is in improving your house. Adding many of these tips together is sure to bump it up. At the least, it is going to put a floor to how low the value can go (depending on your market).

Go ahead and try some of these out. We’d love to hear about your successes and even some of your failures. We’ll tell you about ours. If you need any help or any recommendations, give us a call. We’d love to talk.