The aesthetics and visual appeal of your home play a definite role in its value. Subjective as this matter may be, first impressions of your real estate listing can make or break the deal. Most home buyers will decide whether or not they want to purchase a home in about eight seconds on the property.
Simply put, if your home is great to look at, it will be much easier to sell and at a higher value. To help you increase the curb appeal of your home, we’ve put together this list of remodeling ideas.
1. Insulation
The best thing you can do in terms of ROI is not installing a fancy new kitchen, or a new garden. According to Realtor.com, the chart topper for ROI was installing loose-fill fiberglass insulation in the attic. Realtor says that this is the only remodeling project that pays back more than you invest, with a 107.7% ROI.
Cooling and heating costs now more than ever, and prospective home buyers can deduce the state of insulation in your walls and attic by studying your utility bills. Since insulation is something that cannot be seen, any red flags in the utility bills could set off alarm bells for home buyers.
Most homeowners do not think of insulation as an integral part of a remodel. Insulation serves an important purpose as it slows the passage of heat through your walls and roof. This helps your house retain heat in winters and repel it in the summers. Homeowners confident in the insulation of their house make a point of listing its R (resistance) value. The higher the R, the better.
There are different options available for insulating your house. The eco-friendly option is blown-in cellulose as it contains 80 percent recycled content and uses little energy to manufacture. Fiberglass batt is more popular and contains 50 percent recycled glass content, but can be time-consuming to install properly.
2. Exterior Painting
The paint color of your home’s exterior is a major part of its aesthetic. Exterior painting is one thing to consider if you’re looking to increase the value of your house. However, this decision should not be taken likely. Exterior painting is an expensive undertaking – you need to make sure that the paint color you choose will benefit the overall aesthetic.
Generally, you don’t want to be getting too creative. Stick to tried-and-tested traditional colors for your type of home. Ranch-style homes look great in rich, warm earthy tones like brown or beige. Beige isn’t a striking color to look at, but it goes well with Ranch type homes.
You can also look at homes in your neighborhood for inspiration. Chances are, they’ll be the same type as your home and thus you can judge straightaway which exterior color works best.
It’s a good idea to go to a paint store and ask them to show you a preview of how your home will look in a certain color. Good paint shops have computer imaging for this purpose.
3. Windows
Modern home design favors larger windows as they let in more natural light. It’s no secret that natural light has a positive effect on well-being of a home’s occupants. Larger windows are also a way of making a room feel more spacious than it really is. Besides this functional element, windows are also a focal point of a home’s design and can contribute significantly to first impressions. Be sure to highlight them with smartly-chosen paint, shutters or flower boxes.
Creaking or leaking windows are signs of a home that is in need of serious repair. To maximize your home’s curb appeal, you’ll need to repair them or just go for a window replacement.
If you notice cold spots or whistling around your windows, it’s just a better choice to replace them. At this point, you can opt for tinted windows for added protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Tinted windows also increase your home’s energy efficiency as they’re great at conserving heat during winter and repelling it during summer.
About Author: Hayk Saakian has a keen interest in finding out new and interesting ways of improving his home. To help other homeowners, he often blogs about his findings and DIY tips. He can be reached at @hayksaakian on Twitter.
