The Best DIY Projects to Improve the Value of Your Home

Homeowners often have a laundry list of all the things they want to do around the home. The problem is some things are more important than others, especially when it comes to impacting the value of your home when you go to sell. 

Here are a few of the best DIY projects you can do to increase the value of your home in the eyes of potential buyers.

DIY Project #1: Renovate the Bathrooms

Even though we don’t spend a ton of time in our bathrooms, this is one of the best areas to improve if you want to sell your home fast and for more money.

Why? There are a few reasons. 

First, most rooms in the house don’t have elements that go out of style. Your living room for example just has three or four things: walls, a floor, a ceiling and maybe a ceiling fan. As long as you don’t keep the same carpet for 30 years, it’s relatively easy and inexpensive to keep that updated. Bathrooms are different because the type of flooring, walls, faucets, lighting and fixtures can all go out of style. 

Second, bathrooms can just get nasty. After decades of use, it makes sense that something like a faucet or toilet just doesn’t look as good as it used to. 

Third, bathrooms can often be improved to add functionality. Maybe you add a small shelf or inlet in the shower for shampoo and soap to sit on. Maybe the shower is too small and you can make it a bit bigger. 

Whatever you choose to do, know that renovating the bathroom can improve the value of your home. And remember, the best way to do this is one thing at a time. Don’t feel like you need to do the entire bathroom in a weekend. 

DIY Project #2: Paint

The second thing you can do – which is admittedly a bit easier than renovating a bathroom – is painting. Paint is relatively inexpensive and easy to do but makes a huge difference. The key is to use neutral colors that are generally accepted by most people. 

For example, maybe you love the color red and have both bright and dark red walls throughout the home. Painting them to a neutral color such as an off white will help the home appeal to more people.

Likewise, maybe you’re at the opposite end of the spectrum and all of the walls are extremely bright white. While that may work for some buyers, consider painting some walls a darker shade of white so it’s not too bright. 

DIY Project #3: Paint or Stain the Kitchen Cabinets

This one can take longer than you’d think, but it will transform a kitchen. While there are other things you can do like replace the faucet or countertops, painting the cabinets is the best bang for your buck in terms of payoff vs. labor. 

That said, just know this project will take a while. To do it right you have to sand the cabinets, paint them on one side, let the paint dry, paint that side again, and let the paint dry again. 

Conclusion

There are a lot of other projects you can take on to improve the value of your home. Replacing old light fixtures, putting in crown molding, removing popcorn ceilings and improving the landscaping all come to mind. The good news is just about anything you do to improve the home should make it sell faster and for a bit more money. 

As you look to the future and into buying your next home, send us an email at hello@rosegate.com. We’d love to help you save money by offering you the best mortgage deal you can find.