Home Improvements: When Going the Extra Mile Makes Cents

Spring - 'tis the season for cleaning and sprucing things up before the hot days of summer arrive. This year, you've decided to go for it. In addition to spring cleaning, you're going to tackle some of those home improvements you've been meaning to do. That's good; all houses need some serious sprucing up after awhile. But before you start tearing things up, take some tips from a couple of experts and make sure that the improvements you're planning to make will be an asset to your house's value.

The Usual Updates: There are things around a house that need to be updated on a regular basis. Some, like carpets, need to be replaced because they wear out. Others, like bathrooms and kitchens, need it because they become outdated and unappealing. According to the experts, a fresh coat of paint, kitchen and bathroom updates, and energy-efficient windows are improvements that will add value to your house. But when you're making those updates - especially to the kitchen and bathroom - be sure to keep them in line with the rest of the house. Really fancy bathrooms or kitchens that make the rest of the house feel like a hovel, can be more of a liability than a boost.

Repurposing Space: As life changes, so do things people want in a house. Opening up a house's interior by creating an open floor plan for the living area, dining area, and the kitchen is a nice touch by today's entertainment standards. Converting an unused space into a home office makes it easier to work from home. And remodeling an attic or a basement helps satisfy a desire for more living space. Meeting some of these wants can definitely add value to your house; just be sure your "new" rooms don't become too specialized. The more flexible they are, the better.

Building Additional Space: When people talk about adding onto a house, they're often talking about adding on an extra room or adding a second story. That can be a good idea if doing so won't make your house the oddball of the neighborhood - something that can cause problems should you ever decide to sell it. If adding an addition will do that, a better option might be to add a sunroom or an outside deck instead. Both will give you some extra "living space" while keeping the house more in line with your neighbors'.

If you need help with your home improvement plans, contact us. Helping you make your home the best it can be is part of our job.