Our previous four tips on projects to help sell your home are Remodeling the Bathroom, Updating the Landscaping, Updating the Kitchen, and Updating the Exterior. But what if your home just doesn't have quite enough rooms? Let's talk about that today. 

Sometimes an existing home just needs another room to make it complete. Using the space in the attic may be the perfect solution. By refurbishing existing space, you'll save money over adding a completely new addition from the ground up. Plus, if there's really not enough room on your lot, building "up" may be the only option.

To redo the attic and make it into a liveable room complete with a bath and shower, a closet, and a dormer for extra headroom and light, you'll probably spend at least $40,000. Returns on attic redo's often depend on where you're located. In the west, the return may be as much as 105% while in the midwest, it may be as low as 82%. So be sure to take this into consideration, especially for those in our midwestern Glenview area. 

There may be some hidden costs that need to be addressed when considering this update as well. First, will your existing heating and air conditioning unit be able to handle the added space? Next, will a new stairway have to be built to make access to the new room easier? Both of these items can drastically change the amount you'll be investing. 

If you do decide to go ahead with your attic redo, consider putting in a solar-powered attic fan to help cool the whole house using free solar power. Of course, the fan won't be free, but once it's in there, it can help save on utility costs for years to come. 

One word of caution. Refurbish the attic or build a room for you and your family - not just to sell it.  While there is a great rate of return on this type of renovation, a great outlay of money is required to do a good job. If you need to sell your home and have limited funds to make it buyer-ready, sweep up the attic and call it a day. 

When you decide to put your Glenview, Wilmette, Northbrook or North Shore home on the market, be sure to contact the Marla Schneider Team to help you sell it. Also see my website for other great information to help you sell or buy a new home.