If you plan to make improvements around your home before placing it on the market, take a look at popular trends first. This may give you ideas, or help your narrow down exactly where to start.
According to Pittsburgh Paints, the 2009-2010 color trends are influenced by the earth and sky. Classic neutrals and exotic brights are the key shades. According to the Pantone Color Institute® “yellow speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation." Yellow is also the color of the sun, thus stays withing the same "earth and sky" concept. A designer's blog I recently read also stated green will be a 'hot' color as well as soft lavender.
Landscaping trends include planting organic gardens. If you do not have room for this, add a couple of window boxes with organic herbs.
Energy efficiency is also popular and important. Below are suggested things you can do to make yours more efficient. Also, be sure to highlight these in the description of your property so potential buyers know.
* Insulate your water heater
* Replace your air and furnace filters
* Remove and replace damaged caulk and weather-stripping on windows and doors
* Install ceiling fans
* Replace lightbulbs with linear fluorescent tubes and energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)
* Add insulation to areas of your home that may not have insulation, such as crawl space, basement and attic
Congress also recently extended the federal tax credits for energy efficiency. Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, up to $1,500 total for many items including windows, doors, garage doors, air conditioners, heat pumps and water heaters. Now is the time to replace these things. Not only will you qualify for the credit, but these items can be emphasized as being new when you list your home. Be sure to read more about this on the Energy Star website.
According to Realtors Report’s annual Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report many improvements made to home exteriors recouped their initial costs when selling their homes. A steel entry-door replacement topped the list, recouping 128.9% of costs, followed by upscale fiber-cement siding replacements (83.6%), wood deck additions (80.6%), and several types of window replacements (more than 70%). The least profitable remodeling projects in terms of resale, and therefore not likely to be popular in 2010, were home-office remodels and sunroom additions.
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