Special offer

4 Cheap Home Improvements For Your Home

By
Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster Real Estate, Richmond Virginia 022 600 969 6 Virginia

 

 
Being a homeowner is something to be proud of and it doesn’t matter if you’re selling or not, it’s always a great idea to making home improvements whenever you get a chance to. It’s very easy to overlook that project of finishing up the driveway, installing new closet cabinets or even do some touch up painting. Before you know it, your house is starting to look a little long in the tooth. The problem with putting off projects over and over again is that if you ever decide to sell, you’ll have a pretty extensive list of things to do. Not only is this going to be time consuming but it can get a costly, my advice is: get little projects here and there done whenever you have a bit of free time. You’ll be very happy that you did! 
 
Clean Up That Messy Closet
Out of sight, out of mind, right? No. Not so much. Organizing that closet of yours, you know the one - the one where you just shove anything you want out of sight in. It doesn’t have to be a closet though, some people use their attic or basement as a place to hide all of their unwanted stuff. If you don’t use certain things and you want them somewhere where you’ll forget them - then why not just get rid of them altogether? If they have value to them, sell them on craigslist or give them to a friend, if they don’t then donate them to Goodwill or Salvation army - at least you can get a tax write off for that. You may not have to give things away if you organize properly but it’s never a bad idea to think if you really needs those items that have been hiding in there for more than a couple of years. 
 
Install Closet Space
And while we’re on the subject of organizing…. Has anyone ever told you: "I have more shelves or storage space that I can fill!”. Probably not. Fortunately there are many affordable solutions to extra closet or storage space. There is a variety of storage containers, free standing cabinets, shelving systems, mounted racks among many other products that are easily available in many home improvement stores that you can install yourself. Some are expensive, some are cheap! My personal favorite are the faux wooden shelves you can install on the walls with a simple screwdriver, be careful though because some of these require you to find studs if you have a plaster wall. Make sure to read all the reviews or ask someone at the store about the longevity of the product, especially if you’re trying to place heavy items on them. 
 
Bathroom Makeover
When you visit someone’s house do you pay attention to their bathroom? Does the appearance of the bathroom affect your perception of their house? If you’re like most people, the answer to this question would be yes. A beautiful sink, proper shelving, a chrome faucet or just overall cleanliness of a bathroom can be something that could either attract or deter someone from your home. Most of these things you are able to install and do yourself, even if it’s just giving your bathroom a nice cleaning or installing a new shower curtain can make a big improvement - add a couple of candles and nice soap while you’re at it! 
 
Add Insulation
I know we’ve talked about this one before but with the weather being the way that it is, it’s worth mentioning again. There are different types of insulation but we will focus on the three major and quicker ways to insulate. The three main things you can do is check your attic and making sure there isn’t significant heat loss there, is there padding there? If there is, how much of it is there? ThisOldHouse recommends using Cellulose Loose Fill or Batts Fiberglass - get what fits your budget. Check for drafts around windows and doors, depending on their measurements (make sure to measure) you can find pre-cut weather strips at the store. They have more options but this typically is the most economical and easiest to install. 
 
No matter what you do or how much of it you do, make sure to always work on home projects. When you decide to sell, if you ever do at all, you can talk with confidence about the pro’s and con’s of the house including the money and time spent on home improvement projects - you may not think so right now but all these little things add up in the minds of a real estate agent or potential buyer. 
 
 
Posted by

WandaFears, Realtor ABR CRS GRI WCR

Richmond, Va. Long and Foster Realtors

www.wandafears.com
wanda@wandafears.com


804-909-2777

www.facebook.com/wandafears

Comments (3)

Jeff Fisher
PureWest Real Estate - Whitefish, MT
PUREWEST REAL ESTATE/Christies

I always refer my friends and clients to the insulation tip. Such a long term money saver and makes a real difference here in the scalding summers of Arizona! 

Feb 15, 2015 09:47 PM
Wanda Fears
Long and Foster Real Estate, Richmond Virginia - Richmond, VA
ABR CRS GRI SFR WCR

You're right Jeff Fisher, it doesn't matter if it's hot or cold - insulation is a great way to regulate the temperature inside a home. 

Feb 16, 2015 12:30 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

When it comes to upgrading our homes, there is a never-ending list of things to do, from buying new patio furniture to replacing the kitchen cabinets.

Apr 15, 2015 04:36 PM