Monday, September 21, 2015

Some Cheap and Easy Ways To Increase Your Home’s Value



A recent poll identified not being able to sell one’s current home as a homeowner’s greatest fear. In an age where, according to HGTV, every home should be a stylized showroom, fearing that your home won’t live up to the competition is all too real.


Here are 10 great ways to cheaply increase your home’s value.

1.    Organize, Clean And De-Clutter.
Hire a professional cleaning service to clean your entire home. De-clutter your rooms to make them look more spacious – a big selling point for buyers.
And either sell your stuff, give it away or put it in storage.
Cost: $400
Value: $2,000
ROI: 400%

2.    Light Up The House
Spending as little as $100-$400 on new lighting fixtures can bring your home’s best features to light. 
Cost: $100 to $400
Value: $1,600 when $400 is spent
ROI: 300%

If you invest $1,500 in lighting, you can turn an average profit of $7,800. Giving your home’s value a boost of over $9,000.

Invest for the future – choose Internet of Things devices that can be controlled with a smartphone.

3.    Maintenance and Inspection
Bring in a local designer to give you tips and suggestions for small changes that can help increase value.

Get an inspection to make sure there are no plumbing leaks, electrical problems, issues with the septic system or furnace, leaky windows, heating or insulation issues.
Cost: $800 for repairs
Value: $3,000
ROI: 275%


4.    Landscaping In The First Impression
Increase your curb appeal by cleaning up your yard and plantings. If the outside of your home looks unkempt, it gives the impression to potential buyers that the rest of the house is just as unkempt.  Also, overgrown gardens can block sunlight and the views, as well as allowing mold to grow.
Cost: $400 to $600
Value: $1,500 to $2,000
ROI: 200 to 275%

5.    Update The Flooring
Shampoo or replace carpets. Add hardwood floors or repair existing ones.
Cost: $600 to $900
Value: Up to $2,000
ROI: 110 to 233%

6.    Fresh Paint
Paint the walls and the baseboards and trim with a neutral color. Doing it yourself will save money, but hiring a painter will get it done faster and professionally.
Cost: $900 to $1,000
Value: $2,000
ROI: 100 to 120%

If you invest $2,000 on fresh paint for the whole house, it can result in a $3,000 profit, adding about $5,000 to the home’s value.

7.    Upgrade Your Roof
Repairing or replacing your roof can cost up to $12,000. But simply adding a cupola adds elegance and curb appeal for less money.
Cost: $500 to $1,500
Value: $500 to $2,500
ROI: 66 to 233%

8.    Paint The Exterior
Anything that helps add to your curb appeal is a worthy investment. Power washing and painting the exterior of your home is a great way to add value.
Cost: $1,400
Value: $2,100
ROI: 50%

9.    Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel
If your cabinets are in good shape, an easy way to spruce up your kitchen or bathroom is simply painting the cabinetry.

An updated kitchen and/or bathroom with fresh paint, new countertops, stainless steel fixtures, new hardware and lighting can add an extra $2,000 to $3,000 to the value of your home.
Cost: $1,900
Value: $3,200
ROI: 68%

A $500 investment in making some small changes can increase value, too. 
-       Remove rust stains
-       Apply new caulk
-       Update knobs & pulls
-       Replace faucets
-       Install an eco-friendly toilet

Adding a half bath to your home adds up to 10% to your home’s value, while a full bath adds about 20%.

10.    High Quality Photos of Your Home
After you put in all this work on your home, don’t forget to use high resolution images when you post photos online.

90% of buyers start their new home search on the internet. Make sure you post plenty of really good quality photos to draw the interest of potential buyers.

These tips will help you put your home’s best foot forward – without costing an arm and a leg!

Virginia Homes has been building new homes in Central Ohio for 60 years.  Visit www.Virginia-Homes.com for more information or call (614) 764-1953.






Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Don’t forget to document the road to your new Virginia Home.

Deciding to buy a home is a big step. Building one from scratch is even bigger. Like most families, building a new home is one of the most exciting decisions you’ll ever make. Why not document this momentous occasion with media old and new?

Social media is a great platform for documenting the evolution of your new home. Facebook and Instagram are ideal for sharing short posts and photos of the progress on your home – especially with out-of-town friends and relatives. For longer reveries or more detailed entries, try a blog. If you’re more comfortable with a video camera, a vlog (video blog) might be your platform. You can document everything from choosing your homesite to the first time the kids see their new rooms!

If you’re still partial to paper and pen, a written diary, scrapbook or photo album might be the media for you. Few things are as personal as handwritten notes. Take some time to write a few thoughts about these days – your family will cherish them later. A scrapbook is a great way to involve the kids – each one can have his own page(s).  And nothing beats the tangibility of turning pages in a photo album and reminiscing.  Buy a memory box and fill it with odds and ends and memorabilia.

And whether you go ultra-modern or old school, make sure your photography and videos illustrate the building process, the finishing touches, and the final interiors and exteriors.


Whichever media platform you choose, remember to enjoy the journey! It’ll go by quicker than you ever imagined!

Virginia Homes has been building new homes in Central Ohio for 60 years.  Visit www.Virginia-Homes.com for more information or call (614) 764-1953.