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.

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.

How to make your front yard the neighborhood “Place to Be”

Once upon a time, neighborhoods not only had sidewalks, but also front porches where neighbors would sit, chat and enjoy their time together. The neighborhood kids would play nearby, while the grown-ups sat and discussed the local news.

Then, gradually, porches became smaller and smaller, then non-existent. The front lawns became longer and longer, pushing the houses further away from the sidewalks – if there were any sidewalks at all.

Now after many years of not knowing their neighbors, people are seeking to recreate a sense of community. They want to create places where people can gather, and get to know each other.  They want a friendly front yard!

If you’re looking for ways to create some neighborly interaction, here are some ideas.

• Plant cheerful and inviting plants for pedestrians to enjoy. Plant things that no one has ever seen. Make your front garden a topic of conversation. Also, tending to your garden allows you to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.
• All of the lights! A well-lit house, pathway and lawn are warm and welcoming, especially in colder months. It is also a safer place for neighbors to gather after the sunsets.
• No porch? No problem? Create a gathering space anywhere you want. Put a bench under a tree. Tuck a café table & chairs in a sunny corner. Even a set of steps can be a place to hang as long as you make them accessible and welcoming.
• Bring the inside out. Furnish your porch with comfy chairs, pillows, cushions, throw rugs and tables. The more comfortable people feel, the longer they’ll hang out. 

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.

Gearing up to go back to school!

It’s that time of year… Back to School! Time to start thinking about school supplies, clothes, sports equipment… the list is endless!

Check out these numbers:

•  Families plan to spend an average of $97.74 on school supplies like notebooks, pencils and backpacks
• 30% of back-to-school shoppers will wait until one or two weeks before school to start shopping
• The average family with children in grades K-12 plans to spend $63 on back-to-school shopping

And that’s just the beginning! Once you’ve done the shopping, it’s time to start prepping for early mornings, sports practices, music lessons, and homework.

Getting yourself and your family back into the routine of school days can be exhausting, yet so exciting. With this daily checklist, your kids won’t miss a beat, or a homework assignment. 

Before School

• Lunches are packed and in a location where kids can easily grab them in your Virginia Home.
• Backpacks are packed with all books, folders, projects, etc., and in close proximity to lunch box.
• All necessities for the day are present and accounted for – Gym clothes, musical instruments, permission slips, etc.
• Kids are dressed, preferably in clothes that match. 
• Keep a daily calendar for school events to make sure that kids only wear pajamas on Pajama Day. (As opposed to the day they just feel like not getting dressed.)

After a long day of learning, your kids will most likely be ready to kick their feet back and have a snack. 

After School

•  Have a shoe rack at the front door in order to prevent kids from tracking dirt all over the house.
•  Have a snack prepared and readily available in your kitchen. Fresh fruit, cheese & crackers, pretzels and nuts are all filling, healthy and nutritious.
• Set up a coming home routine, complete with some down time to clear their minds before they start homework. 

Getting your home and your children ready for the new school year can be tedious for your children, but having checklists like this to get them prepared will help them get excited for all of their new classes and friends! 

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.