Home improvements are always wonderful for so many reasons. Not only are you making life better for yourself and your family but you are also adding value to your home. Perhaps you hadn’t thought of this because you have no intention of selling your house at the moment. However, no one knows what the future might hold and so if you are going to make a few improvements around the house, consider which ones would also add a bit of value to your home.
Safety and Security Now for Value Later
Before looking at a few of those top home improvements, you might want to stop and think about why you’d want to make them now. Let’s look at one improvement you may not have thought of as an example. Did you know that there are now driveway alarms that notify you if a car has entered your driveway?
Some homes have motion activated lights that turn on but if you are not at home or in some area of the home where those lights can be seen, how would you know that they have been triggered? Wouldn’t it be nice for a message to be sent to your cell phone in the event that someone entered your drive while you were away? A driveway alarm offers good protection now while adding value to a prospective home buyer in the future. Safety and security are always two big selling points.
Landscaping Tips That Sell
Since you are looking for home improvements that pay off big, let’s look at something that pays off because it actually saves you money in the long run. You’ve been meaning to do something about that lawn because it’s gotten out of control. You simply don’t have the time to keep up with the weeding, mowing, and planting. Why not have a portion of your yard hardscaped? Not only will it save you time and effort now but it will pay off big in the future as a key selling point!
Just as you are busy making a living to support your family, so too with a prospective home buyer at some point in the future. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home to a property where you can simply slip into something comfortable, grab a cool drink, and head out to a hardscaped lawn that requires little upkeep? If that doesn’t pay off big, nothing will!
Energy Efficient Appliances and HVAC
Finally, one thing which is huge on every homeowner’s mind is the rising cost of energy. While some are worried about the damage fossil fuels are doing to planet earth, those people are few and far between. The rising cost of energy is making it difficult to keep your home adequately heated or cooled and so it is imperative that you have energy efficient HVAC systems installed.
Also, everything from the washer and dryer (if you’ll be leaving them when you sell) to the refrigerator, stove, and freezers should be energy efficient as well. You will save a ton of money today but again, a prospective home buyer looks at what it will cost them to run that property along with the ultimate cost of mortgage payments and homeowners’ insurance. Do whatever you can do today to keep your costs low because it will benefit you now. But, also consider what a huge selling point it will be at some future time in the event you should list your home on the MLS. These are the kinds of improvements that pay off big and these are the ones which should take precedence. Save now for huge benefits in the future – a win-win proposition if ever there was one!