Doing Up Your Home And Increasing It's Value

As home values plummet to about 35% of their purchase price only a few years before

, many homeowners find themselves scurrying to find ways to increase their value in preparation for a sale or even a refinance. Home improvement is the way to go.

If your goal is to actually sell your home in the near future, there is a good chance that you won't get your asking price. You will need to sell at your home's new value. However, there are few options to consider in order to improve your home's value.

There are a few very important areas in your home that not only add more value than other areas, they demand constant attention to avoid what is called "functional obsolescence". Sometimes not upgrading a bathroom or kitchen can devalue your home over $25,000 in addition to the hit the entire real estate market has seen over the past two years.

Homes have been sold simply because the new buyers loved the kitchen, and other homes have been ignored because the bathrooms were small, old and dirty. Take a serious look at your home and ask yourself if you would buy your home the way it is today. If it's tough to be critical on your own, ask a good friend or relative for their opinion. They might very well find areas that could turn off possible buyers or even home appraisers.

Actually, new sinks and faucets all alone can completely change the overall appearance of the area. Sinks and faucets are some of the fastest deteriorating items in any house, and some of the easiest and cheapest to replace. A new white sink and silver faucet in any bathroom can give it the sparkle it might need to attract someone's attention.

New sinks and faucets can completely change the mood and appeal of a kitchen or bath. If you aren't sure what's new or fashionable, check out your local home improvement center. There are so many new styles for every need. Cooks love the high faucets that enable filling pots right in the sink. Upgrade from a stainless steel sink to granite sink, and you are definitely on the right path!

For bathrooms, the sky is the limit. New standalone vanities are the rage and there is a color, style and size for every budget. They are easy to install and usually come with any special tools that are needed. Choose a new sink and faucet to complete the look and you might add $5,000 to your home's value for an investment of under $1,200.

Invest in some paint, shrubbery, flowers, or even a new fence - whatever it takes to make your house stand out from the rest. Sometimes it's easier to just re-sod your entire yard instead of planting grass seed and watching it grow. Trim your bushes, remove old or dead shrubs, fix bricks or stones in a tattered walkway or patio.

Paint, buy some sod and mulch, plant new shrubbery, and replace the old chipped brick walkway and you'll be happy you did. The value of your home takes into consideration its curb appeal. When people drive by do they slow down and ooh and ahh? They will only do this if they can see the front of the house - trim back trees, take down unwieldy bushes, and replace the fence if it's too high and worn.

by: Bradley Jenkins-Cooper

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