Nowadays, it’s relatively easy to increase the market value of your home if you know what to look out for. It goes beyond spring-cleaning and buffing countertops to impress the appraisers. Whether you are selling or buying, it’s important that you know which factors increase or decrease the value of a home. After all, business is business, and sellers will try to convince you that the train station directly above your home is not that big a nuisance when you’re trying to get some sleep. Here are 5 features that you can add to your home to increase its market value:
1. Add another bedroom.
Finding a cost-effective way to add a bedroom to your home automatically increases the market value of your home because of the added space, furnishings and appliances. Who wouldn’t want a spare bedroom to do with as they please? An extra room could be remodeled into another bathroom, an office or even closet space.
2. Landscaping
Mature trees can be valued up to $1,000, so don’t take your backyard for granted. If the property is totally bare, you can keep it simple and match what other houses in the neighborhood have. You can also add a lanai or swing in the backyard for added appeal.
A well-kept, polished appearance on the outside is important in making a good, lasting impression. You not only make buyers curious enough to view the inside of the home, but you also provide a visual of how the house will look once it’s remodeled and completed, even if the interior isn’t quite as put together as the outside yet.
3. Windows
Having enough windows in the house is more energy-efficient because of fewer expenses spent on heat and lighting. In fact, insulated windows are a big plus especially since temperatures are considerably lower this year than in the past years. Insulated windows give you the best of both worlds by keeping the cold out and the heat in at the same time.
Windows also help for ventilation, making the house feel lighter and more aired out even when its hot and stuffy. Buyers look for this in a home. You don’t hear them saying “I love how it’s so dark and stuffy in here.”
4. Carpet
The carpet is one of the first things a potential buyer or appraiser notices when they enter a home, simply because it covers such a large area of the house. A grimy, torn up carpet sends a negative signal to them because they’ll think of the couple of thousand that they’ll have to spend right off the bat.
5. Modern Bathrooms
A great feature to have in a bathroom is a pool or tub. Spacious bathtubs with jets or whirlpool tubs are very attractive to appraisers. His and hers sinks, steam showers, toilet rooms, rain showers and large capacity water heaters are other features you can include to increase market value. Floor to ceiling mirrors are also nice additions to bathrooms because it creates the illusion of a bigger space.
Source by Patricia G Ramos