If you’re thinking about selling your home now or in the future, there are several, easy home improvement projects you can do yourself, or with the help of a friend. And if you choose a low-cost, DIY project that will increase your home value – it’s like putting extra money in the bank!


Interior Updates to Increase Home Value

Dated aluminum blinds, budget vertical blinds or otherwise ugly window treatments that you ‘inherited’ from the previous owner, do not add to your home’s appeal or value. Replacing old and worn window treatments with new plantation shutters, wood blinds or attractive, well-made draperies can help you get top dollar for your home.

See also: Homemade fabric-covered window cornice

Pull up a corner of your carpet and peek underneath. If there’s a hardwood floor underneath, you’re in luck. Older homes are likely to have hardwood floors hiding underneath the carpeting. Furthermore, new hardwood floors are expensive so take advantage of what you’ve already got by restoring existing hardwood floors to their original beauty.

If your walls are scuffed, marked or dull, a new coat of paint can work wonders and an inexpensive way to update a space. Choosing neutral colors like off-white, a soft gray or light tan will also make your room look bigger and appeal to a wide range of buyers, potentially increasing your home’s value.

Are your kitchen and bath cabinets dark and dull? Painting kitchen and bath cabinets is an easy DIY fix that will yield dividends. Cabinets painted in an ever popular white or light shade will brighten up a room and make it appear larger. Before painting, clean the cabinets with a degreaser and then remove all hardware and doors. Lastly, Rustoleum has an affordable, easy to use cabinet refinishing kit.

If you have a contractor friend, installing a new ceiling fan is a great option. Keeping AC and heating costs low is appealing to home buyers and a well-placed ceiling fan is an attractive addition to a bedroom or den. A basic ceiling fan purchased from a home improvement store costs approximately $50. Larger or high-end versions are $150 on up – a small investment for the appeal and potential energy savings.


Exterior Updates to Increase Home Value

While the interior of your home is extremely important, your home’s exterior and the surrounding yard is the first thing that a potential buyer sees and considers when stopping by. Here are a few tips on making your home’s exterior look its best:

Using an outdoor cleaner on your home’s exterior, driveway, walkways, and patio will get the surfaces looking new. Furthermore, a clean exterior always looks newer and will help also increase home value.

Are your trees and shrubs looking overgrown and unkempt? Could they use a good pruning? Is the lawn thick and green or are there bare spots? Patch any bald spots with new sod and prune trees and shrubs. Add new shrubs or greenery next to the walkway, the mailbox, and near the front door to catch the buyer’s eye. Finally, tidy up any leaf debris, weeds or withered plants. Like a new haircut, your yard will look tidy and refreshed.

Well-maintained gutters signal to buyers that your home is well cared for. If your gutters are clogged with debris and working improperly, water that should be carried away can seep inside the wall or pool in the yard next to the foundation. Furthermore, this can cause mold and mildew problems and may over time, compromise the structure of your home which may lead to an expensive repair bill. Clean your gutters by scooping out any vegetation that may be there with a garden trowel and then run water from a hose through your gutters to ensure that they are clog free.

Is your front door dated or worn? Is the paint peeling? Repainting the front door a trendy shade can add to your home’s value. Or spring for a new door. A basic steel front door will cost around $100. A premium door with more detailing will run approximately $200 and up. Also adding potted greenery on either side of the door looks welcoming as well.

This might not be a DIY project, but repainting your home can dramatically improve its curb appeal. Before painting be sure to check for mildew or mold growth on the exterior. Wet & Forget Outdoor is a gentle yet effective spray that removes unsightly growths including moss, mold, mildew, algae, and lichen. No scrubbing or scraping required! It works over time with the rain and the wind to clean exterior surfaces. Lastly, after the growth clears up, repaint the outside of your home to finish freshening up your home’s exterior.

Spending a little extra time working on these DIY projects pays off in the end. Completing these home improvement projects for the exterior and interior of your home are an easy way to save money and increase the value of your home.

Save time and money with Wet & Forget’s $5 mail-in rebate for a 1-gallon container of Wet & Forget Outdoor.

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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