Your Next Project

How many of you watch HGTV, browse Houzz, read home-improvement magazines, and are constantly looking around your house for your next project? Me too! Our husbands love that about us right? Some of them are rolling their eyes right now and trying to look busy so we don’t ask for their help.

Some of these will be right up their alley though. In 2015, the top ten home improvements with the greatest return on investment are as follows:

Adding a Bathroom – Even if it’s a half bath, homes are listed by bedroom, bathroom, and square footage. Adding a bathroom increases the home’s value and provides convenience for us and our guests. I know we’ve all needed another bathroom in the house at some point! Having that additional bath may get someone to look at your house who otherwise would not have been interested.

Kitchen Improvements – Storage space and efficiency of a kitchen is a high priority. If your fridge is tucked away into an odd location or the cabinets are small and chopped up, there’s not much you can do other than replace them. That’s a big price tag for someone looking to purchase a home. If you’ve invested in improving the kitchen, it pays off.

Energy Smart Improvements – Things like solar panels, geothermal energy, new windows and exterior doors, cellular blinds, and efficient heat sources all scream low energy bills. What homeowner doesn’t like that?

Improve Curb Appeal – “They” say that most people glance at the exterior, and if it’s not appealing, the average home buyer decides on the front porch before the door is even opened if it’s a home worth considering. If exterior pictures can’t attract someone and keep them on that front porch, you may want to invest in some exterior TLC to boost the curb appeal of your home.

Finish the basement – Most people cannot imagine the space if it’s not finished. Others don’t have the money or know-how to finish the space themselves. It increases your home’s value to finish the area if it’s not. An added bonus would be a wet bar or entertainment space.

Spruce up your garage – Some well-placed shelving units for additional storage would be wise. Knocking down the spider webs, possibly a fresh coat of paint, sweep out all the grime, and making sure there is a heat source for the winter months is a must-have. Lots of people expect to use their garage to put their extra freezers, store an ATV or at the least lawn mower, snow blower, and a few other extras. If you are building a garage, providing some kind of bump-out to store all those extras without taking up space where the car/truck should be parked would be a wise investment.

Additional Storage – Whether this is adding space via closet organizer systems, adding cabinetry where an otherwise useless area is, or providing additional shelving, when someone opens a door to a closet and sees well-organized space, they think you’ve got it together (whether you really do or not!).

#homeessentials