Easy Home-value Boosters

By Sarah Mahoney

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Now that the real estate market finally has a bit of a pulse again, you’re probably noticing a few more “sold” signs. So of course you’re wondering, Gee, what could we get for our place?

Even if you have no intention of selling, it’s hard not to get a little jealous of all those prettied-up houses on the block. But you don’t need to spend thousands to make your home more marketable and attractive. Experts say some of the best ways to boost your home’s appeal are practically free.

Start by boxing up and storing everything you don’t need, from kitchen to playroom, says Tina Merritt, a realtor in Virginia Beach, Va. Then break out the elbow grease and clean all your appliances. (If you’re selling, make sure you get the clean hot water heater and HVAC units.)

Here, more inexpensive ways to increase your home’s value and appeal.

Kitchen

• Practically free “The kitchen is the most expensive room in the home, so it has a huge impact on value,” says Katie Severance, a realtor with RE/MAX in Montclair, N.J., and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Selling Your Home. Since crowded cabinets and countertops scream “This house lacks storage,” streamline what’s in cupboards. Yes, she says, potential buyers will open them all. Take everything off the counters. “Then, put one thing back -- a nice-looking stainless steel toaster or a chic coffeemaker.” Even if you’re not selling, you’ll love having a clutter-free kitchen.
• $100 or less Paint dingy cabinets and replace the hardware with new, expensive-looking pulls.
• $500 or less Replace an ordinary faucet with something striking and contemporary. Add new front panels to tired-looking dishwashers and trash compactors.

Yard

• Practically free Dedicate a weekend to grunt work, advises Chad Goldwasser, founder of Goldwasser Real Estate in Austin, Texas. “Cutting, edging and cleaning up the yard make a big difference,” says Goldwasser. “Make sure gutters are not full of leaves and debris. Trim the trees and bushes.”
  
  
• $100 or less Rent a power washer and clean the exterior, especially decks and porches. Repaint mailbox post.
  
  
• $500 or less After power washing, spend the rest on mulch (many towns distribute it for free) and easy-to-grow annuals, paying extra attention to the main entranceway. Buy a new doormat.

Living Areas

• Practically free Wash walls with soap and water, paying special attention to the kid grime that becomes invisible to most parents -- like on light switches, stair risers and doorjambs. “Then just put a little matching paint in a cup and walk around painting over chips and smudges,” says Severance.
• $100 or less While conventional wisdom calls for nothing but white walls so potential buyers can see your rooms as a blank canvas, Seattle decorator Robin Daly disagrees. “If everything is too neutral, it’s blah. A little color can give some pop to a room that is ‘plain Jane.’” Unsure about what colors to introduce? “Just walk through Crate & Barrel or Target to check out the season’s color trends.”
• $500 or less After painting, steam clean carpets, or buff and polish wood and tile floors.

Kids’ Rooms and Play Areas

• Practically free Put the messiest-looking games and toys in storage. If you’re looking to sell, have the kids take down posters and keep a few enormous shopping bags handy, says Severance, so when a potential buyer is stopping by, you can scoop up the rest and toss them in the car.
• $100 or less Invest in large storage bins that are part of the room’s color scheme, says Daly, who uses labeled bins to corral the chaos of her 13-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. And consider a judicious splash of wall color: “Why not paint a ceiling sky blue?”
• $500 or less Paint walls and replace carpets in colors that might be as appealing to empty nesters as a couple with brand-new triplets. Says Merritt: “The idea is to keep decor generic enough that people can envision their own kind of castle.”

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