Home Improvements That Pay for Themselves

Thursday, December 22, 2011

With economic difficulties lingering homeowners are beginning to reflect a change in attitude toward their home.  

With home values diminishing -  its becoming more and more difficult for home owners to recoup the full value of the improvements made to their homes over the years. Growing trends have indicated that homeowners are beginning  to place more value on the thought of treating their homes as "investments" as opposed to "a place to live." Every home improvement decision is a critical one that needs to be evaluated carefully and with "resale value" in mind.  

In this article we will discuss some replacement and home remodeling improvements that can be made to the home to help retain and add value for the future.

Replacement projects have always performed well in resale value - partly because they are the least expensive projects and partly because they are need-based improvements performed to protect the homeowner's investment and contribute to curb appeal, which is an attractive factor to home buyers.

Installing a midrange entry door is a cost effective replacement product that offers instant return for the homeowner. Not only does the investment add to the home's curb appeal but it offers energy saving incentives as well.  Additionally, garage door replacements are also a very popular replacement projects that add value with very little upfront cost.

Although replacement projects have consistently yielded the best returns for homeowners there are a number of remodeling projects that generate encouraging "return on investment" opportunities. These particular projects are useful for homeowners looking to improve the longevity of their investment and ensure a viable investment 5 to 10 years from now.

Wood deck additions are one of the more popular and affordable improvements that a homeowner can make to increase the value of their investment. There has been a shift of importance on outdoor living space making this relatively easy and inexpensive addition critical in selling one's home.

Minor kitchen remodels also tend to yield a higher return in investment. Vastly considered the most important room in the home, an inexpensive "face-lift" of the kitchen may be the difference between selling a home immediately or having it sit on the market for days/months at a time.

Finally, the two remaining remodeling projects that add value to a home are attic bedroom remodel and basement remodel. Although, these are much larger projects, they represent good value within the existing footprint of the home and make good use of space that would otherwise be used only for storage.

Overall, it is important to ensure that whatever home improvement project you decide to take on is done with a mindful eye on its marketability now and in the future.  Also, be sure to hire a quality contractor - its important that remodeling projects like these last and ensure a good return on your investment.