Whether you live in a fairly inexpensive rural region of the Carolinas or a costly neighborhood in a booming urban center, raising the value of your home might be on your mind. This is especially true if you’re thinking about putting it on the market soon. It is, however, crucial to making sure you don’t price yourself out of whatever neighborhood you live in with your upgrades.
Fortunately, there are certain updates you can make no matter how much you want to sell your home for or which North Carolina or South Carolina zip code you live in. As you continue reading, you’ll discover several ways you can increase the value of your house regardless of the price point at which you intend to list it.
Paint it neutral
If your home has a lot of personality, it might be great fun to live in but tough to sell. Prospective buyers generally prefer walking into houses they can picture themselves waking up in every day. Therefore, it is advisable to make sure all the walls in your home are a neutral shade and don’t feature personal photographs or other sentimental items.
If you have questions about which colors are best, consult with your real estate agent. Navy, for example, is technically a neutral color in the fashion world, but in the realm of home decor tends to be too bold for staging a residence. Instead, your real estate expert will probably recommend sticking to light to medium greys, tans, and creams.
Install under-cabinet lighting
Even if you end up living in your house for a while, you’ll be glad you installed under cabinet lighting. This is a simple upgrade that will make a huge difference in how you operate in your kitchen. The best part of under cabinet lighting is that it is incredibly simple to put in. Tunable LED light bars are extremely inexpensive and allow you to choose from multiple light colors at the touch of a button.
Make permanent backyard changes
If your backyard currently has a drab look, making some long-term changes can go a long way toward raising the value of your Carolina property. Adding a new patio, for example, is sure to be enticing to prospective buyers. You should also consider installing light fixtures that illuminate the most used areas of your lawn. Not only is this wise from a security standpoint, but it will make it easier to use your yard for social functions after dark.
Add smart home technology
With increasing frequency, prospective homebuyers expect the houses they look at to be equipped with at least some smart home technology. This may mean adding something as simple and mainstream as a Nest thermostat or a Ring doorbell. Or, if you live in a upscale neighborhood where smart homes are the norm, you may need to consider adding other features, like windows that can be tinted to varying degrees at the touch of a button and smart kitchen appliances.
These tips are designed to help you increase your North Carolina or South Carolina home’s overall value whether or not you have imminent plans to put it on the market. However, if you are planning to sell, you need to make sure your real estate professional helps you decide which upgrades and renovations are worth doing and which aren’t likely to net you a high return on investment.