Whether you’re looking to sell your home soon or simply want to make improvements to add value to your home in the future, there are some DIY projects that could pay off. Plus, relatively simple projects you can tackle yourself or with the help of friends and family can be fun and rewarding, especially if you don’t want to spend a ton of money hiring professionals.
Borrowing money is one way to help fund your DIY home projects, especially if you are on a budget. With a home improvement loan from a bank, credit union or online lender, you could get the money you need and pay it back in fixed monthly installments. A loan with fixed rates is helpful because you’ll know exactly how much you owe each month and will be able to budget for your payments more easily.
Here are some DIY projects that could boost your home’s value without emptying your bank account.
Give your exterior a good wash
While you’ll likely spend most of your time doing DIY projects inside your home, curb appeal is an important part of any home’s value, particularly if you’re looking to sell. A house’s exterior can make a lasting first impression on potential buyers.
You could start by power-washing the exterior walls, driveway, fence, porch or deck. You can often rent power washers from local hardware stores or see if a friend has one you can borrow. (Just make sure you know how to use it properly first — you don’t want to risk stripping the paint off your house.) Once you’ve cleaned, you could give your exterior a fresh coat of paint, especially the front door and around the windows if they’re old.
Landscape your yard
Much like the exterior of your house, maintaining your yard is a big part of boosting your home’s curb appeal. Remember, landscaping doesn’t need to be complicated or overly expensive. If you have a lawn, make it a habit to mow the grass and keep it healthy. If you have bushes and trees, trim them. If you don’t have any outdoor plants, consider investing in some that could be decorative but don’t require a lot of time or maintenance — unless you have a green thumb or want to learn more about gardening. Depending on the climate where you live, you might look into native plants or flowers that can withstand extreme summers or winters.
If you have a fence around your property, fix any broken or damaged sections, make sure it’s secure or consider painting or replacing it if it needs updating.
Update your bathrooms
Most people consider a refreshed bathroom a big value-add for a home. While you may not be taking on a full bathroom renovation as a DIY project, there are small fixes you could make. Adding new light fixtures, retiling the floors and walls or applying a fresh coat of neutral-colored paint could go a long way to giving your bathroom new life.
If you’re preparing your house to sell, try to stick with finishes that would appeal to a wide variety of potential buyers. You don’t want to choose anything that you’ll dislike living with, but being too design-forward might make it difficult for someone else to imagine living in your home one day.
Refresh your kitchen
An old kitchen that hasn’t been updated for many years could be a turn-off for potential buyers and lower the value of your home.
First, think about refreshing the color scheme — a lighter paint color on the walls and cabinets will brighten up the space and potentially make it look bigger. If your kitchen floor or countertops are damaged or worn down, consider replacing them with an affordable stone, recycled tile, linoleum or even concrete. As with the bathroom, you could also replace the lighting, hardware and fixtures to complement the overall color scheme and design. If storage is an issue, adding some shelves might help, as well.
If you do decide to list your home, cleaning, decluttering and organizing your kitchen can go a long way to helping your space look and feel its best.
Small changes could make a big difference
DIY home projects don’t have to be exhausting or daunting. Instead, think about what you might enjoy doing on your own and how you could show your home some TLC. By improving your home’s exterior, spending time landscaping, updating your bathrooms and refreshing your kitchen, you could enjoy your home more and make it more attractive to someone else in the years to come. Boosting your home’s value is the cherry on top.
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