Easy and inexpensive ways to increase the value of my home?

Question

Does any know of any easy and inexpensive ways to increase the property value of my home. What does an appraiser look for?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

If you are selling,
1.Patch & Paint-nueteral colors
2. Steam clean carpet
3. Water your lawn- a lush green lawn always adds curb apeal
4. Add flowers to your landscaping, color looks nice
5. Get rid of lawn junk-car parts, trash, ect.
6. Trim and tend trees and bushes

Appraisers generally just look at the size of your home, the size of your property and the value of the property surrounding yours. If a appraiser comes into your house, it is usually to make sure that you have all that you claim to have, number of bedrooms, baths, ect.

If you are looking to sell, a realtor is going to look at all that, and they will look at the condition of your home. Is it well taken care of, is it up to date, is the floor plan (home layout) good, ect.

Answer 2

repaint and if you have hard wood floors,that`s a good selling point

Answer 3

Usually the top things looked at are to make sure the foundation is solid (ie, if you have a basement make sure there are no wall cracks etc). Roofing is also a biggy with appraisers. Ultimately, location is probably #1. You can have a C average house, but if it's in an A+ location, they overlook things. They will probably also look to see if you've updated, added on, etc. and if you did, was it done by you or a professional??? Square footage and living area are also prime targets. Are you having it appraised or inspected? There's a difference between home inspectors and appraisers. Also why having it appraised? Do you want to sell? Are you disputing property taxes? or are you looking for insurance or a home equity loan. My county appraises my home much much higher (of course they do because they want property taxes) than the bank did for a home equity loan. Big difference.

Answer 4

Landscaping is reckoned to be the only big home improvement that pays back more than you invested. Bathroom remodels and kitchen remodels break even. Everything else you get back less than you put in.
With that in mind, do some simple easy things to spiff up your yard and your curb appeal: Reapply fresh mulch. Fill in empty places in beds and near doors with a flat or two of annual flowers. Prune wild and woolly shrubs. Evenly prune up the skirts of your trees so you can walk under them. If your grass looks bad cut the existing grass/weeds down low and overseed with Perennial Ryegrass. Use a "slit-seeder" for a quick one-step process. Depending where you live the Ryegrass could be up and growing in a few days and you have instant gorgeous grass. Again depending where you live the Ryegrass could be dead the first hot spell you go thru (May-July). In some other places it is a permanent lawn, but the warm weather will have the weeds growing back thru the grass. By then hopefully the appraisal/sale is past.

Answer 5

Have a neat and manicured and welcoming front lawn and entry.

A rear patio or deck brings more selling value

Buyers want an updated kitchen and updated bath.

You can inexpensively update cabinets by installing new cabinet fronts or by just painting them. You can also install yourself new granite or other stone type counter tops - which there are several ways to do and are not that hard. [Loews and Home Depot can help]

Walls: neutral but warm colors.

An appraiser looks for structural soundness first.
Then kitchens and baths [plumbing too]
Then # of bedrooms, baths

A garage or carport adds value too

Answer 6

Make sure it has curb appeal first. Flowers, Paint whatever to give it a pleasent look. Clean or new carpet. Get clutter out of the house. Stage the furniture for best arrangement. Take great pictures for the internet. Paint walls in pleasent colors. Highlight some walls by painting darker. Get some good looking houseplants/flowers before showing. Bake cookies the day of showing. Take most of your personnel pictures down.

Answer 7

THE MOST EFFECTIVE & LEAST EXPENSIVE IS TO FIND SOMEONE WHO CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT YOUR HOME!

Answer 8

Lighting is one of the most inexpensive ways to increase propety value and also some landscaping. If you are looking to sell anytime soon make the interior as neutral as possible ie walls and carpet. When it comes down to it its all about location.