If you’re thinking about selling your house, perhaps upgrading to one that’s larger and/or more updated, but after seeing the figures on that house payment calculator realize it’s probably out of reach financially, you might want to start improving the home you own now.
After improving those outdated areas, it could increase the selling price so that you have the money to afford the place you’re dreaming of, or you may find that you’re happy right where you are.
These are some of the top ways to improve the outdated parts of your house, no matter what the future might hold.
The Kitchen
Most of us spend a lot of time in the kitchen, which is why many surveys have found that it’s either equal in importance to the living room, or even more so. If yours is outdated, you don’t have to do a total remodel, which can be extremely pricey. Instead, think about a minor remodel such as putting in a new sink and fixtures, a wall oven and cooktop, quality flooring and countertops as well as refacing drawers and cabinets. You can do all that for under $15,000.
If that’s still too much to spend, consider brightening up the kitchen by sanding and painting old wood cabinets, changing up window molding and/or drapes, and giving the walls a fresh new coat of paint.
The Bathroom
You’ll typically get a bit more back than what you’ll spend on a bathroom remodel. While it will cost around $10,000 to replace the sink, fixtures, vanity, toilet, flooring and tub, it will add quite a bit of value to your home. You may not need to do an entire remodel, however. Perhaps replace old shower doors, remove wall covers and apply a fresh coat of paint. You can re-glaze an old tub to make it look like new and it will only run you a few hundred dollars.
The Bedroom
Of course, you spend lots of time in your bedroom too, and as sleep is so important for physical and mental health, update it in a way that can help improve the quality of sleep. You can do that by making it all one color. Using slightly varying shades is fine, perhaps a deep blue for the walls and a slightly darker blue for trim and other accents. Blue is known to make a space feel tranquil and calm; in fact, it can even help lower your blood pressure.
Turn an Empty or Underused Space into a Man Cave
Man caves have been a popular trend for a while, with most guys appreciating a room of their own to escape to, perhaps to enjoy the game without interruption or battle against friends on their gaming consoles. If you have an empty space or one that’s rarely used, maybe a garage, basement, an outdoor room or even an outbuilding like a shed, it could be perfect. All you’ll need to do is add a TV, comfy chairs, a mini-fridge, a bar and maybe a dart board and/or a pool table. Sports memorabilia, movie posters and the like can make for attractive yet inexpensive décor.
The Exterior
How your home looks on the outside is important too, showing the world that you have pride in the place you own and potentially increasing its value. Your best bet is to replace outdated vinyl siding with fiber-cement siding and to repaint. If your house was painted more than 40 years ago, test for lead before you start sanding or scraping. You can give it an even more updated look by removing any old awnings that are over doors and windows and switching out wrought iron railings for wood. A new front door can make a big difference too.
