Demand for New Jersey real estate is at an all time high, with bidding wars happening left and right, everywhere you look. Everyone wants to live here! Of course, it’s no secret that our great garden state is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. There are so many fantastic historic sites, educational museums, beautiful nature preserves, and sunny shorelines to vacation at, plus top-notch schools and institutes of higher education. We understand and share the sentiment, because we can’t think of a better place to set up our shop and work than right here in good ol’ Jersey, and it turns out, everyone else feels the same!
We love getting to collaborate with so many clients on maintaining and improving their own New Jersey beautiful homes and businesses. In light of this real estate boom, and influx of new folks here in Jersey, we are helping our fellow homeowners maximize their investments by sharing some ways that homeowners can improve the curb appeal and increase the value of their home (and by proxy make it even more appealing to move here to New Jersey!)
Top Home Improvement Tips for Increasing Your Home’s Value Without Breaking the Bank
Add some curb appeal with landscaping. Remember, a street view and walking up to the front door will often be the first major impression potential buyers or renters will have of your hom, be sure to really make that count. Focus on beautifying and updating the exterior of your property. Power wash your home’s decking, porch, sidewalks, and driveway. Have the driveway and walkways repaired, resurfaced, and re-sealed with weather efficient protection. Repaint or restrain your decking and porch. Install some perennial plants and evergreen shrubbery. Reseed your lawn with a 50/50 blend of microclover and grass for a lush, deep green lawn and lower mowing maintenance. Add some solar lighting along walkways or hang some strands of rope lights and LED bulbs. Keep the front and back yards tidy by regularly raking and removing garbage and debris. Power wash the exterior siding of your house and touch up any worn or cracking paint.
Give the interior a fresh coat of paint. When you cozy up in your home and settle in to raise a family, it’s natural for there to be wear and tear on certain parts of the home. An easy update you can do that doesn’t require a serious construction project is simply to refresh the walls and trim with a fresh coat of paint. We fully agree with the folks that say you should design a home you love and want to live in now, not designing a home for a future potential buyer! However, it never hurts to refresh your walls with a fresh coat of paint before listing your home for sale. Cleaning the walls and applying fresh paint instead of leaving dings, scratches, or even crayon scrawls can help attract more buyers looking to make a place for their own families. Even a simple refresh with a fresh coat of the same color, or switching things up a bit by choosing a trendy neutral hue can improve a home’s feeling of cleanliness and be more inviting to potential buyers. Repaint your kitchen or bathroom cabinets with specialty cabinet paint for a budget-friendly kitchen renovation without replacing any cabinetry for costly renovations.
Have your floors refinished or professionally cleaned. Replacing your home’s flooring and updating itwith something new can be costly, time consuming, and exhausting! Working with your home’s current flooring, however, can save you time and money whil still increasing both curb appeal and financial value. Wooden floors can be stripped and re-stained, or even simpoly buffed and polished by professionals, bringing them back to their full glory after decades of little toes and furry paws dancing across the surface. Carpets can be professionally steam cleaned, stains removed with commercial grade cleaners, and restored to near brand new condition without needing to be replaced.
Update and refresh your home’s indoor handrails and staircases. Older homes often feature railings that are no longer up to code, may be unsafe for small children or pets or the elderly, and may just be plain outdated and ugly. Updating your railing material to something more sturdy and modern, bringing the safety parameters up to code, and replacing worn stringers/treads can significantly raise the value of your home. Incoming families will be relieved to know their loved ones can go up and down to bedrooms, family rooms, and basement rec areas with ease. Plus, this is a great opportunity to utilize the railings and stairs as a major focal point. Selecting decorative panels, sleek stainless steel rods, custom designed elements, and even selecting a stain or paint color that accents other design elements in the home can elevate the visual aesthetics. Turn a hum-drum staircase into a real centerpiece while also creating a safer home!
Swap out and upgrade outdated hardware for new, more modern fixtures. Don’t underestimate how small changes can affect the home’s overall look in a big way! Swap out the vintage, outdated knobs and drawer pulls on your cabinets for something more striking, modern, or contrasting in color. Change sink faucets and handles for something colorful and stylized to create a custom kitchen look on a budget. Opt for stainless steel appliances with hidden control panels for a sleek and modern look. Shake things up a bit and choose color coordinated appliances that match or contrast the cabinetry for a chic, trendy aesthetic. Swap out high gloss metal door fixtures for something in an oil-rubbed or matte finish, and swap garish gold-tone door knobs with a faceted crystal or glass knob. These small details can transform an entire room’s appearance and mood for a more elevated look.
Make your home more energy efficient. It’s no secret that moving is expensive, and buying a home comes with a slew of fees from closing costs to taxes and more. Replacing your home’s light bulbs and appliances with long-lasting, energy efficient options can really put a buyer’s mind at ease. Knowing they’ll be moving into an energy efficient home with lower operating costs can really help your sale! Consider installing solar-panels on your roof or garage. Highlight any charging stations for PZEVs/Hybrids and Electric Vehicles. Swap out old filament and fluorescent light bulbs for long-lasting, low-wattage LEDs. Opt to replace appliances with newer, more energy efficient appliances. Select energy-efficient insulating siding and modern roofing materials. Install digital thermostats that connect to WiFi for wireless controls and app-based automated scheduling, further reducing overall daily operating costs and energy consumption.
What are some ways you improved curb appeal and increased your home value on a budget? Let us know your favorite wallet-friendly DIYs in a comment!
When you’re ready to renovate your residential or commercial staircase, we’ll be ready! Call the crew at Pinto Carpentry today to schedule an appointment for a consultation. Our experienced team will measure and custom design a set of stairs to suit your needs and style choices. Not sure which material to choose for your stairs? With over 20 years of industry experience, our highly skilled and trained professionals will guide you to the best choice for your lifestyle, foot traffic, and budget options. Call us directly at 908-922-1778 to book your appointment, or reach out to us via email or any of our social media channels. At the end of your consultation, you’ll get a personalized estimate reflecting your material choices and budget in mind. When you’re ready, we’ll add you to our schedule and start your project swiftly. We can’t wait to work with you!
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