Home Owners | Homely Features 101

Unless you’re planning on putting your home on the market immediately, you should always choose a home renovation project based on what your family will enjoy the most. However, some additions or changes will add more value to your property than other choices. Although you will probably enjoy an in-ground pool immensely, this option usually adds the least amount to your home’s value although it can cost $10,000 or more. In some areas, a pool is almost a requirement, but it can actually decrease the marketability of your home in others.

Most experts agree that upgrading your kitchen or adding a new bathroom can deliver the best return on your investment in addition to years of enjoyment for your family. Carefully plan this project to make sure you don’t overshoot your budget while including the modern conveniences that you will use the most. Many new kitchens feature warming ovens, mar-free countertops, dual stovetops, and decorative tiles. For the bathroom, consider adding a bidet, a whirlpool tub, towel warmers, and maybe even a heated floor.

If you have unused space like a room above the garage or an unfinished basement or attic, this is the perfect way to increase your square footage without breaking the bank. With a little sheetrock, some flooring, and a fresh coat of paint, these areas can be turned into the perfect game room, home theater, or private retreat. By planning carefully, your family will enjoy this addition and you can recover most of the expenses when you sell your home.

To Decorate or Not to Decorate

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Most real-estate experts recommend a neutral palette when selling a home. Basic colors achieve several goals. They allow the buyer to more easily imagine their own belongings in the space without the need to see through the owner’s sense of style. Whites and beiges make rooms seem larger by capturing more light, and lighter rooms appear cleaner and free from defects compared to dark spaces.

Of course, no one wants to live their entire life in a complete wash of white. If you plan on living in the home for five years or less, it may be smart to leave the colors alone. However, you’ll need to repaint after about five years regardless of your cleaning habits. Long-term homeowners should choose colors that make their home feel like a real home and worry about pleasing a new buyer when the time comes. Some homeowners now choose to gift their buyer with a redecorating allowance instead of repainting. This allows the new owners to pick their own colors in the first place instead of wasting that fresh coat of white paint.

In the past, decorators avoided dark colors because they were hard to cover with lighter tones when the time came to sell the home. However, new one-coat paints and heavy-duty primers have made this task a little easier. Even if you paint a wall jet black, you can usually turn it back to pristine white with as few as two coats of paint. In the meantime, you’ve enjoyed a color that truly speaks to your inner self.

The Best Home Renovation Choices

To Decorate or Not to Decorate

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