You might have a specific project in mind that you’d really like to see finished in terms of home renovations. You can’t stand the trim in the hallway, the bathroom door hits the sink when it’s open, and why on Earth would someone put the pantry there?

Most homeowners we know want serious, tangible value in their living quarters – at a reasonable price. So before you decide to begin one of your to-do’s, it’s best to evaluate what upgrades should be prioritized.

If you’re looking to sell, there’s no point in investing your time and money into a renovation that doesn’t have a good return on investment. Your hard-earned-cash just might be better suited to finding your new home; one with kitchen storage that simply makes sense.

So, with that in mind, here is where we recommend you focus your renovation efforts:

Kitchen

It’s fairly common knowledge that a newly updated kitchen is high-up on homebuyers wishlists. By adding the right upgrades, you could easily create newfound value in any home. Other Realtors agree – a fully renovated kitchen is one of the top 3 interior projects found to add value to a home.

However, we know that many find the idea of tackling the kitchen a bit intimidating. This is for good reason – it can be hard work, costly, and risky in more ways than one. That being said, there are a couple of simple projects we’ve found that can seriously up the value, without the headache.

Cupboards

The change upgraded cabinetry can make for a home is incredible, regardless of whether you choose to completely remodel or just do a good facelift. Updating your kitchen cabinets by having them sanded, painted (we recommend something light, such as white), and refinished can work miracles for a dated kitchen.

Not to mention, this trend is so popular that contractors specializing in such work are becoming more and more common. There are many routes to a better-looking kitchen through fixing up the cabinets, whether you want to do-it-yourself or hire an authority.

Appliances

Homes are simply more likely to sell, and faster, when appliances offer aesthetic coherence. Are you totally confident that your kitchen appliances match your home and its value? If not, you should consider remedying such.

Unless you are extremely serious about gadgets, it’s not necessary to worry about over-the-top functionality. So long as your appliances are reliable and suited to the space – not to mention matching – your home will be much easier to sell. A high-end home without the appliances to match can be a real challenge to get off the market.

Curb Appeal

When it comes to selling, the first impression counts. How many homes have you driven by and thought, “I’d love to live somewhere like that.”? So, it goes without saying that creating the same impression with your home means tangible market value.

Here are a couple of ideas on where to invest in the exterior of your house:

Garage Door

Though it might not be the first thought on your remodeling list, an updated garage door is about as safe as you can get for a return on investment. If done properly, you could expect a 98.3% return. There are a lot of perks to a good garage door, security being the first that comes to mind after aesthetics.

And, as we touched on earlier – curb appeal counts! In fact, there’s a chance that you could find a new garage door to add resale value all on its own – one study showed that Realtors estimated a perceived increase in selling price of 4% when this upgrade was made to homes. If you’ve ever driven by a beautiful house with a dilapidated garage door, you’ll get what we mean.

Driveway

It’s common sense that appearances matter. The exterior of your home is the first impression delivered to a potential buyer, and a cracked or uneven driveway will be noticed. Did your driveway just come to mind? Then it’s time to upgrade.

Consider the same perks your buyer might: is the driveway easy to shovel? Wearing on vehicles? Kid friendly for your neighborhood basketball game?

Experts recommend upgrades like asphalt or concrete, with interlock being the most expensive and also your best bet for value – however, in our Alberta climate, interlock driveways are likely to need frequent work due to frost heaving, and are more difficult to shovel. As such, we recommend concrete for best value and result.

Master Bedroom

Once upon a time – even less than 5 years ago – a large master bedroom created a lot of appeal. However, things have changed. Buyers are becoming more conscious of the downsides to extra space that doesn’t offer true functionality. Financially savvy individuals want to pay for convenience and practicality – not a higher heating bill.

We find more and more buyers are looking for a set maximum of square footage, rather than a minimum with room to expand. As such, the master bedroom doesn’t need to be huge – but the ensuite bathroom and an amazing walk-in closet or dressing room can go a very long way.

Ensuite Bathroom

The ensuite bathroom is a make-or-break feature of many homes. Upgrading a master bedroom to be complemented by an amazing ensuite creates a true haven for homeowners. A proper ensuite bathroom creates value by adding not only functionality, but comfort and privacy – two ideals that we all seek in our homes.

To enhance an ensuite, focus on features that will be used frequently, such as the shower. While jacuzzi tubs used to be in vogue, for today’s busy lifestyles, a luxurious shower with a steam feature or rainfall showerhead is the way to go.

Another trend in this era of smart technology is mood lighting and music speakers, or other smart-home compatibilities in the bathroom. There are many apps for smartphones that can directly control such installations for a custom, spa-like experience.

Walk-In Closet/Dressing Room

There’s something about a dressing room that spells out luxury – but more importantly, practicality. Whether you want a place to get ready for the day in peace, display extra accessories, or simply need the room for storage, a well designed walk-in closet offers versatile solutions.

Consider downsizing the actual bedroom to expand the closet space, or even installing more functional and appealing shelving/storage accessories. A well placed built-in vanity or dresser island could be the feature that convinces someone to consider making an offer. There are a lot of ways to get creative with this project, so don’t sell yourself short if you’re not sure what would work.

Things to Consider

Regardless of what projects you decide to work on, keep in mind these main factors for selling:

Versatility

Does your kitchen area readily house the whole family for special occasions, or is the dining room formal and segregated? Buyers want versatility in their new homes. Something as simple as knocking out a wall or even opening up a kitchen to dining pass-through window could make your home a lot more appealing.

As we mentioned earlier in this post, buyers are no longer looking for massive amounts of extra room. Too much space is timely and expensive to maintain. As such, the spaces you do have should be able to transition with your buyer’s needs.

Character

No, we’re not talking about the stuff that mowing the lawn supposedly builds. What we’re referring to are smart, unique, and memorable features that the right buyer won’t be able to pass up. This is obviously a more subjective topic, but we have seen time and time again that the right upgrade can be invaluable for a buyer with similar tastes.

A couple of examples from previous clients: a television installed to be viewed in the shower. A spandrel (the space under the stairs) converted into a comfortable kids nook. These kinds of unique features stand out and are harder to come by, making your home more valuable to those who appreciate them.

Functionality

While aesthetics are incredibly important, today’s market favors functionality as well. By utilizing space for creative storage solutions and getting rid of features that no longer serve a true purpose, you can easily transform your home to be a lot more valuable.

Consider spending an evening creating logical layouts for your home to see where you could create real improvements in functionality. That’s right, get out your pen and paper – do a real overview and try to get a fresh perspective.

Consider your routine, and what kind of changes could make it easier.

Is that coat closet really effective, or would adding shelves to it create more useful storage space?

Could the guest bedroom better serve as an office to a new owner – and if so, would it be wise to add a few outlets?

While you’ve got an electrician around, maybe there are a few other fixes you’ve never prioritized but could now add value for selling.

Mapping things out as they stand rather than diving into a project that immediately catches your interest is the best way to ensure your time and money are well spent.

If this article has given you some good ideas of where to start, but you’re not sure of where to go from here – feel free to get in touch for further expertise. We would love to hear from you.