Many homeowners only think of the large, expensive upgrades when seeking to increase their house’s selling price. Yet, there are many ways to increase your home’s valuation even while easily staying within the budget.

Clean the Lawn

A clean lawn will work wonders for open houses and photographs. Cleaning the lawn is simple and easy to do and does not take very long. This is one of the first steps you’ll want to take before listing your property.

Duct Cleaning & Sealing

Cleaning ducts helps spread less dust and bacteria around the home and keeps the house noticeably cleaner. When showing potential buyers your home, the last thing you want is for counters and shelves to appear dirty. Duct sealing is a long-term investment to a home’s essential functions that can help sway potential buyers. If you can’t afford a full seal of your air ducts, it’s a good idea to look into duct cleaning options at the very least.

Update the Kitchen

Little things can add a lot more to a living area. Replace the handles of drawers and cupboards. Clean off the counters and the front of the drawers. Upgrading your faucets can give your home a personalized, modern design. Inexpensive upgrades will pay off, especially due to the fact that the kitchen is one of the most important rooms for potential buyers.

Decking Installations

Installing a deck is affordable, often DIY friendly, and makes your home’s exterior appear beautifully livable. A lot of buyers really like decks, especially in regions where decks can be used a large amount during the year. While there are debates about natural vs composite materials, installing any form of deck is a good thing. You could even consider some stylish pergola design ideas to complement your new deck or other exterior remodeling projects to help further increase your home’s value.

Clean it!

Many homeowners overlook this simple step, but it is easy, very inexpensive, and can be done in under a day. Dust, vacuum, straighten out couches and chairs, wipe down countertops, put away stuff that is just laying around, and do everything else you can to make your home’s interior squeaky clean. When renovations are too expensive, this is the next best thing.

Beautify the Bathrooms

Make the bathrooms nice. That means cleaning everything, mirrors, counters, toilets, etc. Besides the kitchens, bathrooms are also very important for buyers, particularly the master bath. This is a surefire way to get higher offers.

Plant Something

Plant a tree or large bush in your yard or set up some indoor plants. Trees make a yard more attractive, provide shade, and can even provide some privacy for the house. Trees make every house look better. Maybe you can not afford to repaint the house, but planting a tree is a great way to beautify your exterior for little expense.

Install a Water-Filtration System

Buyers love water-filtration systems, which ensure that the home has clean water. The systems are cheaper than you may think, and the investment is usually worth it, particularly if your city or town has a bad reputation for its water system.

Countertop Upgrades

A new countertop can breathe life into your kitchen. Both granite and quartz countertops cost a reasonable amount. Whichever material you choose, getting rid of a dated countertop is a great way to attract higher offers for your home.

Add an Energy-Efficient Feature

With more technology than ever available to make homes ‘smart,’ buyers are constantly on the lookout for houses with tech. This does not necessarily mean buying something super expensive; it could be something as easy as installing a programmable thermostat, or if you have a bit more money to spend, a zoning system.

Replace Old Carpet and Rugs

Getting rid of dated flooring materials will make your home’s interior look a lot better. New carpet looks amazing and will revitalize every room it is in.

Get Some Grass

Have a dirt yard? Have weeds? While it can be time-consuming, planting grass can be a worthwhile investment, especially if it dramatically improves the exterior look of your house. If grass is inconvenient due to water costs, consider artificial turf instead.

Repaint Dreary Rooms

Boring, depressing rooms are the last things you would want a buyer to see. Spend some time and money brightening up or simply repainting older rooms.

Minor Hardware Upgrades

Small hardware upgrades, such as replacing minor appliances, or updating to unique bath faucets, can work wonders for offers. When potential buyers see how you have updated the house, it will improve their opinion of it, often resulting in a higher valuation. 

Andrea Erickson is a contributor to Innovative Building Materials. She is a blogger and content writer for the real estate industry. Andrea is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that increase property value, maximize energy savings, and turn houses into homes.