After months of staying at home due to this pandemic, you would know by heart the areas that could use some attention. You may even have a mental list of home projects that you want to take on over a weekend. Whatever project is that you plan to tackle, make sure to prioritize these based on the amount of resale value they will add to your home.
If you haven’t started yet, here are some remodeling projects that will increase your comfort while ensuring that your home sells for an attractive price in the future.
Invest in smart lighting
Switching old incandescent light bulbs for smart ones is one of the simplest ways for you to integrate smart technology into your home. Smart LED lighting, unlike incandescent bulbs, use less energy and last much longer. (LED bulbs last around 25,000 hours, while incandescent bulbs last a comparatively puny 1,200 hours.)
With the added smart function, your lighting becomes easily customizable and programmable. You can set lights from one brightness or color temperature setting to another with a simple voice or phone command. You can even program the lights to turn off and on in randomized patterns to improve security when you’re away from home.
Consider a smart thermostat
Staying conscious of your energy consumption should be easy and effortless if you take the step towards automation with a smart thermostat. With this WiFi-capable device, homeowners can set the ideal temperature settings for a room, change them in real time with a phone or smart home hub, and even train the thermostat to learn living habits over time.
Despite how intimidating it seems, installing a smart thermostat in your home is DIY-friendly. Follow this guide from Consumer Reports to hook one up with your current HVAC system.
Upgrade your windows
Can’t pinpoint the cause of your high cooling and heating bills? Your windows may be the cause. Inspect them for cracks in the caulking and the frame, as well as drafts.
A popular remodeling project, window replacement, adds resale value (89.6% of costs are recouped) while increasing your home’s energy efficiency. Don’t forget to check the kind of window panes you have: single-pane and aluminum windows need a complete replacement while double-pane windows might just need reglazing, especially if the frames have no damage.
Give appliances an upgrade
In the case of home appliances, newer is (almost always) better. Technology that was highly efficient ten years ago might not even meet today’s standards. Then again, it’s neither affordable nor logical to upgrade your appliances all at once. So, focus on the most power-hungry – appliances that heat or cool. Included in the list of the usual suspects are central air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, and washers and dryers.
Schedule regular yard work
Gardening may not be for everyone but having a neat lawn should be. It directly influences your home’s curb appeal and serves as a positive indicator for buyers. Allot some of your weekend outdoors. Prune unruly growth. Mow overgrown patches. Plant flower bulbs for the next season. You’ll be rewarded with a well-maintained exterior that will appeal most to buyers.
If you’re interested in finding out how your home compares to other houses for sale in Pennington, NJ, reach out to David DePaola & Company Real Estate. We’re a team of real estate agents with around 40 years of experience in Central New Jersey. We go above and beyond to help our clients reach their real estate goals. Call 609.883.4161 today or send an email to david(at)depaola(dotted)com.