9 Weekend Projects That Add To Home Value

  Looking to finally sell your current house and move to your dream home? Or maybe you just want to improve your place and reap the benefits of an outstanding property later on? Whichever side of the fence you’re on, there are lots of simple value-adding tricks you can do to give your humble abode an edge. To help you add some pizzazz to your place, we’ve rounded up a list of simple weekend projects you and your family can take on to spruce up your home. 1. Apply a fresh coat of paint Perhaps the simplest, most surefire way to liven up any home is to apply a fresh new coat of gorgeous paint. Not only does it instantly increase the value of any property, but it gives the house a brand-new look & feel. Don’t be afraid to shake up your palette and experiment with colors you haven’t tried. For a more contemporary look, you can always count on neutrals. But don’t stop there – maybe add a vibrant color that will pop and bring life to the place. Whatever route you go for, a fresh coat of paint will always be a good task to undertake. 2. Beautify your garden Sprucing up your existing garden with a couple of new plants and flowers will surely make your house look fresh and wonderful. If you’re looking for something you can immediately do this weekend, why don’t you visit a local nursery to purchase your new plant collection? However, if you want a project that’ll potentially increase your house’s appeal for a longer time, we suggest planting a few trees, starting a new herb garden, and maintaining a fabulous flower garden. Although these will take longer than a weekend, these’ll make for great projects under the warmth of the sun. 3. Refresh your kitchen There’s no doubt that the kitchen has become one of the most valuable parts of the house. Apart from being the place where delicious home-cooked meals are whipped up, this also easily becomes a hub for socializing when you have guests over. Just by doing some easy weekend projects, you’ll be able to liven up that adorable kitchen of yours: Put on a fresh coat of light-colored paint on the walls Repaint or refinish kitchen cabinets Work with new tile backsplash Try assembling a concrete kitchen top 4. Give your laundry room a makeover A good clean-up and organization will go a long way for your laundry room, making it more of a place of relaxation instead of chores. Consider adorning the area with scented candles, a fan, or even a nook for a moody break time while waiting for the laundry. Some plants will help add some laid-back notes too, turning it into a space of life rather than just for utility. The laundry room is an underrated asset of any home. It keeps our sheets and clothes clean, so it makes sense to give it some good ol’ makeover. 5. DIY bathroom makeover As years go by, the bathroom often gets left out of style. Outdated fixtures, tacky paint scheme, and maybe a bit of troublesome hardware. Or who knows, maybe it just needs some cleaning. Here are some tips on how you can liven up your bathroom easily: Update and use similarly-themed fixtures/knobs/handles Clean the floors and yes, even the grout Add some plants for a feeling of freshness Get some lively lighting, like an accent light or two. Apply a fresh coat of paint 6. Start spring cleaning Since Spring is in full swing, why not take advantage of the warm energy to raid your closets, pantries, garage, and everywhere else for a decluttering session? Time to tackle those storage boxes you’ve been dreading cleaning up. Don’t worry, you can be eco-friendly by donating or recycling your pre-loved valuables. Not only do you get to clean up your space, but you get to give your unused things a second chance at life. 7. Personalize your mailbox’s look In the age of lightning-speed connectivity, yes, it’s still worth it to update your mailbox’s look. For a more personalized feel, try painting its body with your favorite color. You can even get the rest of your family to contribute to the design and turn it into artwork. 8. Update light fixtures We’re in the modern era, so it’s probably about time to upgrade your old light fixtures and get with the times. You can add a hanging lamp down the kitchen table or island to give a more warm and inviting mood, or maybe add accent lamps in the living room for that cozy feeling. Lighting inside a room is essential as it sets the mood for all occasions, so don’t neglect it. 9. Install smart home features The houses of the future have officially arrived. The best part? Yours can turn into a smart home, too. The use of smart technology at home has been skyrocketing as tech becomes more and more integral to our lives. Adding any smart feature to your home, big or small, makes a difference. Not only does it make life just a bit simpler, but also attracts a new market for your house down the road. You can start small and just try it out, maybe with a smart lighting setup or a smart thermostat – cold or warm in a flick of a finger. Ready to add value to your home? We hope you found these home weekend project ideas useful. Doing any of the ones listed will not only add value to your property but also, it’s a chance to learn so much more about your house and what it needs. Put those handiness skills to work this weekend! And remember to enjoy the place you live in, it’s your home. Never Miss A Thing In Our Pretty Peachy City Subscribe to get fun events delivered to your inbox weekly! Click here to join us!

MORE

6 Ways To Use Social Media To Sell Homes

  Selling your home is a challenging task especially if you choose to go the For-Sale-By-Owner (FSBO) path. There will definitely be a LOT of work to do — from listing your home, preparing for inspections and appraisals, conducting repairs and maintenance, processing all the legal paperwork, scheduling open houses, not to mention marketing your home! Luckily, with the use of social media, it’s now easier than ever to sell your home! Gone are the days of cold calling and listing your house in the classified section of the daily newspaper. Still, it can be overwhelming as there are many things you need to know before you can market effectively on social media. As a real estate agent, you can say that I have mastered the art of social media marketing as it’s an everyday task for me to sell homes both in person and online! Trust me when I say that I’ve tried many things and always made sure to take advantage of the latest features available. Here are six ways to use social media that will help you sell your home faster! 1. Create a social media strategy The first thing that you need to do is to strategize your social media campaign. Your goal is set: To sell your house. But which social media tactics you should use to achieve this goal? You’ll need to decide on which platforms you’ll be using (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.), gather the materials you will need (photos, videos, articles, MLS listing?), set your budget (organic, paid advertisement, or both?), and narrow down the audience you want to target. While the type of content you create is up to you, you’ll need to unleash a bit of your creativity regardless! There are several types of content you can choose to create. You can do as simple as posting a description of your home with photos. You can also take it to the next level by creating an Instagram Reel, Facebook/Instagram Story, or going live on a social media platform. 2. Digital Word-of-mouth is key! As a private seller, you might not have a business page on social media. Not to worry as you can still market your listing via digital word-of-mouth! Simply posting about your listing can already help you spread the word. It’s also a good way to target an audience that would most likely be interested in your listing as most of the people in your network live close by to your area. Aside from that, you can also share your listing on various social sharing groups such as Facebook groups about real estate selling in your area. Just remember to read the group rules first and make sure that it’s allowed before you post!   3. Consider paying for ads   If you’re a motivated seller with a good budget, consider paying for social media ads. You can easily run ads on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram at an affordable price for a period of time. Social media ads are a quick and effective way to reach your target audience especially because you can choose the demographics of your ads. You can also easily see the stats of your ads while it’s running, receive engagement and messages in real-time, and extend your ad if you want to keep it running for longer. 4. Use keywords and hashtags When relying on online marketing to sell your home, you need to ensure that your post or listing can easily be found by potential buyers. The trick is to use the right keywords and hashtags. Determine the keywords and hashtags that are aligned with the most common phrases that people use to search when looking for a property in your area. It can be the type of property, area name, or amenities that most people want in a home. By doing this, your content is more likely to appear on your target audience’s explore page. Once they search for posts that are related to your keywords and hashtags, they will most probably bump into your content as well. 5. Promote your open house event People wouldn’t just magically appear at your open house. You need to make efforts to promote your event. And since you are selling on your own and don’t have the network of a real estate agent, you need to double your effort. Promote your open house event on social media prior to your event date. Post consistently until your event date to encourage excitement among your audience. Share the event with different real estate groups on Facebook. Ask your friends to help you reach more people by sharing it on their pages. 6. Go live on Facebook.   There might be a few people who won’t be able to physically attend your open house event. And who knows – maybe one of these people is your homebuyer. So consider going live on Facebook during your open house event. If it is more convenient for you, schedule a separate virtual open house for those who cannot attend the actual open house. With this, you’ll be able to give your full attention to each guest – on-site and online. Maximize social media as a tool today! Whatever strategy or content you come up with, don’t forget that this is just a tool to help you with selling your home. At the end of the day, it’s still up to your skill and knowledge of the space that will land the deal. Aside from maximizing social media for marketing your property, learn how to effectively deal with people and negotiate for the best offer.   Never Miss A Thing In Our Pretty Peachy City Subscribe to get fun events delivered to your inbox weekly! Click here to join us!

MORE

Watch Out for These Neighborhood Red Flags When Buying a Home

  When you’re in the market for a new home, it’s important to consider the neighborhood in addition to the property itself. After all, purchasing a home is a big investment and you want to ensure you get a good deal in a safe and desirable area. Aside from the property itself, the neighborhood’s condition can directly affect your home’s value. Here are some red flags to look out for when shopping for a new home in a neighborhood! 1. High Crime Rates If the neighborhood has a higher crime rate than average, it’s a red flag that could indicate a lack of safety or security. Make sure to research the crime rate of the area you’re looking at and consider how it could affect your safety and the value of your home. Another way to check if the area is a safe space to live in is whether or not kids are playing outside during a beautiful day. If you don’t see people walking around or sitting on their front porches, and not even one kid riding their bike, this could mean that these people don’t feel safe outside. Check with the local police department about the crime rate in the neighborhood. 2. Poor School System If the schools are subpar, it could affect the value of your home and the quality of life for your family. Consider researching the school system and deciding if it’s a fit for your family’s needs. If you have kids or planning to have one in the future, this is something that you have to consider. One sign that the local school has a poor school system is a low number of enrollments. The local school might have a reputation for poor management, or perhaps the residents are mostly grown-ups, potentially leading to fewer possible friends and playmates for your kids. 3. Proximity to Amenities When buying a home, check if the location is close to essential amenities. If the neighborhood is lacking basic amenities like grocery stores, banks, and restaurants, it could be a sign that it’s not a desirable area. Aside from current amenities, you should also look up future plans for the area. Plans for new schools, hospitals, public transportation, and other commercial buildings can greatly impact the value of the location. If there are little to no commercial plans, it could mean that development in the area is stagnant. Always consider if the location is convenient for the amenities you need. 4. Noise Levels You might not realize it, but high noise levels can also be a red flag. Excessive noise from traffic, neighbors, or nearby businesses can be a major nuisance to people living within the vicinity. For example, people living near an airport, stadium, or train station can experience excessive noise regularly. While a certain level of noise is okay, you don’t want to live having to wear earplugs on a daily basis. Excessive noise pollution can also cause stress-related illnesses, sleep disruption, hearing loss, and more. It might not be healthy for your family, especially if you have kids, grandparents, or even pets living with you. So before buying a property, consider the noise level in a location. Take a drive around the area at different times of the day to get an idea of the noise level. 5. Property Values Look into the property values in the neighborhood. Are the homes in the area well-maintained or are there many homes in need of repair? Do the homes have similar features and are they similar in size? You can also check market reports online or with your real estate agent to see whether the property values in an area are consistently going up or not. If the homes in the area have lower values, it may be a sign that the neighborhood isn’t a strong investment. When looking for a new home, it’s important to pay attention to the neighborhood and consider the potential red flags. Research the crime rate, school system, amenities, aesthetics, and neighborliness of the area to ensure you’re making the right decision. While you may be in love with the house, it’s important to look beyond the walls and consider the potential risks or red flags a neighborhood may present. Consult your trusted local real estate agent to help you evaluate if the neighborhood is the right fit for you.   Never Miss A Thing In Our Pretty Peachy City Subscribe to get fun events delivered to your inbox weekly! Click here to join us!

MORE