6 Upgrades Under $1,000 That Give You The Most Bang For Your Buck

     

These strategic home improvement upgrades can help add value to your home.

 

If you want to increase your profit potential, strategic home improvement upgrades in these six categories — some of which won’t cost you a thing — will give you the biggest return on your investment.

 

1. A budget-friendly kitchen remodel

  Real estate agents will tell you time and again: Kitchens and baths are what sell a home. A dated kitchen can be a big turnoff, and there are lots of ways, both big and small, you can make yours as refreshing and inviting as possible, without investing in a total overhaul. When it comes to spiffing up your kitchen for resale, you don’t need to majorly splurge to make a better impression on buyers.   Instead, bring the space to the point of what’s known as “builder-grade luxury”: Replace basic black appliances with stainless steel, for example, and ditch the laminate countertops in favor of granite. Yes, these home improvement ideas might sound pricey, and you could spend a pretty penny on appliances and granite, but builder-grade improvements stop far short of those over-the-top luxuries. So make your decisions with thriftiness in mind: choose one of the more affordable granite countertops (such as Napoli, Baltic Brown, or St. Cecilia), with a crisp and in-style beveled edge. Leave higher-end stone and more ornate beveling for your next home. The cost to upgradeappliances and/or countertops will vary within the four-digit range. But to keep this upgrade within your budget, try to find a deeply discounted appliance at an outlet or local “scratch-and-dent” store — where almost-perfect pieces come with perfectly approachable price tags.   Want an even cheaper way to give your kitchen a quick face-lift? Simply refinish or repaint your cabinetry and add updated hardware (such as new hinges and drawer pulls), which can dramatically transform the look of the room for less than $100. Your best bet is to choose colors and styles that are likely to appeal to the widest range of homebuyers and make them feel as if they’ve walked right into their dream kitchen Pinterest board.    

2. Upgrade the bathroom

  When it comes to bathrooms, most buyers envision themselves relaxing in a modern, sleek space. The most basic upgrades start with replacing old, pastel, 3-by-3 ceramic tile with modern tile like white subway-style ceramic or 12-by-12 porcelain tiles in a neutral hue. Replacing your plastic tub surround with a tiled shower costs about $1,000 but makes a big difference, and for an extra $100 to $150, you can also add a recessed alcove (a built-in wall niche for your shampoo bottles).   As with a kitchen remodel, consider which changes will have maximum impact. You may not need to replace that old pedestal sink. Instead, you could change out the faucet — upgrade it from nicked brass to sleek new chrome — and hang some luxurious towels next to it. The same goes for quirky floor tile; choose a new paint color that will enhance it rather than clash with it. Make sure the colors and styles you choose are as universally appealing as possible so buyers see a space they know they can live with. And again, scrub your bathroom from top to bottom — there is no bigger turnoff than yellowed grout and leftover toothpaste in the sink.

This article was written & published by Trulia Real Estate

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