How can I increase the value of my house?

add double glazing, conservatory, central heating, extra bathroom,
garage, drive way

fresh paint, low maintenance garden
thats what we did a couple of years ago. we bought the house three years ago for $79,000. did the above things, had it valued last year and it was $120,000

Kitchens and bathrooms are where you should put your money to update it. New countertops, new appliances, maybe new hardware and you can always repaint. Fresh paint especially neutral is great.

Update the bathrooms and the kitchen. They say you can never loose spending money in those areas. Also, it helps if the place is clean and smells good. Candles that smell like freshly baked goods or flowers is a good idea.

Paint it neutral, put in a new kitchen, put in a new bathroom.

Avoid the expensive improvements and make the ones that are both the most visible and the most inexpensive. Paint (both inside and out) clearly fit into that category. Water and cut the lawn, trim the bushes, etc.

One of the lessons I have learned over the years is to make sure any improvements you make fit the character of the entire house. For example, if you have a house that is old and lower value, then replace things (like a sink or light fixture) with the same low quality fixture. The reverse holds true with a high value house. Also, fix up things uniformly. A brand new, completely remodeled kitchen adds very little to the value of a house if the bathroom and the rest of the house looks old and worn out.

Take a good hard look around your house and see what stands out as being "pretty bad". That should be a candidate for fixing or replacing - particularly if it is kind of disgusting (like a bad stain or something clearly broken). If your house looks uniformly good or bad, then stick to the paint, shampoo the carpets, wash the windows and give the place a good spring cleaning. There is no use throwing money at a house to make several thing look better if the improvements only make the rest of the house look shabby.

I would recommend turning either a basement or an attic into another bedroom as this will seriously make the price of your house a lot higher!

Remodel with strong materials of excellent quality. Nice, elegant, using neutral colors and giving excellent completions

get rid of personalized things such as family pictures. People looking at the house see it as your house instead of seeing themselves owning the house. When someone comes to see the house put some vanilla extract in oven & it gives the house a warm & inviting aroma. It's always worked well for me except the time someone hinted that they would love to have a peice of that freshly baked cake. She bought the house anyway.

Make sure it's all clean and tidy. Paint the inside in neutral colours e.g white, cream or magnolia. If the gardens in a mess cut the lawn tidy it up. Put hanging baskets or plant pots outside the front door with colourful bedding plants in. This gives the house curb appeal ( it makes it look nicer than the other houses). Hide or get rid of any possessions in the house that make it look cluttered. It needs to look minimalist (empty except for necessary stuff like furniture).

It depends on your house and what state it is in! Things like extra (or bigger) rooms can increase value - i.e. building an extension, second bathroom, loft conversion, etc.

If you're thinking smaller-scale, then the key is in the decor. If the kitchen and bathroom are more than 5 years old, they may need updating.

In all honesty, home improvements don't always ADD value - it can just mean that your home may sell quicker at the asking price if it looks more modern.

Make sure any unfinished jobs are finished! Get a professional in if you need to! If you're planning on selling, then go neutral - but not bland. Paint all the walls and woodwork white or off-white. But remember that neutral doesn't equal 'luxurious' - you still need to pay attention to furnishings and inject texture and interest into your home. You can buy magazines and read articles online about home staging when selling your home.

Read the following websites to help you:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3239543.stm
http://uktv.co.uk/style/section/sid/5212
http://lifestyle.aol.co.uk/ten-ways-to-add-value-to/article/20060523112409990010

And from the opposition:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2007/06/16/pfirst116.xml

I would get 3 estate agents to come and value your home. Then ask them what you could do to increase the value of it. Tell them to be brutally honest. Tell them to email you with their suggestions if they look like they do not want to offend.

When we were selling our old flat 3 years ago, only 1 of the 4 estate agents we saw suggested updating our kitchen and bathroom. He gave it the lowest valuation and said very bluntly "I'd have liked to have seen a new bathroom and kitchen in here" (without us even asking for his input) that we got all offended and ignored his advice. But he was right - we could have updated those key areas.

Bear in mind that if your kitchen and bathroom are less than 5 years old and in good shape, changing these might not add value - but they might add a wow-factor that will make your home more sellable. Home improvements are never guaranteed to make you money - so only do them if the estate agents suggest it and if you can deal with the possibility that it might make no difference to the PRICE of your property - even if it speeds up the sale.

xx Emmie

get a designer and do some changes around the house...somethines a little change can do a lot...

First from the outside, make sure that any structural repairs are done and that the outside of the house looks clean and tidy, after all its first impressions when a buyer comes to view the house.

Inside, well make sure that all your interior is modern and up to date, people want to move into a property and not think they got to have loads of work to do

An extension to the property or a conservatory will always increase the value of a home, but always keep an eye on the budget that you are spending, or else your finished piece may be less than what the house is worth.

A big plus for families are kitchen diners so if you could use the extension to do this then i would recommend it.

Opening up rooms are also a big plus especially if it lets in a lot of natural lights but obviously get a surveyor in before undertaking any work.

Things like this structurally are a good move, things which may seem good like moving stairs, do not add any value to your home.

Updated kitchen and bath.

Paint it and remodel the kitchen and bathrooms.

make sure it's tidy
and all bright and cheerful :)

Well - the usual things are increasing floor space, adding rooms (especially bedrooms and bathrooms or a utility room) and improving parking space.

But if that is too much like hard work, just completely neutralize the paint colours int he rooms, get rid of anything that is gaudy and bulky to open up the space.

re new everything that looks old......like floors walls paint add some new cabinets or smething

make sure you have bathrooms on every floor. a master bedroom with a bathroom increases it by a lot. don't install a pool if other house don't tend to. first impression counts. outside exterior should look good and have good landscaping. an updated kitchen is also essential. when renovating the bathroom, don't add a jacuzzi since it sometimes doesn't impress because it most likely will be not that used.

Install something new, like a roof, kitchen, bath, windows, professional landscape job. Add on a room. Do something with the basement -I hear there's value in that. Good luck.

Spruce up the yard. Get rid of trash and yard waste. Keep your lawn in good condition and mow it. This includes using a weed whacker to get in the tight corners and along the edges of sidewalks and the house. Trim the hedges, get rid of weeds, and mulch the flower beds. If you don’t have much to work with, plant some flowers or install some landscaping appropriate for your home and climate.
Eliminate clutter inside the home. If you’re going to be showing the house to potential buyers, get the house organized and get rid of clutter or put it in storage. A nice, tidy house will seem larger and more elegant.
Wash walls and windows. It’s a lot cheaper to wash walls or siding than to repaint or replace siding, and many times a good cleaning will make your home’s finishes look good as new. Pressure-wash your home’s exterior, and wash interior walls. Clean your windows so that you can’t tell they’re there.
Add a fresh coat of interior paint. Sometimes you just really need to repaint, but you can do it yourself relatively cheaply on interior walls. First, patch up any holes, no matter how small. To get a silky smooth finish, apply a coat of primer. After the primer dries, lightly sand it with a fine grit sandpaper (220 grit). Apply the first coat of latex paint, and then lightly sand that layer also. Wipe the walls down with a damp cloth after each sanding session. Then apply the final coat of latex paint.
Put up fresh curtains and blinds. Blinds don't cost much, and curtains can be cheap also. Over time, the sun fades the colors from your blinds and curtains, so new ones will make a better impression than old ones.
Clean up the carpet. You can shampoo or steam clean your carpets, or you can use a dry cleaning system (available from various sources, such as Oreck), which requires no water or steamer rentals, and which dries instantly and kills virtually all mold and bacteria. Apply according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and then vacuum. If all else fails, get a professional to do the carpets for you. You'd be surprised how much better your carpet will look after a good cleaning.
Install modern light switches and outlets. Some of the new style switches can be easily installed using the wires already running to the old switches. Just be sure to turn off the power to the room or entire house before doing any work. The new outlets look nice, and give the impression that the electrical wiring in the house is newer than it really is. Dimmer switches are especially desirable, although this can be illegal if the outlets are of three prong type while the wiring is two prong. It also could lead to trouble if the buyer's home inspectors catches on.
Refinish kitchen cabinets. Outdated or worn cabinets can bring the whole kitchen down, but refinishing them is relatively cheap and easy to do. If you have a dark or small kitchen, make it look larger and brighter by using a lighter finish on the cabinets.
Up the wattage of your light bulbs to make things even brighter. Just make sure you don't exceed the maximum specification for lamps and other lights. (You could use compact florescent light bulbs in order to make the room brighter without getting new fixtures, plus they save electricity meaning they save you money.)
Get a professional floor plan company to check on your home's square footage, which is sometimes higher what your county assessor has recorded. Because homes sell for hundreds of dollars per square foot, even a small increase will more than pay for the service (typically a few hundred dollars). You'll be able to list your home for more money, but at the same price per square foot.
Wood Trim and Cornicing are a cheap and easy do it yourself idea that can add tons of "WOW" factor to the look of your home. Simple ceiling trim and armchair railing are the easiest and most typical upgrades found in newer homes. To make an even bolder statement, paint the walls a neutral, flat color and paint the trim a high gloss white.

TipsImprove the things people can see. Getting rid of highly visible eyesores will add the most value per dollar to your home.
Remember the senses. Put out fresh flowers for your open house; they make even the most dungeon-like house look inviting. Bake some oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies--they invoke good thoughts for most people. Then leave them out for visitors. If you don't have time to bake, burn a candle or use potpourri. Use smell sparingly; some people are more sensitive than others. Consider playing some very soft classical music in the background.
Consider turning on all the lights when the real estate agent arrives with potential buyers. On the one hand, this will help to brighten up your house. On the other hand, lights on in the daytime is a huge "red flag" for some buyers. Either way, it will make a lasting first impression.
Do it yourself when possible. If you know what you’re doing, a little elbow grease can add a lot of value.
As a last resort, consider flooring options. If your carpet is in really bad condition, you can replace it, or you can restore the original hardwood floor. Hardwood floors are very popular right now, and in a lot of cases old houses have nice hardwood flooring underneath the carpet. Rip up a bit of carpet in a closet or other inconspicuous area to check the floor’s condition, and compare the price of restoring the hardwood to that of installing new carpet.
Don't be afraid to spend a couple of extra dollars on good paint rollers. Those 5- for- $10 rollers will make your walls look blotchy.
Paint with a neutral color such as beige. It will make the house seem larger, and it will be inoffensive to buyers.
Semi-gloss paint will make your walls seem brighter. If your walls have imperfections, such as dents in the drywall or cracks in the plaster, consider using flat paint to hide those imperfections. Keep in mind that flat paint shows dirt easily and is difficult to clean, so leave it until just before your open house!
Install ceiling fans. If you live in an area where warm weather is common, replacing built in ceiling lights with ceiling fans will improve the form and function of your home. You can find ceiling fans at a "big box" retailer or at your local hardware store with lighting for as little as 20.00 a fan
Use floor and table lamps in every room and sheer curtains to make your open house more inviting. Lamps give a softer light, and the curtains let in sunlight, which makes the room more home-like and less clinical. You can pick up decent stuff from garage sales if you don't have any.
Check the main circuit breaker panel to see if the kitchen, bathroom and garage circuits are protected by GFI breakers. If not, install GFI outlets in those locations. local laws can vary. some cities/counties do not require GFI receptacles. A GFI is usually only needed within a certain amount of feet within a water source. GFI outlets are $11.00+, minus the cost of the wall plate. They are expensive, but sometimes mandatory. If there are multiple outlets on one circuit, only the outlet that supplies power to the rest of the outlets/room needs to be GFI protected.
Clean, clean, clean. Nothing improves the value more for so little of an investment than a good cleaning. Houses that look and smell clean have great market appeal. Even an older house with older appliances will fare well if everything is sparkling clean!

WarningsBefore doing any electrical work on the house, shut the power off to that room from the main circuit breaker. Shutting power off to the whole house is even safer.
If you don’t feel comfortable making a repair or improvement, call a professional. It’s better to pay to have the work done than to have to pay for extra damage you do.
Follow the manufacturers’ recommendations for cleaning walls or carpets, or you may do more harm than good.
Always try to compare the cost of any improvement to the value it will add to the house. Many times, the improvement simply won’t be worth it.
Improvements that might not be cost-effective in most housing markets might pay off in highly active or inflated markets.
Fluorescent bulbs don't work with dimmer switches, so be careful not to put them together.

Paint it pink and tear out all of the windows & doors.

Keep a pit bull terrior in the front yard.

Remove the roof.

This should increase your houses value to almost double it's current value, if not more!

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