Posts Tagged ‘home improvement’

• Dec 1

  3 Ways to Increase Your Long-Term Property Value

  When remodeling a house, you should always consider how your investments will affect your home’s property value. Every upgrade you give your house will increase its property value to a certain degree, but some projects will boost your sticker price more significantly (and permanently) than others. Here are three investments that are sure to add long-lasting value to your real estate investment:

   

  1. Lay some wood. Hardwood floors might not be as cheap as carpeting, but they’re an investment you’ll be glad you made. Not only are hardwood floors more appealing to buyers than carpeting, they’re more resilient and easier to maintain. A well made wood floor can even outlast your house itself and is sure to add thousands of dollars to your property value.

   

  1. Stir up a new kitchen. A kitchen is a home’s command center and remodeling the one in your real estate investment will increase your property value dramatically. You don’t need to go big on this project, since modestly upgraded kitchens recoup more of their value than lavishly decked out ones, but you should try to maximize your kitchen’s aesthetic appeal as much as your budget allows. Try installing stainless steel appliances, contemporary faucets and, if you have the space, an island.

   

  1. Open a door. Believe it or not, new entry doors are the best way to raise your property value for the price. Installing a $1,000 steel door to the outside will boost up your real estate investment’s sticker price by $1,500, so if you’re selling a home this season make sure to upgrade all of your exits.

  The best investments to increase your long-term property value are the ones that last the longest themselves. Steel doors, wood floors and new countertops will last for lifetimes after they’re installed and that’s a major selling point for buyers. Pro tip: look for upgrades that come with warranties that can be transferred to the new owner.

  Tags: home improvement, increase property value, property value
  Posted in Home Improvement | No Comments »

• Nov 30

  Rehabbing Properties: Feel the Heat

  If you’re into flipping houses and want to get a foreclosure ready to sell before winter puts a lockdown on the market, then you should have heat on your mind. With the temperature steadily dropping, you’re going to need a functional heating system installed in your real estate investment if you want keep buyers interested for more than a few seconds. Here are a few different ways to bring the heat in your house:

   

  • Forced Air Systems. Forced Air is far and away the most popular and affordable type of domestic heating system used in modern homes. It works by blowing air that has been heated in a special furnace throughout a system of ducts and out of registers located in the rooms of a house. If your real estate investment already has these ducts installed, upgrading your heat can be as simple as replacing the furnace with a newer, more powerful model. If you don’t have any ducts, however, you might be better off saving the money it would cost to install them and using an alternative heating system instead.

   

  • Radiant Heat. Before the invention of forced air systems, radiant heat was the standard for houses everywhere. It works by forcing water that’s been heated in your house’s boiler through a system of thin pipes. As the water cools in the pipes, it radiates heat and raises the room temperature. There are several different ways to incorporate a radiant heating system into your home. While many houses use sheathed baseboard units that run along a wall in every room to radiate heat, these can easily be upgraded to a more modern system where the heating tubes are installed under the floor itself. This method is much less intrusive and will distribute the heat more evenly through your house.

   

  • Steam Heat. Steam heat was the first commercially produced heating system on the market and many older homes and apartments continue to use it today. Like radiant heat, steam heat works through the process of boiling water and then distributing it into mechanical heating units. Unlike radiant heat, steam heat requires the use of large, cast iron radiators that can withstand the pressure of the superheated steam inside of them. These radiators, while affordable, can be unsightly and dangerous and are best replaced with a radiant heating system if you’re flipping a house.

  When rehabbing properties that need a heating upgrade, a forced air system should always be your first choice. The furnaces they use are affordable, interchangeable and will run on any type of fuel. If your real estate investment doesn’t have the ducts required for forced air, then always go with a radiant heating system over a steam-powered one.

  Tags: home improvement
  Posted in Home Improvement | No Comments »

• Nov 8

  4 Ways to Make Your Home More Secure

  Security is a major concern for homeowners these days. Taking steps to ensure your real estate investment is protected from intruders won’t just make your home safer for your family – it will increase your property value as well. Here are some ways you can step up security on your real estate investment:

   

  1)     Invest in new locks. Not only is a lock upgrade one of the most affordable steps you can take to protect your real estate investment, it’s also one of the most effective. Nothing keeps a home safer than a new set of locks. You can pick up a new set for your house at any home supply retailer for less than $100. They’ll only take a few hours to install, and they’ll give your property value a major boost.

   

  2)     Light it up. Believe it or not, a good outdoor light setup is more important than just about anything – including visible security cameras – when it comes to deterring burglars. Mounting a few motion-sensing light rigs near your front and back doors is a great way to catch unwanted visitors off guard and to alert your neighbors that something’s amiss. On top of that, they’re also really useful for navigating in the darkness.

   

  3)     Get a security system … sign. Home security systems might be the ultimate in residential safety, but they’re also the ultimate in cost. If you don’t have a few thousand lying around to install one of these systems, a sneaky alternative is to just go ahead and post one of their signs in your yard anyway. Thieves tend to avoid houses that advertise their security, and they won’t know any better. On the other hand, if you have the money to install a real security system, you could see a nice rise in your property value when it comes time to sell the home.

   

  4)     Find a Fido. Dogs are excellent home security assets, even if they’re pint-sized. A dog’s keen ears and nose will detect an intruder long before a human would, and they’ll be sure to make noise – either joyful or vicious – as soon as they sense a disturbance. Like spotlights, a barking dog will alert a thief that he’s suddenly being watched, and that should be enough to deter most wannabe crooks.

  Protecting your real estate investment isn’t just good for your family – it’s also great for your property value. Buyers like to know that their home is safe, and if you invest in these measures now, you’ll see a nice financial return on closing day. That’s definitely some peace of mind!

  Tags: home improvement, home security
  Posted in Home Improvement | No Comments »

• Oct 28

  5 Ways to Make Your Home Greener

  Environmental awareness isn’t just a major talking point these days – it’s also a major selling point. If you’re listing your real estate investment on the market, taking some steps to make your home eco-friendly could wind up earning you a lot more green when it comes time to close the sale. Here are five ways you can start making your home more environmentally responsible.

  1)    Bag Old Bulbs. When you’re trying to make your real estate investment greener, the first step to take is to replace any old incandescent light bulbs with the newer, environmentally conscious fluorescent ones. These bulbs are not just better for your real estate investment’s “green” street cred – they’ll also last exponentially longer than their predecessors.

   

  2)    Switch out Appliances. There are lots of low-water-consumption washing machines and dishwashers on the market these days, and since you’re likely to replace your old appliances before selling a home anyway, why not go  green? Environmentally friendly appliances are covered with decals advertising them as such, and buyers are sure to take notice.

   

  3)    Plant a Vegetable Garden. You can’t convince buyers that you’re going green if you can’t point to the real thing. If you don’t have a garden already, then hurry up and plant some vegetables. A vegetable garden isn’t just aesthetically appealing – it promotes sustainability and broadcasts your awareness to the neighborhood.

   

  4)    Install a Water Collection System. If your gutters need to go, then consider replacing them with a water collection system. This system uses angled gutters to feed all outgoing rainwater into a container much like an industrial drum. This collected water can then be used in place of a hose whenever you need to water your plants and wash your car.

   

  5)    Use Healthy Paint. Even paint has gone green these days, and if you’re selling a house, a new coat of VOC-free paint is a great way to raise your property value. Although environmentally friendly paints cost a few dollars more per gallon, they’re a great way to add another star to your home’s environmental report card.

  Going green isn’t always cheap, but if you’re selling your home in an environmentally conscious area, investing in eco-friendly technology could add thousands to your property value. If you follow these easy steps, you’ll turn your real estate investment into a green machine in no time.

  Tags: enviromental awareness, green, home improvement
  Posted in Home Improvement | No Comments »

• Oct 27

  Flipping Houses: Those Leaky Pipes

  If you’re into rehabbing properties, you’ll eventually come across a real estate investment whose plumbing needs a little TLC. While major work should be left to the professionals, fixing a few leaky pipes yourself is easier than it looks, and it’s a great way to pull your property value out of the basement. Here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Start With a Sealant. The quickest way to repair leaky pipes in your home is to use a chemical sealant or patch kit. These are inexpensive, easy to apply and can be found in every home improvement section across the country. The only catch is that they aren’t as sturdy or permanent as a splice. If the leak continues to drip, people who are rehabbing properties will want to consider replacing the section of pipe.

   

  • Replacing Pipes. Before replacing a section of pipe, shut off all of the water running through your pipes. When they’re safe to operate on, use a pipe cutter to evenly slice off the damaged length. After you’ve done that, it’s just a matter of fitting in the new section of pipe and soldering it with sweat solder.

   

  • Leaks That Don’t Stop. If you have a leak that persists even after you’ve replaced a section, check your spliced-on section first. If there’s no water coming out, then it’s likely the entire pipe is aged and needs to be replaced. If this is the case, then calling a plumber might be your best option. While small repairs are simple, you risk damaging the entire house if you botch a major installation.

  The key to replacing leaky pipes is to take your time. Search thoroughly for the source of the leaks, and when you find them, don’t rush to replace a section of pipe. Since it’s going to be pressurized, you need to make sure that your cuts are even and your solder is sturdy. If you follow this advice, you can save hundreds the next time you’re rehabbing properties.

  Tags: home improvement, home maintenance, plubming
  Posted in Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Oct 25

  How to Make Your Old Home Feel New (For Less)

  Does your house feel more cramped than cozy? Are those mauve walls driving you mad? Then it’s time to give your real estate investment a much-needed facelift. Although renovating or rehabbing properties can be expensive, especially in this economy, there are a few tricks you can use to make that old house look new without breaking the bank. Here are a few to try:

  • Paint a room or two. If you really need to remix your house’s look, then the best place to be is in the paint aisle at your local home supply store. By slapping on a fresh coat of paint, you can make a room feel bigger, smaller, louder or quieter all for less than $100 and an afternoon’s worth of work. As an added bonus, a fresh coat of paint is a surefire way to up your home’s property value. So grab a brush and get going!

   

  • Change places! When you’re really strapped for cash, rearranging your furniture will give your real estate investment a fresh new perspective without requiring you to spend a dime. Don’t be afraid to get drastic with your experiments – transferring furniture to different rooms and floors will give your entire house a brand new vibe.

   

  • Fix your fixtures. New furniture might be expensive, but new lamps and lights definitely aren’t. You can find them in all sorts of shapes and sizes at your local department store at affordable prices, so pick up a few and experiment. Switching out your lamps will not only change the aesthetic value of a room – it’ll change the entire feel of the space, at the flip of a switch.

  You don’t need to break the bank to make your old house feel new again. With just a little creativity and a few small purchases, you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood in no time.

  Tags: home improvement, increase property value
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Oct 5

  4 Ways to Stay Safe When Rehabbing Properties

  Flipping houses can be a very profitable business, but it can also get dangerous if the right precautions aren’t taken. When rehabbing properties, falling objects, exposed wiring and heavy appliances all present hazards that can land you in the hospital and put you weeks behind schedule. Here are four ways you can make sure that both you and your real estate investment stay safe and secure all the way up until closing day:

  1)    Buy a hard hat. Every good real estate flipper knows that their most valuable asset is their brain, so make sure to protect yours when doing construction or remodeling. More than a few flippers owe their lives to protective headwear, and a quality hard hat will stay comfortable and keep you safe for years.

   

  2)    Don’t be a strongman. Many of the supplies and appliances required to remodel a home are too heavy or unwieldy to be handled by one person. If you’re having trouble lifting or positioning something, then stop and call for help – otherwise you could end up damaging both yourself and whatever you’re carrying.

  3)    Make sure the power is off. You’d be surprised by the number of people who forget to shut off their power before messing with their real estate investment’s wiring. Since one shorted fuse or miscut wire could leave your house in flames and put you in the hospital – or worse – make sure that you cut your house’s power at the source before starting a project that involves the electrical system.

  4)    Don’t know what to do? Then stop. This is hands-down the easiest way to prevent accidents when rehabbing properties. If you’re about to attempt a project that you’ve never done before, realize that a botched job could be dangerous and can cost you thousands in property damage. A better decision is to call in a professional contractor and have them do it for you. Your safety is worth the expense. And besides, there’s no better way to learn than by watching the pros.

  It’s not hard to stay safe when rehabbing properties. With just a little thought and some protective headwear, you can keep your health and your home flawless for years to come.

  Tags: home improvement, safety
  Posted in Home Improvement | No Comments »

• Sep 26

  Flipping Houses: 4 Fall Hazards to Avoid

  Flipping houses isn’t easy to begin with, but it only gets harder if you wait until the fall to start your major renovations. While you can still turn around that real estate investment for a profit, there are some seasonal hazards that you should watch out for. Here are a few:

  • Cold Weather. Depending on the condition of the property, dropping temperatures could mean a real hassle when trying to get the home ready to sell. If your home still needs heating and insulation work, then step on the gas to make sure that it’s still a tolerable workplace when the weather gets cold.

   

  • Inadequate Lighting. As the days begin to shorten, you’re going to be faced with more and more night shifts if you want to get your real estate investment ready to sell in time. If you haven’t installed lights in the property yet, now’s a good time cross that project off your list. After all, there’s nothing worse than trying to tack up drywall by the light of a lantern.

   

  • Seasonal Trespassers. Crimes against property rise significantly in the fall and winter, so make sure that your exterior doors are installed and fitted with locks. Furthermore, if you’ve been leaving your tools in the house every night, consider taking them home with you from now on. A thief could be tempted to break into an otherwise uninteresting home if they spot expensive equipment or supplies lying around.

   

  • Falling Branches. While the changing leaves make for good sightseeing, it’s only a matter of time before the branches they rest on get brittle and succumb to the cold. You can remedy this situation by taking a break from rehabbing properties and removing any overhanging tree limbs before they become a problem.

  Fall can be a hazardous time to flip houses, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be profitable. If you keep your head about you and take the necessary steps to ensure that your work is as safe as it is productive, you’ll have a score of buyers queued up to see your newly renovated home.

  Tags: autumn, home improvement
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Sep 25

  4 Ways to Raise Your Property Value for Free

  If you’re selling your home on a tight budget, there’s no need to break the bank to raise your property value. There are a handful of projects you can do for free, all of which will go a long way towards hooking a buyer. Here are a few of them:

   

  1)    Touch Up The Paint. You don’t need to repaint your walls before selling a home, but you should touch up any smudges that won’t wipe off. Chances are good that you’ve got some leftover paint in your cellar or shed from the last time the walls were painted, so stir it up and lay it on where needed. It will take some time for the new paint to darken and match, so make sure you do this at least a week before showing the house.

   

  2)    Fill Wasted Space. If there’s a room in your house that’s not really doing much, it’s time to give it some purpose. Add a desk and a computer, then tell people it’s an office. Or maybe you’d prefer to clean out the clutter and turn it into a guest bedroom. You want buyers to see how versatile your square footage is, so make sure none of your space is wasted.

   

  3)    Mow the Neighbor’s Lawn. When buying a home, people want to know that the neighborhood they’re moving into is a pleasant one. If you’ve got neighbors that have fallen behind on their yard work, offer to mow their lawn or rake their leaves. If their houses look valuable, yours will too.

   

  4)    Warm the Hearth. Nothing says “cozy” quite like a crackling fire, so put your fireplace to good use when showing your house. A warm hearth kick-starts the nesting instinct, and it’ll increase the perceived value of your home.

   

  These are only a few ways you can quickly and easily raise the property value of your home. Remember, selling a home is more about care than flair, so as long as your real estate investment is well-kept, there’s no need to break the bank with remodeling projects.

  Tags: home improvement, home maintenance
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Sep 18

  Flipping Houses: 4 Projects That Are Worth the Money

  Since the goal of flipping houses is to sell your real estate investment for more than it costs to rehabilitate it, many people try to minimize expenses as much as possible. However, sometimes it’s better to spend the money in order to raise your house’s property value as high as it can go. Here are four projects that are worth dishing out the dollars for:

  1)    Excellent Lighting. Good lighting does more for a house’s property value than anything else. Artful lighting can give a house the personality and coziness it needs to convince a potential buyer to take the plunge. Don’t skimp out by filling your house with discount lamps, and never leave a bulb exposed.

  2)    A Tasteful Floor. If you’re going to be installing a floor, you should make sure it’s an appealing one. Cheap imitation wood or unattractive carpeting only makes the buyer think of how much they’ll have to spend to replace it, so do them the favor by installing a nice floor from the start. Raise your asking price appropriately.

  3)    Secure Plumbing. Although potential buyers can’t tear down the walls and inspect your real estate investment’s plumbing, they’ll definitely notice if and when a shoddy pipe bursts – and you’ll be the one held liable for the damage. Cover your bases by having your plumbing inspected and repaired now to save yourself thousands in the future.

  4)    Upgraded Appliances. You don’t have to buy the most expensive sink, washer or refrigerator in the store to make your house look like a million bucks. If you spend a little extra to stock your real estate investment with appliances that look expensive, you can raise your asking price by thousands.

  Flipping houses isn’t cheap, but these projects are worth the money. If you’re willing to spend a little more than you normally would when rehabbing properties, you’ll see a huge return on your investments when it comes time to close the sale.

  Tags: home improvement, selling your home
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Selling | No Comments »