6 Tips From the Best Realtor in Toronto & the GTA
Whether you are looking to sell your house or just trying to increase its value, here are 6 inexpensive tips from the best realtors in Toronto and the GTA. There are plenty of simple things you can do without breaking the bank and will still make a big difference in your property’s attractiveness and price. Continue reading below to see the 6 top tips for increasing your home’s value without breaking the bank!
Here are 6 top tips for increasing your home’s beauty and value without going over budget!
1. Paint: What do you think is more appealing from the outside of a house? A freshly painted bright house, or one that hasn’t been painted in years and has faded to a nasty shade of yellow? Painting your exterior can make a huge impact on its appearance and appeal at a minimal cost. Painting can also help defend surfaces from wear, tear, and the elements. Here are some valuable tips:
Picking the right colour: Make sure it doesn’t cause your home to look washed out or outdated. You want something fresh and modern that makes passersby stop and take notice! If you’re not sure what colour would work best, go with neutral colors such as gray, beige, taupe, or cream.
– Prep the surface: A textured wall might cause your paint to look dirty no matter how many coats you put on, so make sure it’s smooth before starting. Although more expensive, you can even hire a professional painter to get an amazing result.
2. Replace carpet with hardwood: If living with the carpeting of the 90s wasn’t bad enough (we all know what it looked like), now they’re impossible to keep clean and have a high risk of being ruined by water damage from accidents and spills. Go with something that is easy to maintain, looks beautiful, and is long-lasting! Replacing your carpeting with hardwood floors not only increases the value of your home but also makes it much easier to keep clean.
When looking to switch your flooring it is important to know what material you are looking for. There are two options, either Laminate or solid hardwood flooring. Solid hardwood flooring is often looked at as the real deal and laminate flooring is its inexpensive counterpart. Hardwood flooring is usually ¾ inch-thick boards of solid hardwood cut from a tree and is praised for its quality. Laminate flooring is manufactured with a core layer of fiberboard made of wood byproducts.
The laminate flooring is then printed with a design that resembles wood or another material. The design layer is then protected by a clear, hard wear layer that gives good resistance to scratching and stains. Laminate boards are thinner than hardwood floors, measuring at 6 to 12 mm thick. The edges of each board are crafted with click-lock edges that snap together so it requires no nailing or glue.
3. Upgrade your light fixtures: Everyone loves a home with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, but it is definitely something that you’ll need to save up for before getting one installed in your home. In the meantime, you can make a small change by switching out your current lighting fixture with something more stylish and modern! This trick makes a huge impact without costing too much at all.
Tools are necessary for many tasks around the house and you will need them for changing light fixtures. Common tools that will come handy are chain pliers, non-contact voltage detector, and wire stripper/cutter. Other materials that will make it easier would be a box extender, mounting brackets, and stab-in connectors.
It is important to understand that dealing with electricity can be dangerous and it is always recommended to talk to an expert. However, if changing lighting fixtures yourself make sure to turn off the breaker which controls the light’s circuit. This is not enough though, after to be safe, check all wires in the box with a non-contact voltage detector.
4. Add some colour: If you’re looking for the cheapest way to instantly improve the look of your home, add some colour! You don’t have to paint every wall in sight; just find two or three rooms that could stand to be brightened up and then take action. You can even do this through small details such as pillows and area rugs.
Martha Stewart has a website that will help you decide how to choose colours for different furniture. The information comes from guest pinner Will Taylor who explains various topics for home design. Whether it is choosing furniture, adding quirky touches, colour matching your own style, or accentuating existing features the guide will help. The blog describes how to show off your wares, refresh your bedding, colour blocking, and much more.
5. Make your garden beautiful: If you have a great view of the outdoors from the inside of your home, use it to improve its look and value! A well-maintained garden can add some serious curb appeal to any type of property, no matter how small or large. Take care of your outdoor space just like you would any other room in your house, and then sit back and enjoy the results! This is one investment that will pay off more than you might think.
When looking to spruce up your garden, there are many tips and tricks that you can follow to make it look beautiful. First, it is important to integrate your plants, meaning vegetables and herbs have a place in a garden. Brian Minter uses herbs to line his beds and borders as it gives a sense of organization. It is also key to play with texture, as you can use foliage and colour to contrast dull objects such as rocks.
Placing trees and shrubs in pots can look quite nice and will add some variety to your garden. Make sure to leave a spot to enjoy your garden. Place a bench or nice chair and table where you can relax and enjoy the garden. Growing fragrant plants can help increase the appeal of your garden as it will smell nice. You can also try to give your garden some height by planting flowers on high places.
6. Upgrade your hardware: You don’t have to spend a lot of money to instantly upgrade the look of your bathroom or kitchen! Instead, you can easily replace old handles and knobs on major appliances with brand new ones that will make it seem like you got an entirely new appliance. Changing handles and knobs do not require an expert’s touch, check out this video to learn how to do it yourself.
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These are just a few of the many ways to increase your home’s beauty and value without breaking the bank. Although there are certainly more things you can do, these are some of the most cost-effective. So if you have been putting off improving your property because you were worried about how much it might cost, no need to fret any longer! You don’t have to spend a fortune in order to renovate your house – all it takes is a little elbow grease and time spent cleaning up around the place.
If you’re ready for this spring to be the best one yet, make sure that you upgrade your home before summer comes along! Make sure potential buyers or renters want to buy or rent from you with our guide on 6 ways to increase the value of your home without breaking the bank.
=> Contact Frank Leo & Associates for a free home evaluation