Six Ideas for Boosting your Home´s Curb Appeal!

Fortunately, there are some very easy ways to upgrade one’s home and add value without much effort. It’s important to maintain and improve the core value of a home investment regularly and not just from time-to-time, such as when you are expecting a seasonal guest visit or just a short time before planning to sell your home.

• Remove interior walls

More and more of us are removing interior walls to create an open kitchen and living plan – making for more open living space. Experts say this increases the value of the home. According to builders, such a reconstruction can be completed in about 30-45 days. But before you start tearing down walls, there are a few things to consider. For example, consider whether you really need an open space, or if there is no ventilation via outdoor access from the kitchen or a large window, cooking smells from the kitchen envelop the entire ground floor space and this would be something to take into consideration. Will you also be using the space for office work? If so, do you need to design some suitable space for this work-related need? However, the open-plan design prevails, and is generally not a problem with so much considerable outdoor living space in the area of  Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. In addition, the large and open living space/concept has proven itself well over the decades. Undoubtably, it is the preferred property investment trend right now.

• Give your front door an attractive look

The front door is the essential piece of furniture in your home. For buyers, the stop in front of the front door is the first and last thing that they see. This is your biggest advertisement. Embrace the chance to impress! Lead them into temptation by placing healthy plants with bright colors at the entrance exterior. Also, don’t forget to put a brand new, attractive welcome mat at the door. You can also decorate the door with some nice seasonal décor or wreaths but keep it simple and elegant. In any case, before carrying out these suggested projects, be sure to clean the door well and consider applying fresh paint.

If you have a porch or small seating area in front of your front door, make sure to make them look attractive as well. A couple of chairs and a small table will allow guests & buyers to relax and experience your home´s true comfort. The first impression is always of great importance. The front door, be it with or without an adjacent porch and landing, is too important to be forgotten or left unadorned.

●       Refreshing the kitchen

A kitchen renovation will help to increase the value of your home. The first thing potential buyers look for is the kitchen fixtures and furnishings. Loose cabinet doors, tired looking facades, and peeling paint will not add value to a property, au contraire! Kitchens that have lost their former beauty may not have a very beneficial effect on a hopeful outcome with a potential buyer. Regular upkeep is super critical.

If your budget can´t cover a full-on renovation, you can replace the front doors of the kitchen cupboards or, restore them by repainting. If the kitchen is small, the color scheme would ideally be light. A lack of space does not need additional emphasis, and the choice of color is generally better to be a neutral one. But the interior of the kitchen should be cheerful and aimed at creating comfort and coziness. This is the main requirement that you need to try to obtain. If you find that you don’t want to leave the kitchen, then its value in the house is quite priceless. Overall, kitchen renovations and upgrades yield the highest return on investment. Keep in mind that white kitchens are timeless and classic, appealing to many. While it may take some time and organization to renovate or refresh a kitchen, it’s time well spent, as adding to the curb appeal of the kitchen is always time and money well invested.

And good news is, there are plenty of renovation specialists here in Puerto Vallarta.

• Freeing up space and creating coziness

When getting rid of excess furniture, don’t be afraid that the space will become unbearably empty. The emptiness-feel is a valuable tool in making a property look spacious and desirable. The more available space, the more flow there will be in the room – this is so much better than a stodgy space cluttered with dull or old furniture.

You can add coziness to a home with the help of indoor flowers, decorative pillows, soft blankets, books, mirrors, & candles. The smell also plays an important role. If the air in the house is stale, smells of cat litter, or cigarettes, any buyer is unlikely to want to come back. Even worse, they decide not to consider the property for purchase. But if a soft and pleasant aroma of citrus, flowers, or fresh pastries hovers about, it will be much more enjoyable and feels more like a home. This effect can also be achieved with the help of aroma diffusers, or incense. If you are tackling odours that are difficult to manage, be sure to consider having your plumbing looked at, replace old carpets, pull up old linoleum and replace with tile or wood. A fresh feeling, uncrowded space with flow, and an uplifting or homey fragrance (think fresh baked pie or cookies) are an absolute must when creating lasting and buyer-ready curb appeal for any property.

Liverpool in the Galerías mall is a great place to find everything you’ll need to take the coziness of your home to the next level.

• Updating the garden

Little is trivial in solving the matter of increasing the value of one´s home. A critical look from the outside and the help of a specialist will help determine all the subtle places in the house that need optimization.

If space on the property permits, you can make a light construction of a gazebo, or cabaña, a palapa, or even an elaborate courtyard – all of which would be well valued in any garden or exterior location on any property. You can also lay out paths with flat stones or update existing ones if the stones have subsided or has collapsed in some places. Planting small flower beds and creating a unique design for a small flower or herb garden will not be superfluous – well-groomed garden area will create a luxurious impression on the entire home or property. More and more, exterior design is a very important aspect of the home. It is important to add beauty, create nooks and relaxing areas, add a plunge pool or a water feature, emphasize the outdoor dining and entertainment area…. whatever the choice, the property exterior is best when it is optimised. Whether your budget is conservative or extravagant, whether you have an acreage or a lovely little terrace, all efforts toward exterior home improvements are never in vain. In fact, this is an area where it is not too challenging for most to create lasting curb appeal that can be enjoyed year after year, while also adding value to any home.

Lucky for residents of Puerto Vallarta, Home Depot has got all of the gardening tools you’ll need!

• Add smart technologies

If you want to add value to your home, start thinking smart. By investing in smart home technologies, you will increase its value in no time, and at the same time without significant or expensive borrowing costs. In fact, these smart investments may save you money over time.

For example, install a thermostat – a device that maintains the desired temperature in the house and saves a lot of money on heating and cooling. Purchase a CCTV intercom and fire detectors. Additional bonus, when choosing between several similar houses, the buyer will be more likely to prioritise yours. After all, everyone always wants a “smarter” and more functional home.

Hopefully, the tips mentioned above will help you toward enhancing the value of the property you are improving, or perhaps even be putting up for sale. Do you have some tips of your own for adding value to a property? I would love to hear your comments!

This blog post was submitted by our Real Estate Professional, Diana Howson.