Every year, homeowners spend thousands of dollars on home renovations and additions.
Some people do this so that their home accommodates their family’s current needs. Others are a bit more forward thinking and make changes so that they can get earn more when the time to sell the house rolls around.
If you fall into the latter category and would like to increase the resale value of your Seattle home, keep reading.
Listed below are five home additions that will help you do just that. You’ll also learn about five additions you might want to consider skipping.
The Best Home Additions
Who doesn’t want to get more for their house than what they paid for it?
Here are some home additions that will help you get the most for your home when the time comes to sell it:
1. Add a Second Floor
Of all the home additions you might want to consider, this is definitely one of the most expensive. But, adding more square footage to your home can significantly increase its resale value. Plus, until you sell your home, you and your family get to enjoy the extra space that comes with a second-floor addition.
Of course, a second-floor addition isn’t exactly a simple process.
While you enjoy the benefit of not needing to create a new foundation, your contractor may need to strengthen your home’s foundation to support to weight a new story will add. You’ll also need to check with the rules in your town to make sure there is no limit on the height of your home.
As long as these things check out, though, adding on a second floor is a great way to enhance your home without increasing its footprint.
2. Add a Deck
Not feeling up to a second-floor addition? Don’t worry. There are lots of other, less drastic, ways you can increase the value of your home.
Another great addition to consider is a custom deck. This is an especially good investment if your home doesn’t have any kind of outdoor patio space. A deck allows you to enjoy the warm summer months in style and is the perfect addition to any backyard.
Most homeowners are also able to recoup the majority of the cost of their deck when it comes time to sell their house.
3. Update Your Windows
Updating the windows can have a significant impact on the value of your house.
If it’s been a while since your windows have been updated, consider replacing them with something nicer and newer. You’ll be amazed at how dramatically new windows can change the appearance of your home.
Remember, though, and there’s more to the process of updating your windows that just making your house look nicer. New windows can also help you save money.
If you invest in energy-efficient windows, you’ll likely notice lower heating and cooling bills. This is great for your bank account, and energy-efficient windows are an excellent selling point for potential buyers.
4. Increase Energy Efficiency
Speaking of energy efficiency, in addition to updating your windows, you may also want to take a look at the insulation in your home.
By adding to the insulation in your attic, you can make sure that your house isn’t leaking cool air in the summer and hot air in the winter.
Not only will you save money on your utility bills with the simple addition of more insulation, but you’ll also appeal to home buyers who also want to keep their utility bills low.
5. Expand Your Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most valuable rooms in your house. In fact, it’s often the deciding factor for buyers when they’re considering a particular home.
If you want to set your home apart from other homes in the area, consider expanding the size of the kitchen.
A kitchen expansion is a more costly upgrade, of course. But, it can seriously increase the resale value of your home, even if you add on just a couple hundred extra square feet.
Home Additions to Skip
At the same time, there are some home additions that might seem like a good investment but don’t really add much to the value of your house.
Here are some home additions you may want to avoid if you’re focused solely on increasing your resale value.
1. Inground Swimming Pool
An inground swimming pool might be fun, but many home buyers see it as a money pit. If they don’t want to pay to maintain a pool (or to have it filled in), buyers might pass on your house.
2. Whirlpool Bath
This is another addition that can end up costing more than its worth. Many people find that, when they add a whirlpool bath, they also have to purchase a larger hot water tank. This, in turn, increases energy bills and may not appeal to buyers.
3. Over-the-Top Landscaping
It’s good to make sure your landscaping is neat and enhances your house. You don’t need to go crazy with it, though. You’d be better off putting that money toward one of the additions mentioned above.
4. Sunroom
Expanding your house to add a sunroom might seem like a good idea, but it can actually hurt the resale value of your home.
Most people only get about half of the money back that they invested in the sunroom, and the extra energy costs can be a turnoff to buyers.
5. Built-in Electronics
You might love the idea of an in-home movie theater. Buyers, though, might just see it as something that causes their electric bill to skyrocket.
If you really want to build a theater, go for it — just realize that it might not add to the value of your home later on.
Get Started with These Home Additions Today
As you can see, there are lots of different home additions that will improve your home and increase its resale value.
Are you interested in one (or more) of these additions? If so, contact us at Higgason Construction today to schedule an in-home consultation.
At Higgason Construction, we offer custom kitchen and bathroom remodeling services, home additions, design help, and more. Whatever kind of changes you’re looking to make to spruce up your home, we can help!