When you happen to have spare money to invest in your home, maybe because you came upon a windfall or live in an affordable city like Fort Wayne, you may feel like spending it on kitchen remodeling, a new garage door, or other home improvement ideas. Keep in mind, though, that not all house upgrades yield equal value for the money you spend. Here are some areas where you can get a high return out of your investment.
Kitchen
A functional kitchen can be the real heart of a home, and improvements in this area can easily have the greatest influence on your everyday life. It’s essential to be selective in your upgrades, though. Adding storage or buying quality appliances with energy-efficient features will help you out with both daily cooking routines and utility savings. Lavishing money on décor and designer fixtures won’t do anything to improve the room’s function and ultimately could lead to less resale value; people look at the kitchen as a place to do things, not view things.
Bathroom
The bathroom is an essential part of the home where many considerations come into play. Rather than focusing on any one aspect, you’ll want to ensure a proper balance of design and function. Humidity regulation and proper drainage are as important as comfort and fancy tiles. If you have all that in place, consider an additional bathroom before expanding the size of the existing one. Multiple bathrooms make the house more appealing to families and can help accommodate guests.
Bedroom
Since the bedroom is a very personal space, and one that’s usually not seen by guests, it is usually considered an area of poor return on investment. Your design choices may not align with a potential buyer’s preferences, and this can matter greatly for the place where you’ll be sleeping most of the time. And yet that same function is why a bedroom improvement can be so important; you might not get as much of your money back, but you’ll be enjoying the comfort and great sleep, which is already plenty of value.
Windows
Research has increasingly tied the amount and quality of daylight in our places of living and work to improved sleep, productivity, and general well-being. Windows are the major entry point of sunlight into the home, and well-planned improvements can easily add value to your home while providing the benefits of natural light to your circadian rhythm.
While you’re at it, consider energy-efficient windows as well. These will help you save energy in the long run by making the home’s passive heating and cooling more efficient. You’ll start to recoup some of the cost from the moment they are installed, and increase resale value down the line by touting their energy-saving benefits.
Doors
The points of entry into your home are a great way to upgrade both function and aesthetic in an area that sees frequent use. Most often, people will enter your home through the front door, so stylish choices can pay off here – and using stronger, quality materials will also benefit your security. Garage doors are another good investment for similar reasons – adding to your home’s curbside appeal while serving functionally every day.
Home improvement can be a big undertaking, but you don’t have to do everything at once. It’s best to start small and make upgrades that provide the best value for your money before you move on to bigger additions and renovations.