You might think you’re better off living in your current home, but when your life situation improves, you will have to contemplate swapping it for a cozier or even larger one. As you do so, you need to ensure that your current home provides a good return. You will need the extra money from the resale to finance your next purchase, especially if you’re upgrading to a living space that’s located in a prime neighborhood or fitted with up-to-date amenities.

Home values are constantly increasing, making homeownership the best possible investment you can make. However, you can increase the possible return on your investment by installing new features and upgrading existing ones.

With the right improvements in mind, your home will not only perform well in attracting motivated buyers, but it will also score a final selling price that’s more than enough to finance your new living space. All it takes is doubling down on the following improvements that are guaranteed to produce a good return across the board.

1. Freshen Up the Exterior

How your current home looks from the curb can attract or repel the right buyers. It’s for this reason that improving your property’s curb appeal is a top priority. When buyers like what they’re seeing from the outside, they are more than likely to place an offer that matches your asking price. What’s more, investing in the right curb appeal improvements can help justify a higher selling price as they communicate to buyers that you’re putting in so much effort to make the property desirable.

A new paint job and a fresh-looking roof might do a good job, but there are additional improvements you can bet on that will further increase the selling price. Do a bit of landscaping by adding manageable features such as hedges and a cleaned or newly replaced walkway. You might also want to invest in exterior lighting as well as updated details for your windows and front door.

2. Boost the Interior Environment

Don’t assume improving the exterior is already enough. It can reel in the right buyers, but getting them to agree to your asking price would be the real challenge, especially as they step inside for the first time. Change the interior wall colors into hues that make areas like the living room and kitchen appear larger. You might also want to change the flooring to a material that’s more durable and easier to maintain.

Outdated fixtures and moldings should also be fixed or replaced to make way for more modern details. What’s more, consider improving energy efficiency. Aside from switching to LED lights and installing a programmable thermostat, you can also consider larger windows or a skylight that floods the interior with ample amounts of natural light, a feature many high-end buyers are likely to pay a good price for.

3. Refurbish the Kitchen

As you improve the interior of your home, don’t forget to focus on areas like the kitchen, which is an important factor in raising the resale value, depending on where you are. When done right, the ROI of kitchen remodel activities could reach up to 96% for minor enhancements such as layout changes, a basic backsplash, and new cabinetry. If you want to go all out in your kitchen improvements, you might want to replace the flooring and countertops with high-end material and add features such as up-to-date appliances.

4. Help Your Bathroom Stand Out

Apart from the kitchen, your bathroom could also help justify a higher resale price, because buyers always opt for bathrooms that are well-lighted, clean, and easy to maintain. A bathtub and shower combination can help increase the final selling price and allow for a faster closing.

This is true if you’re receiving offers from families who prefer at least one bathtub. For a high-end upgrade that guarantees a good return, go for features like a rainfall shower and newly replaced tiles. Vanity mirrors are also essential, and you can even install heated floors, which are desirable among luxury buyers.

Endnote

These improvements may require a significant payment upfront, but when done strategically, they could translate to extra funds to fuel your move into a better home in a better neighborhood.