Money-Saving and Money-Making Ideas For Your Home.

It can feel like the only way to get more out of your house is to knock down all the walls and start again. Thankfully, that's not the case.

There are lots of small things you can do that can increase the value of your home quickly. If you were wondering, "what are some easy ways to increase the value of my home?" you're in the right place.

Go full LED lights for energy efficiency and lower power bills.

Let's start simple. LED lighting is super energy efficient. Making sure you're using LEDs through your house can do wonders not just on your utility bill but on the look and feel of your home.

The low cost of LED bulbs compared to how much they bring out the richness of your home's interior almost feels like cheating. The softer lighting throughout the property makes it feel warmer and more welcoming.

This will not help your home's equity values but the energy efficiency will help you save more money over the years, money that you can invest in bigger renovations over the years.

Add smart devices.

To save money, you have to spend money.

Adding smart devices like an automated thermostat brings so much added value to your home that it would be crazy not to consider it.

On top of helping you stay on top of your utility bills, some of these devices can even help find irregularities in your home like a gap letting in cold air during the winter.

Being able to keep heating costs regulated, just like the inside temperature is something many potential buyers will note as a huge positive.

Finish the basement, but don't personalize it.

An unfinished basement is a liability to buyers, but a basement that has been finished and painted is more square footage, a flex room, or anything else the new owners want it to be.

The process to finish the basement has a different price tag depending on its current state but it's a worthwhile investment. First impressions during open houses and home inspections can make the difference between a reasonable and someone willing to shell out top dollar for your home.

The reason real estate agents advise against personalizing too much is that if you're planning to move out already then leaving the space as neutral as possible allows the buyers to create their own image about what they might do with the space.

Work on the home's curb appeal.

Future buyers are going to make a series of complicated judgement calls before making the decision to put an offer in for your house. One of them saying that your porch is where they want to spend their golden years can greatly sway the scales.

A square foot in a well-kept front yard matters almost as much as one inside the home.

To get the most value out of your landscaping, opt for something clean but still alive. While some people would love to live in front of the equivalent of a golf course, a charming garden that's not too hard to maintain can boost your home's value significantly.

A fresh coat of paint on the home's exterior can do wonders to make people feel more confident in their purchase.

A lot of people forego the outside of a home when it comes to home improvements, that's why a beautiful garden and some care and attention to the little touches can entice future homeowners so much. It's not just about first impressions but about the care that went into the home.

Routine maintenance is better than emergency repairs.

Speaking of care, it needs to come in steady increments. This is not something that will boost home values but it is definitely something that will help you keep the costs down over the years.

Steady maintenance might feel like something preventing you from reaching your financial goals in time but when you need to sell and sell quickly, being confident that your home is in great condition can help you once you come to the negotiating table.

A water heater treated well over the years, a new bathroom that was waterproofed correctly, hardwood floors handled well - these are all things that help your resale value without costing you chunks of cash just before putting your house on the market.

Small renovations can go a long way (knockdown only one wall).

Fine, if you want to knock down a wall there's nothing wrong with that. As long as you own the wall and have a plan for what to do next.

Even knocking out parts of a wall can make a massive difference. Imagine that you have a dining room with beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows and lots of light and an adjacent kitchen with a good amount of light but not nearly as much. Creating an opening in their shared wall will not only let in a lot more light in the kitchen but that new opening also creates a much more convivial atmosphere.

Open floor plans are becoming more and more popular because they allow people to converse and see each other even if they are in areas that fulfill different functions - the dining room and the kitchen in our example but that can extend to any non-private area.

Bonus tip #1: Use your Home Equity Line of Credit to finance renovations.

This works even when you're planning to stay in the home but the trick that makes HELOCs great for increasing your home's value is that you can repay the amount borrowed at any time. This means no prepayment penalties once you decide to pay it all back and put the home on the market.

Don't confuse this with a home equity loan where you take out a big lump sum that must be repaid over a set period of time.

Bonus tip #2: Be wary of good ideas with bad execution.

Solar panels are great, but if they sit on your roof with unsightly cables and rust visible from the street, they will be seen as a detriment to buyers.

A pool can be useful for active families or those who like to have pool parties but if it's surrounded by trees that shed leaves, twigs, and bugs directly into the water then the buyers might be thinking more about the cost of pool maintenance than anything else.

You can't simply dump money into a property and expect the home value to trend upward. New flooring in the bathrooms is a great idea but not if you turn it all into one giant moisture-retaining carpet.

There's nothing wrong with being quirky but if you're planning to sell the home at some point, then you should be ready to spend the money for renovations that more conventional people will appreciate.

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