Home improvement projects are not all created equal. Some may seem like a good idea at the time, but may not bring home the bacon when it comes time to sell your home. Everybody’s funds are finite, so it makes sense to take some time and figure out which home improvement projects will bring you the most bang for your bucks before getting started. Affordable Quality has assembled a quick list of 3 home improvements to boost resale value right here so you can mull it over and pick the project that will best suit your needs.

The first thing to consider is the first impression. It’s called the “curb appeal” factor—how does the home look when people first pull up to the curb? How well is the exterior maintained? Problems on the outside can reflect and lead to problems on the inside—in a very literal sense. The inside may be amazing, but if the exterior is dull or has problems, you may not get anyone in the door in the first place. So on average, exterior home improvements are one of the top ways to reel in potential buyers and boost your home’s resale value.

So our top 3 home improvements to boost resale value include:

1. New and Improved Siding

New siding installations can bring homeowners up to about and 80% return on investment, which is phenomenal considering that popular interior remodeling projects like bathrooms and kitchens generally only reel in about 50-60% ROI. Beyond just the looks, siding does a critical job to protect your home from the elements. If it is damaged, moldy, warped, cracked, etc., water is going to seep in and damage the interior as well. Today’s new siding models are incredible at withstanding tough storms and the other elements. That’s why new siding is such a great investment when it comes to boosting home resale value.

2. Roof Repair or Replacement

Speaking of protecting your home, it doesn’t get much more important than the roof. Even during the housing bust over the past few years, roof repair and replacement was one of the very few home improvements that actually kept increasing home resale value while other projects careened down the slippery slope. Today, roof repair or replacement can bring you about a 70% ROI. Furthermore, if your roof is nearing age 20, it will likely need replacement soon anyway. Also a look at our roof inspection checklist; if you notice any of the problems listed there, repairs or replacement may be necessary to protect the structural integrity of your home.

3. Clean or New Gutters

Nobody ever thinks of this one, but it is so critical, both to the curb appeal factor and to protecting your home from water and critter invasions! Leaky, old, cracking, or hanging gutters let water in where it shouldn’t be, and it looks trashy from the curb. Even if the gutters look good from the outside, if they are clogged with debris, they are still not doing their job to protect the structural aspects of your home and could be severely detrimental during a more thorough home inspection. If you’re leery of getting up there on a ladder yourself, that’s OK. Affordable Quality can safely and thoroughly clean out those gutters, or replace them if necessary, to keep your home safe and the resale value going up!

Affordable Quality can help you with all of these 5 home improvements to boost resale value. So if you are considering putting your home on the market and need to spruce things up first, contact our Affordable Quality team at (703) 794-8513 for a thorough and free estimate!