Each year, around 40 million Americans move house. If you’re one of them, you might be thinking of ways to boost your chances of selling.

The best way to do it is to improve your home to increase value in the eyes of the buyer.

It’s easy to think that investing $40,000 will add the same amount to the value of your home. It doesn’t quite work like that, especially if buyers can’t see what you invested in. 

Buyers will expect quality in certain parts of your house. So instead, focus on improving those things that buyers care about.

If you’re wondering how to increase home value for appraisal, read on for our top ten tips.

1. Get Painting

Redecorating is probably the first task that springs to mind when you want to sell your house. It’s easy, cheap, and effective.

Remember you want buyers to be able to picture themselves in your house. Sell that vision by giving them a blank canvas.

Choose neutral tones throughout the house. But add the odd splash of color to make a statement or draw attention.

Feature walls can spruce up a room or complement an interesting feature.

2. Create Space for a Home Office

Around 57 million people now make up the ‘gig economy’ in the US. Both telecommuting and freelancing are on the rise.

Offering space for a home office is a great way to increase value on your property. Consider dens or even spare bedrooms that get little use as ripe for conversion.

Install plenty of electrical sockets and an extra phone line. Make sure there’s room for a desk, storage space, and a window to let in plenty of light.

3. Be Smart to Increase Value

64 percent of millennials want smart technology in their homes. Adding the infrastructure to support smart devices is a great way to add value to your property.

Add data ports for wireless routers. Swap out light fixtures for those that support smart light bulbs.

Invest in smart thermostats or video doorbells. Sure, you might take them with you when you move. But it lets buyers see how easily smart devices fit into your home.

4. Remodel Your Kitchen

If you only remodel one room in your house, make it the kitchen. It’s the room where most people end up during the day.

Give buyers lots of counter space so they’ll have plenty of room to work. Install lots of cabinets for extra storage where you can. If your kitchen has enough floor space, put in an island for more of both.

Update the appliances for a clean, modern finish. Stainless steel is good for a coordinating look.

Make sure counters get plenty of light. So you can widen windows or put in some modern pendant lights to flood the kitchen.

5. Update the Yard

No one wants to live in a house with shrubs or trees blocking the windows. Cut back branches and prune greenery up close to the house.

This will help improve the appearance of the yard. But it also prevents falling branches causing damage to your home.

Consider installing a deck in the back yard. A retractable awning can be a good way to turn a patio into an extra room. Add patio heaters for chilly nights.

And a fire pit never goes amiss.

6. Add Bathrooms

A downstairs bathroom can be a great draw for buyers with infirm relatives. Extra bathrooms upstairs won’t go amiss either.

Don’t have space to add bathrooms? Upgrade the ones that you have.

Buyers love heated floors and walk-in showers. Boost your green credentials with low-flush toilets. Add mirrors to create a sense of more space.

7. Let There Be Light

Dark rooms don’t make anyone feel good. Small rooms are also difficult to plan for, especially if they have an atypical shape.

Create more space by removing non-load-bearing walls. It’ll improve the flow in the room and let more light flood into your new room.

This also allows for multi-functional rooms. So kids can do their homework on the dining table while Dad makes dinner in the kitchen area.

Remember to paint the ceilings white to make rooms look even larger. Install statement lighting pieces for an instant ‘wow’ factor.

Or add sun tubes, which reflect light captured on the roof down into the house.

8. Remember the Basement

Your basement isn’t just spare square footage under your house. It can be a real money-earner if you do something with it.

One option is to convert the basement into an extra room. Basements make great workshops, media rooms, or playrooms. Where possible, add an extra bathroom to service these new spaces.

Another option is installing storage shelves to make the basement easy to use. It becomes a tidy, organized storage space instead of a dusty space full of cobwebs and old furniture.

9. Fix What’s Broken

You’ll no doubt have a list of things you always meant to fix someday. Well, someday just became today for all those home maintenance tasks.

Fix all those leaky gutters, plumbing problems, or squeaking doors. Adding insulation to attics or cavity walls is also a great idea.

While these make an obvious cosmetic difference, they’ll make more difference to buyers. They’re more likely to buy a house they can move into and enjoy straight away. No one wants a fixer-upper!

10. Boost Your Curb Appeal

It doesn’t matter what you do to increase value inside your home if buyers don’t step through the door. Boosting the curb appeal of the property can help convince them of its value.

Work on updating the exteriors. A swift paint job will upgrade a fading color scheme. Replace siding that’s past its best.

Install window boxes to add color. Fix up the roof if it needs work.

Work on the driveway, repairing cracks or removing weeds. Buyers will appreciate low-maintenance greenery like shrubs and trees.

Get Clever With Your Upgrades

Any, or all, of these ideas, can help improve your house. That helps it increase value for potential buyers. But it also makes it a nicer place for you to live until you sell.

Check out our other home improvement articles for more ideas.