Triangle Area Real Estate News & Information

Despite what HGTV might have you thinking, there are ways to add value to your home besides completely redoing your kitchen and baths, both of which can be expensive undertakings.

Re-Painting Your Interiors

The least expensive upgrade any home can get is a sharp new paint job, but there are some caveats. Painting itself is pretty easy. What's not as easy is the prep work required for a really great paint job. Be prepared to spend more time getting the room ready to paint than you will actually painting. Here are some secrets to help you make any room look awesome.

Step 1: Prepare your surfaces. If you want a great looking paint job, start with nice smooth surfaces. If your walls have little dings in them, get some sheet rock mud from your local paint store and use it to smooth out any blemishes. When it's dry, lightly sand it. You can also sand out most blemishes on your trim work. Always vacuum and/or wipe down all your surfaces before you paint. If you have stains on a ceiling or wall treat them first with a stain killer such as “Kilz.”

Step 2: Tape. Use painters tape to cover what you don’t want to paint, like windows. The tape comes off easily and is readily available in any hardware or paint store. Take your time and focus on keeping good straight lines. This is absolutely critical if you're going to have a great looking room.

Step 3: Paint. Use the right paint. The higher the gloss the more imperfections will show. Walls should be painted with flat paint. Trim semi-gloss. In bathrooms an eggshell or satin finish hold up better, but avoid the inclination to use it anywhere else in your house. This may sound silly, but buy high quality paint. High quality paint will go on easier and provide better coverage. If you’re using colors, check with the people you buy your paint from and ask them what color primer they suggest. It's often a different color than you might imagine and you would be better off taking their advice. Lastly, don't paint in the evening when you’re already tired and don't have good light. Professional painters typically bring in spot lights to work inside; they know the importance of being able to see what they’re doing and of not trying to paint in a room that's full of shadows. You'll get a better paint job if you paint in a well-lit room and when you're really focused on the job at hand rather than simply trying to bang it out.

Step 4: Trim. Inside or outside, trim should be a different color than the wall color. It's a detail and looks best when it “pops.” Take your time, fill all nail holes and tape off the adjoining walls, floor and/or ceiling and then painting trim goes quickly.

Dress Up Your Walls With Crown Molding

Another great and reasonable way to improve the value of your home is to add crown or chair moldings to a room. This takes a little experience using a miter saw, but definitely can be done by many people on their own. Nowadays you can use a very reasonably priced MDF [Fiber board] product that, once it's in place, is indistinguishable from the more expensive wood versions and typically costs less than half as much. Even if you don't feel capable of doing this yourself, consider hiring a carpenter to come in and put it up for you. Crown moldings can really dress up a room.

Modernize Your Fixtures

Replace fixtures. Another great way to add appeal and value to your home is to update the lighting and plumbing fixtures. Again there are many homeowners who can tackle this task on their own, making it extremely affordable. Focus first on your lighting fixtures, in this order: kitchen, bathrooms, hallways, remaining rooms. With plumbing fixtures, start with the kitchen first, then master bathroom, then the remaining bathrooms.

Always Stay Within Your Realm Of Capabilities

Adding hardwood floors, tile in bathrooms or as a back-splash in your kitchen, putting in granite counter-tops, etc. are all great things to do, and definitely add to any home’s appeal. But these are bigger ticket items and typically beyond the skills of the average homeowner to do on their own. Don't try tackling projects on your own that you're not sure you can pull off. There's nothing worse than spending your time and money and not being happy with the end result. It's your home and it's absolutely worth having it look great and reflect your unique style.

Want some more tips on ways to enhance your space for less? Contact Larry and the team at My NC Homes online or by phone at 919-659-5173. If you're thinking about selling, they can make suggestions on ways to replenish your space and add value you might not have known that you could.