Kadence Buchanan asked:


One of the best ways to increase the value of your investment property is to undertake some home improvements. But where to begin? The following are a few tried and tested tips on what to improve in order to raise the value of your house.

1. Improve the property’s exterior

Always start with the outside of the house because that’s the most important part of the property. It is what potential buyers see first and it is usually what makes them decide whether they want or are interested in the property or not.

2. Dab fresh paint or set up new sidings

Would you believe that a simple paint job can increase the value of your property significantly? Only a few weeks ago, an effective re-painting job pushed the value of one of my investment properties to rise by $25,000.

3. Landscaping

This is also related to upgrading exteriors. Some people simply find landscaped lawns magical, especially the woman of the house. There is really something about a nicely-manicured lawn that is adorned with esthetically arranged plants, rocks and ornaments that makes people stop and stare.

4. Parking areas always matter

Parking is so hard to come by these days in a lot of places that having a house with parking space automatically makes it worth more.

5. Interiors are what make the house a home

When thinking of upgrading the interiors, the most sought-after rooms are usually the bathroom, kitchen and master bedroom. Start on these first. Think of a new bathtub, shower stalls, tiles and the like. Put up a full-length mirror. Paint the interiors as well as the exteriors. Try to have lots of space in your kitchen that can fit in a table, lots of storage space, counter top, double sink, garbage disposal system and the usual appliances. Good carpeting and tiles are a must, and it would be ideal if they were new. Carpets that are good to the touch make a good impression. The kitchen and bathroom should have quality tiles or tasteful vinyl rugs. A hardwood floor can add a lot of value to the dining area.

Kadence Buchanan asked:


One of the best ways to increase the value of your investment property is to undertake some home improvements. But where to begin? The following are a few tried and tested tips on what to improve in order to raise the value of your house.

1. Improve the property’s exterior

Always start with the outside of the house because that’s the most important part of the property. It is what potential buyers see first and it is usually what makes them decide whether they want or are interested in the property or not.

2. Dab fresh paint or set up new sidings

Would you believe that a simple paint job can increase the value of your property significantly? Only a few weeks ago, an effective re-painting job pushed the value of one of my investment properties to rise by $25,000.

3. Landscaping

This is also related to upgrading exteriors. Some people simply find landscaped lawns magical, especially the woman of the house. There is really something about a nicely-manicured lawn that is adorned with esthetically arranged plants, rocks and ornaments that makes people stop and stare.

4. Parking areas always matter

Parking is so hard to come by these days in a lot of places that having a house with parking space automatically makes it worth more.

5. Interiors are what make the house a home

When thinking of upgrading the interiors, the most sought-after rooms are usually the bathroom, kitchen and master bedroom. Start on these first. Think of a new bathtub, shower stalls, tiles and the like. Put up a full-length mirror. Paint the interiors as well as the exteriors. Try to have lots of space in your kitchen that can fit in a table, lots of storage space, counter top, double sink, garbage disposal system and the usual appliances. Good carpeting and tiles are a must, and it would be ideal if they were new. Carpets that are good to the touch make a good impression. The kitchen and bathroom should have quality tiles or tasteful vinyl rugs. A hardwood floor can add a lot of value to the dining area.

Lori Smith asked:


New York totally fits the name “megacity,” a complex network of residential, industrial and commercial establishments. Naturally, home improvement is gaining priority in the lives of its multi-million residents. Busy lifestyles demand versatile, living spaces that are snug refuges at the end of the day, regardless of the size or type of units. Homeowners need to know what to do it cases of damages and functionality issues hiding; who is busy corporate man who wants to wait for the time when the damage is beyond repair? The time will come when having a contact number on a home improvement contractor will prove handy. So how do you get the best one?

For starters, good feedback passed from friends is the best form of marketing among business owners, which can lead to the demise of one’s business too, if not that positive. Check among the circle of people around you as to who they can recommend. A careful search will almost always turn up testimonials about a good contractor. Be prudent, if not keep clear about names that come up in your trips to a construction supply store; some of these references could simply be false contacts that rely only on finder’s fees.

If you run out of totally reliable sources of information in these matters, look them up in the BBB or the Better Business Bureau in your locality first before rubbing your elbows raw together with some worn local Yellow Pages. Maximize your time too by looking up home improvement contractors with less-than-polished records or with dubious and vague feedback. Of course, the web or the Information Superhighway  is always a standalone archive of contacts with a good home improvement contractor waiting at the end. Try googling keywords like “contractors”, or the name of some familiar professional that you are interested in, and you might also find some of his good affiliates in your own area.

As you near the end of your worries about those tiles or your ceiling, screen through the contacts you have amassed to spot the right contractor to invest your money and time on. Call each of your prospects and do not get surprised that you have to go through specific details he needs to know about. Your home as an investment is at stake here, so do not hold back questions especially the critical ones that could mean aesthetic and safety issues. Deciding on your choices only because of the price quoted by the contractor to be the lowest does not mean reliable. It may also not mean the highest quality possible. When mulling over price bids, think about what the contractor plans to do plus materials involved in the project. Needless to say, you also need to be responsible in looking up his license.

If you do your own careful contacts review, you can get a competent contractor, for sure. The time extended on going through the selection and the dollars spent would prove to be well worth it not only after the project has been finished successfully but in the long run. Getting the right and sensible handyman for your home project steers you clear of those unnecessary headaches and additional costs.