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DIY Home Improvements to Increase Home Value

Updated on August 9th, 2024

Julie Provost

DIY Home Improvements for Home Resale

Table of Contents

PCS season is a time when military families face important decisions about renting or buying a new home. Selling a home requires understanding that a house is a product, and that the process always takes a bit more time than you estimated at the start of your home selling journey. Below we explore some of the aspects of selling your home ahead of a PCS move.

Work with a Real Estate Agent

Real estate agents are experts in selling homes. They know their local housing markets well and can be a major asset in finding a home in a great location that “checks all the boxes.” The ability to resell a home is often among the top priorities for military families when buying.

Finding an agent that understands the military experience is a necessity. There are several ways to find a good one. Referrals from people you trust or from a great agent you already work with are excellent places to start but you can learn a lot by researching an agent’s local online reputation or by searching review sites like Angi.com

DIY Home Improvements to Increase Likelihood of Resale

There are plenty of ways to increase the value and appeal of a home. A good agent can guide you. Here are three easy to tackle projects that will increase the likelihood of reselling a home.

Curb Appeal

First impressions are important. What does your house look like from the street? Are there weeds in the flowerbeds? Bird droppings on the mailbox? Does the paint need to be touched up?

Would a stranger be excited to live here? Try these cost-effective projects to boost curb appeal.

Rent a pressure washer to clean siding, decking, and windows
Remove weeds from the flowerbeds, sidewalks, and driveway
Landscaping to add color to your lawn with flowers and trees
Upgrade the front door – house numbers, doorbell button, and a welcome mat

Think about replacing your front door handle. A small dirty knob with key scratches will never compete with a large sturdy handle.

Lowe’s and Home Depot offer military discounts that can make DIY curb appeal projects more affordable.

Clean and Organize

Good curb appeal can easily be squashed by a cluttered and disorganized interior. Deep clean every nook and cranny. Load extra things into storage totes and neatly stack them out of sight.

The sense of smell is closely linked to memory. Eliminate odors as you deep clean these commonly neglected areas.

Window tracks
Behind the toilets
Ceiling fan blades and light fixtures
High-touch surfaces – light switches, door handles, and outlet covers
Surfaces under and around appliances and large furniture

Consider adding a closet in an office. The difference between an office and a bedroom – a closet. Additional bedrooms lead to higher listing prices.

Fresh Paint

Painting seems simple – and it is – but requires patience and preparation. Try these tricks for high quality DIY interior painting.

Test colors – either paint a sample directly on the wall or tape color swatches and study them for a day or two
Protect surfaces you don’t want painted – thick canvas drop cloths are useful investments and can be reused for years
Skip the tape – invest in a quality slant-tip brush and try cutting in instead
Choose high quality supplies – quite simply, poor quality brushes will produce poor quality paint jobs

In addition to military discounts offered at Lowe’s and Home Depot, find paint supplies at Sherwin Williams at a 15% military discount.