While you are enjoying a cool lemonade and warm breeze on the patio this summer evening, remember to bring along a pen and notepad and make a list of the maintenance projects you would like to complete before the end of the season. There are many summer home maintenance projects that add value to your home. In addition to your weekly routine maintenance, there are minor remodeling projects (projects costing less than $5,000) and other DIY general maintenance projects (costing less than $100 along with a commodity we affectionately refer to as “sweat equity”) that will greatly add value to your home. The real estate professionals at Barrett Sotheby’s International Realty look forward to helping you sell your home in the Greater Boston area this summer. Here are some maintenance projects to help get your home list-ready and achieve maximum value for your property.
Landscaping
Landscaping can increase a home’s value by 10-20%. Keeping up with routine maintenance is imperative: mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes, edging the walkways, and weeding the garden. Additionally, a homeowner can increase the curbside appeal of their property simply by making a trip to the garden center and picking up new perennials or annuals to plant in the flowerbeds. A savvy property owner will also consider developing a new design with a landscaping
professional. The budget for a professional landscape design, materials, and implementation will vary depending on the size of the yard and the amount of softscaping (plants, shrubs, and trees) and hardscaping (paths, retaining walls, stone elements) you choose to include. The average cost of a professional landscape design (just the plan) is in the range of $300- $2,500. The elements of color, texture, and scale provided in a professional design will provide the perfect setting for your home and increase curbside appeal dramatically. You can delegate the implementation of the plan to landscape professionals, or pull up your sleeves and tap into some “sweat equity” to keep the cost at a minimum.
Outdoor Living
Outdoor living spaces are always a welcome feature and attractive to potential buyers. While building a wooden or composite deck may cost upwards of $17,000 and give a low ROI of 65%…building a ground level patio will provide a much higher ROI with a smaller investment. The average cost of a ground level patio is in the range of $1,000-$5,000. Introducing a fire pit is another way to add immediate value to outdoor living spaces. A fire pit or fire pit table will elevate your outdoor gathering spot with the promise of roasted marshmallows and the pleasant crackling and glow of firelight as the sun sets on the distant horizon. The average cost of a fire pit is in the range of $800-$1,300.
Painting
Your home’s value will always benefit from a fresh coat of paint. The interior rooms can easily be painted any time of the year. You will need approximately two gallons of paint per room at an average of $40 per gallon. We always recommend painting rooms in a light neutral color to make rooms feel more spacious by reflecting natural and artificial light. The summer is the perfect time to tackle outdoor painting projects. Smaller projects, like painting your front door, won’t take more than a gallon of paint and less than a day to complete. Hiring a professional to paint a 2,500 square foot two story home may be in the neighborhood of $3,000-$5,000. You can save a considerable amount of money and maintain a positive ROI by taking on the project yourself. You will need approximately 22 gallons of paint for around $880. If you schedule a painting party with family and friends you may finish the job in a few short weekends (as long as you keep your guests happy with food and drink).
The team at Barrett Sotheby’s International Realty looks forward to helping you with all of your Greater Boston real estate needs this summer. Contact us today!
