What is your home worth? What might it be worth once you’ve completed a few easy remodeling projects? The difference may surprise you, but the challenge is knowing where to start. For your inspiration, here are six simple projects for under $5k that you can either take on yourself or enlist the help of a handyman to complete. We’ll begin with the kitchen, continue on to the bathroom, and then share a few projects that may surprise you. It all adds up to a modest makeover that could impact your home’s resale value in a major way.

1. The kitchen is king (Give it the royal treatment)  

The kitchen remains the most popular room in the house. It’s a hub, a gathering space. If you have a killer kitchen, it will be reflected in your home’s value. Updates may be cosmetic, like touching up the paint, installing a ceiling fan, or hanging a pot rack or a wine holder. They may be structural, like installing a kitchen island or a rolling cart. Feeling ambitious? Consider replacing your appliances with stainless steel updates.

2. Think outside the bathroom 

Bathrooms are no longer strictly utilitarian spaces. The warmer you can make your bathroom feel, the more you can make it feel like a spa, the more buyers will covet your home. Go with granite or marble for your countertops. Consider replacing your drop sink with an undermount. Heated floors? Wall-mounted fixtures? Check and check. Buyers love them. Buyers look for them. You may need a plumber, an electrician, or even a contractor. It’s worth the investment.

3. Finish the basement

Finished basements are in. They’re oftentimes fairly simple to achieve. Mostly, they involve adding finishes to your existing space. You can enlist the help of a contractor to transform your basement into a gym, a soundproof playroom, a pub with a wet bar, or even a state-of-the-art home theater. You may also wish to hire a contractor to identify potential red flags before you start.

4. Remake the closet

We’ve all heard realtors say “location, location, location.” These days they’re also saying “closets, closets, closets.”  Closets are increasingly being recognized as a major factor in a home’s appeal. Off-the-shelf systems, custom built-ins... buyers won’t simply recognize a remodeled closet. They’ll factor it into the price they’re willing to pay for the home.

5. Put a home office to work for you

With more and more people working remotely, the value of a home office has never been higher. The key is to create a home office setting a prospective buyer would actually want to work in. (Caution: you’ll want to work in it too.) Choose a room with plenty of natural light. Consider installing custom cabinetry to give the space a polished, professional look. Adding greenery will create additional warmth. Painting may be a good idea too. (Choose a bright, cheerful color. Avoid the dreaded “office beige.”) The updates are modest, but the impact on your resale value is real.

6. Increase your curb appeal

How does your house look from the outside? Home remodeling can involve outdoor activity too. Consider lining your walkway with freshly planted flowers. Paint the front door or garage to make them a colorful focal point. Have you cleaned the gutters lately? Are the fence and deck in good repair? It all adds up to greater curb appeal, which any realtor will tell you can only boost your home’s value.

Conclusion

6 simple projects, 1 straightforward goal: to increase your resale value! When you consider that your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, taking steps to maximize the resale value don’t just make sense. It’s essential. We’ve included 6 remodels you can undertake that are sure to pay off, but there are plenty more. From faucet repair to drywall repair, weatherstripping to exterior painting, if it makes your home look better, it will make your resale value higher.

Ready, set, remodel!