Increase your home’s value with these simple projects

This story is brought to you by Century 21 High Desert, which has been in business since 1996 and has the guidance, professional execution and local knowledge to help you buy or sell a home in east Idaho.

If you’re thinking about selling your home — even if it’s years down the road — you’ll want to consider doing some simple house projects to help increase your home’s value.

More than 5 million existing homes were sold in 2015, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. Real estate agents helped nearly 90 percent of those sellers.

However, that doesn’t mean every home was easily sold. Some had been on the market for a long time. No one wants to be in that situation when they’re finally ready to sell their home. So to make sure that doesn’t happen to you, start brainstorming ways to increase your market value now.

Fortunately, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. Several improvements can be made for a just a few hundred bucks, according to HGTV.com.

• A fresh coat of paint quickly adds a clean and updated look. It’s simple and extremely cost effective. A gallon of paint averages $25, which leaves you plenty of money for more updates.
• Clean up your lawn. No one, including your neighbors, likes to look at a dandelion-ridden lawn or overgrown bushes. A lawn service company can come in and clean up the yard for a few hundred dollars, a worthwhile investment that will increase your curb appeal.
• If you can only afford to renovate one room, make it the bathroom. If you can afford a full renovation, update the lighting and paint the cabinets. It will go a long way, without ruining your wallet.
• Keep up with your home maintenance. Small projects can get out of control when stacked up. Staying on top of problems creates less work when it is time to sell.
• It may be costly, but try to complete that unfinished basement. Most people want a finished basement because it’s less of a hassle to worry about.
• Hire an organizer for a day. It’s a one-time fee that will pay dividends in the end. They’ll show you how to organize individual rooms in your house. A clutter-free house appears cleaner and larger, which is more appealing to potential homebuyers.
• Declutter and finish those unfinished home projects that seem to be piling up. Potential buyers tend to notice when something is not completed, and it may hurt your chances of selling at your asking price.
• If you aren’t planning on selling for years to come, you may want to think about landscaping improvements that will bloom over the years. Mature trees increase property value and even cut cooling costs, which makes it a win-win.

Also, timing can be everything. The best time to sell is mid-March, according to Spencer Rascoff, the CEO of Zillow, the nation’s leading real estate website. However other climates like Idaho’s get pushed back to a few months later when the weather starts to warm, so it’s best to make sure you have your house in order by then.