2 minute read. 

If you’re planning on listing your home in time for the summer market, now is a great time to be thinking about improvements you can make to your home to get the most bang for your buck.
 
Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Replace Your Garage Door
   
   One of the quickest ways to improve the curb appeal of your home is to replace your garage door. The garage is one of the first things potential buyers notice when looking at your home, so if yours is showing its age – it may be time for an update.
   
   As it gets colder outside old, non-insulated garage doors will trap cold air against your home forcing you to spend more money on energy bills. A great way to boost energy efficiency in your home is to upgrade to an insulated garage door.
    
2. Install Smart Locks
   
   There’s nothing like the peace of mind that comes with being able to control and monitor the security of your home through your smartphone. Most smart locks on the market come at a fair to a high-end price depending on the features included, but you’ll see a return for bonus features like this when you list to sell.
    
3. Get a Nest Thermostat
   
   Smart thermostats learn your heating and cooling patterns and automatically adjust your HVAC to meet your needs. This is a great feature because it allows you to improve the environment in your home and save money while heating and cooling your home at the same time. What’s even better about a nest thermostat? You can install them by yourself!
    
4. A Minor Kitchen Update
   
   Now into the summer market, it’s too close to the wire to execute a full kitchen renovation, but there are a few updates you can complete that will won’t take as long and will still add lots of value to your home. Kitchen updates that focus on common “pain points” such as lack of space and storage can return up to 83% of their value when it comes time to sell, making them one of the smartest home updates you can do this year.
    
5. Update the Bathroom
   
   Aside from the kitchen and the bedroom, the bathroom is one of the highest traffic areas of your home. Similar to the kitchen, you don’t have to remodel the entire room to reap a return on your investment. Head to your local hardware store and pick up any one of these items to spruce your bathrooms:
   
   * New faucet and handles
   * Modern mirrors
   * New towel racks
   * Shelving units
   * A new toilet
    
6. Channel Your Inner Handyman
   
   There are plenty of resources out there to help you complete small repairs around your home, and chances are, you have a friend or know someone locally who can help for little to no cost. Go through your home and check the following:
   
   * Leaks in the shower or tub
   * Leaks in the sink or toilet
   * Knicks or holes in the drywall

 
How will you add value to your home to ensure you get the most return on your investment this year? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

At Knowledge Broker, our goal is to create an open-source of information for all our clients. We want to ensure that, at the end of the day, they get exactly what they want and what they need. If you know someone who could use our help or services please put them in touch with us or send us their details using the contact information below. And before you go, click here to take the Knowledge Broker Quiz and see exactly what we can do for you!

JOSHUA CAMPBELL (@knowledgebrkr)
Real Estate Broker
Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre, Brokerage
joshua@knowledgebroker.ca
249 Avenue Road • Newmarket, ON L3Y 1N8
289.231.0001