October 12, 2021

Ways To Add Quality of Life and Financial Value to Your Home

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If you are looking to sell your property, then you are probably looking for maximum value. A bit of investment such as a finished basement, patio, decking, or a home spa could lead to a potentially significant return on investment. These additions can not only have a financial gain but also contribute to quality of life.

Installing a swimming pool isn't going to appeal to every potential buyer. Yet, the fun times you will enjoy with your family while you live there are priceless. The same can be said for other amenities such as a home gym. While this won't appeal to everyone, studies have shown that active families are happier than inactive ones. 

Here are some considerations for making the most of your family life while adding value to your property. 

Swimming Pool
Who doesn't love a good water feature? There's nothing quite like the soothing sound of a fountain or the constant trickle of a waterfall. But the fun begins when you have water you can get into. The height of family fun and sophistication for any home is, of course, a swimming pool. A pool of your very own means you can take a dip whenever you like and get into shape by swimming some lengths. The whole family can join in, and you can encourage fitness from an early age. 

The value a swimming pool will add to a family's social and active lifestyle is immeasurable. Fiberglass pools also add tons of value to a home. While they are expensive to install, starting at around $20,000, they are likely to increase a property's value significantly. They're also highly desirable for potential buyers. While not everyone will be looking for a swimming pool, you can expect around a 7% increase in your house price for those willing to buy. 

Well-being Spa and Sauna 
If you are looking to extend your fitness and well-being even further than a swimming pool or in place of one, then look into adding a spa and sauna. The Scandinavian regions popularized spas decades ago. Saunas are more than a mere luxury to impress people. They offer masses of health benefits when used regularly: 
  • Health, well-being, and performance. 
  • Recovery following physical activity. 
  • Detoxifying via perspiration. 
  • Stress relief. 
  • Sleep promotion. 
  • Skin health. 
Can you honestly think of anything better after a stressful day at work or a hefty workout session? Of course, you will need the space to install a spa and sauna as they are typically large at about the same size as a standard bathroom. Saunas are relatively easy to install, and you can do it yourself. However, it is the quality of installation that will determine the maintenance. Therefore, the basement is a common choice. 

Basement Finishing
Basements add value to your home. Once the basement is finished, meaning it is plastered, skirted, and tidied into a functional space there are many ways it can be used. The most common uses of a finished basement include a play area for the kids or the famous man cave. But the possibilities are endless: 
  • Food pantry and preparation 
  • Aquarium 
  • Home cinema 
  • Gaming room 
  • Crafting area 
  • Hydroponic herb and vegetable garden 
  • Apartment for rent 
A finished basement will add up to 60% of the main floor's value to your property sale price and an average return on investment of 75%. While you don't require permits to finish a basement, they are necessary if you plan on converting your basement into usable apartment space, especially if you want to rent it out. 

Room Conversion 
Once your basement is converted into an apartment of an acceptable standard, you could consider renting it. This could be a stranger, a young relative, or perhaps your own student-age child. This way, they can be close to home while beginning to learn about independent living. Finishing a basement is expensive, and converting it even more so. Yet, a fully converted basement could net you up to $4,000 per month in rent.

Of course, you could also convert your garage or attic into usable living space. These are a little cheaper and a popular option for older kids like high-school seniors and college students. However, just like basements, they need to be of an acceptable living condition if you are to charge for their accommodation. A garage alone is a highly desirable extension that most buyers look for. And a loft conversion will potentially add a massive 20% to your home's value.

Purpose-Built Home Gym
A home gym will not add any value to your property price. However, it is a highly desirable feature for many prospective buyers, such as those into fitness or looking to start. Having said that, the lifestyle and health benefits of a home gym while you live at your property are highly advantageous. Not only will you save on paying for expensive gym memberships, but you have instant access to fitness and health activities that the whole family can enjoy together.

Recent studies have highlighted a direct correlation between the happiness of a family and togetherness. This means families who participate in things together generally enjoy a higher sense of well-being and satisfaction. Additionally, the same study found that active families demonstrated a much higher bonding rate (48%) than inactive family units. So, while there's no financial incentive for a home gym, the family experience is potentially priceless.

Professional Landscaping
The front or back yard of your home is the first thing you see when you come home from work or look out of your window from the inside. They're also the most immediately noticeable part of your home by a potential buyer when you are looking to sell. Therefore you should tend to your yards as best you can. This includes trimming the hedges, mowing the lawn, killing weeds, and removing dead leaves. Essentially, get your gardening in line.

But the idea of a well-maintained yard extends beyond general gardening. For more complex jobs, you should consider professional landscaping. Landscapers can, of course, reshape your gardens to specific designs. But they can also install or remove trees and hedges expertly, are aware of habitat destruction, and can install proper drainage. If any of these is done incorrectly, it could spell disaster for your home and cost you significant sums.

Decking and Patios
We can safely say that summer is over. But that doesn't mean you can't sit out and enjoy some fresh air while it's still warm enough to do so. And to make private outdoor space and family time even more enjoyable, you can do it on your very own patio or decking. Both are inexpensive and easy to add value to your home and even more to the family experience. Patios are typically made of paving stones and can be installed in one day. Decking is a little more complex and requires a professional installation for the best results.

Either way, both are immeasurably enjoyable. By adding some solid structure to your immediate outdoor environment, you essentially increase functional space. Functional space is a significant selling point when placing a house on the market and one that most buyers look for. Additionally, patios and decking require minimal maintenance. A patio will benefit from the occasional jet wash and weeding, while decking requires only a scrub down. Both are inexpensive, will last for 20 years, and can add 10% to your home's value.

Modern Security System
When you work hard to provide a fun and beautiful home for your family, you should consider their protection. According to the FBI, around 1 million burglaries are committed in the United States alone. And everyone who is burglarized never thinks it will happen to them. As a responsible homeowner, it's a safe assumption that you have an intrusion alarm installed. Yet you could improve security with the following:
  • Smart locks: can be secured via an app and will alert you to tampering.
  • Wi-Fi security cameras: can be accessed via app or PC over your home network.
  • Smart light bulbs: can be switched on and off remotely and according to timers.
  • Infra-red window alarms: will sense window movement and alert you.
  • Video doorbell: operates over your home network and allows you to see who is at your door.
  • Motion sensors: detects and alerts you to motion inside your home.
  • Indoor sirens: will trigger upon movement detection.
These are designed to work with smartphones via apps. Most can operate through popular voice assistant hubs like Alexa and Siri. Smart security systems are becoming a popular method of family protection because they are cheap to install and easy to use. Therefore, they are also highly desirable to potential buyers who don't want to go through the hassle of establishing their own security systems when they move in.

Please note that all opinions and thoughts expressed are my own. All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2010 - 2021. Please Ask First

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