There is no doubt that the location of your property is the biggest factor in deciding its value. Nothing beats a house in a good neighborhood with easy access to all facilities. Nonetheless, making some home improvements helps a lot in adding value to the property. Decide on a comfortable budget, make a list of things you want to remodel and take advice from a professional to understand what returns those improvements would fetch you. But you have to realize that getting expensive brick pavers or fixing the plumbing problems may not fetch great returns. You need not over-improve but target those things which will be important for the buyer. Some of these things are listed below.

Dark and cramped places are liked by no one. On the contrary, a well-lit and spacious house is like a magnet which attracts everyone as it radiates positive energy. Changing your floor plan to make your house look spacious is a good idea. For example, if your rooms are small and block natural sunlight, you can remove some walls to open up your floor plan. Also, you can combine your kitchen, living room and dining room to make it look spacious. You can also widen your doorways 6 to 12 inches to make the place look bigger. You can have vaulted ceilings to make your rooms look bigger. Well-lit, airy and spacious rooms are very inviting and are a big value booster.

In their efforts to go “green”, many companies have started giving the option of telecommuting or work from home to their employees. This has made “home office” a necessity rather than a luxury. Creating an office space adds a lot of value to the house. If you have a room which the buyer can visualize as his/her home office, it will definitely increase his/her prospects of buying your house. An unused den, a sun-room or an extra bedroom can be converted into an office. Make sure that the room has space to place cabinets for storage, a computer desk, has phone lines and data ports and other electrical outlets.

It’s rightfully said that first impression is the last impression. If your house doesn’t appeal to the buyer from outside, chances are that he/she may not want to buy the property. So curb appeal is an important aspect as far as adding value to the property is concerned. According to BankRate a good first impression can add 5 to 10 percent to the value of your house. Make sure that the exterior of your house doesn’t look outdated or faded. Apply fresh paint on the outside walls to make them look new. Add flowers to the entrance and the pathway. Mow your lawn to make it look attractive, neat and clean. You may want to add some furniture in your patio or deck to make it look attractive. Easy-to-take-care perennials, raised garden beds or even a water feature can add a lot of beauty to your outdoors and make it look fresh and inviting.

Did you know that effective lighting can make a dramatic improvement in the way your home looks? Lighting is often overlooked in home improvement projects. Many homeowners do not realize that lighting can affect the looks and ambiance of their home. Learn about the different aspects of lighting for the home, both indoors and outdoors.

Security Lighting

Your home may benefit from an exterior security light. They can be equipped with motion sensors that will turn the light on when someone approaches the house. The light can serve as deterrent especially if it alerts someone sleeping in the house. You can also have them come on even if nobody is home.

Exterior Light

Outdoor lighting can also improve your home. With good outdoor lighting, you can entertain guests outside in a relaxing environment. You can install mood lights in the patio or dining area. Put them in trees or outdoor fairy lights around the patio will look particularly beautiful. You can even develop your outdoor lighting for a party atmosphere.

Interior Lights

Interior lights are very important in any home. You will need good task lighting in the kitchen as well as the bathroom. These two rooms need good lighting so that you can cook, chop vegetables, apply makeup, etc. You may also need to turn down the lights in these rooms while enjoying your meal or taking a bath. Dimmer switches in the bathroom and kitchen can accomplish this.

You may also want to turn them down in the sitting room for a relaxing evening. A reading lamp will come in handy if you need more light. In your bedroom, you may need a good reading atmosphere. Likewise, a desk will need a separate desk lamp.

Light Fixtures

There are many different types of fixtures that are both functional and decorative. Choose the best light fixture that will complement your home style and décor. The following types of fixtures are available for your indoor lighting needs:

• Interior fixtures. These come in different shapes, colors and styles. They can be used on floor and table lamps, mounted fixtures or recessed lighting. The right fixture will accentuate your home’s interior.

• Chandeliers. Large and ornate chandeliers can be mounted to the ceiling. They usually feature two or more light-bearing arms. You can choose from an array of shapes, types of crystal, number of lamps, etc.

• Pendant. Pendants are suspended from the ceiling with a cord. A wide selection of pendants are available with different sizes, materials, colors and finishes.

You can enhance the décor and ambiance of your home with the right lighting fixtures. This home-improvement idea does not have to cost much but it can make a huge impact on the way your home looks.