Our homes are at the center of our lives, both personally and financially. How we maintain our homes influences both, so it’s important to approach home improvement projects in a safe and professional manner.
There are times when it is safe to take on new home improvement projects DIY-style. Projects are done with family and friends can create a sense of connection to each other and our neighborhood. Why not start a vegetable garden?
Then there are those more complicated and dangerous projects, such as electrical repairs and roofing work, that are outside our skillset. Why not call a professional?
Of course, there is no one right answer to each project. It all depends on our capabilities.
That being said, we can all benefit from expert assistance to ensure our home improvements are done to a professional standard: safely, legally, and with a polish that shows.
Afterall, successful home maintenance influences the value of our homes. So, if we are not the best candidate for the job, why not seek out the best?
Let’s look at a few home improvement areas and consider our capabilities and limitations.
Landscaping
About that vegetable garden: what a wonderful way to engage with our living space, get some exercise, and teach our children and grandchildren the value of homegrown nourishment. This kind of project might even influence neighbors to take a stab at their own backyard garden.
Other DIY projects might include mulching, flower planting, even fashioning a space for communal fire pits.
Then there are larger landscaping projects that would benefit from a professional hand, including water feature installations, tree planting (particularly if the tree has matured and grown heavy), tree removal, and flagstone setting.
Professionals can also be helpful with overall garden designs that will bring the property to life. Nurseries and landscape architects know too the best locations for various plants based on size, sun and water requirements.
Home Improvement Projects
While most landscaping projects beyond basic lawn care are optional to maintaining home value, roofing, water heater installation, plumbing and electrical work are essential. These tasks are inherently complicated and often dangerous. With few exceptions, home repairs are best left to professionals.
Even if safety isn’t a concern, like with a plumbing repair, the risk of damage caused by a sudden water break would end up costing far more than the initial cost of a professional.
Additional risks to attempting over-our-head home repairs include legal requirements only a professional would be aware of. Any repairs out of spec with city codes can hurt future appraisal value because the out of spec fix will need to be fixed again.
Of course, there are simple home improvement projects that are doable based on our physical ability. Do we feel strong enough to move new furniture into the house with the help of a friend? Go for it and save! Are we watching a YouTube video about replacing old carpet with hardwood floors? Might be time to call a professional.
There are plenty of skilled professionals with our interests in mind. Their business thrives when the value of our home increases through home improvement projects.
Neighborhood and HOA Involvement
Our houses are not islands; we are interconnected with neighbors, local businesses and surrounding public spaces. Neighbors can help each other raise home values through various improvement projects.
Remember the vegetable garden that inspired our neighbor? Simple ideas like these ripple throughout the neighborhood and nourish a healthy sense of community that all home buyers hope to find.
Additionally, we can advocate for local park and playground improvements, as well as improved traffic signage that make neighborhood streets safer for children.
We can even help neighbors in need directly, simply by mowing their lawn if they are unable, or recommending the best local plumbers, electricians, roofers and landscapers.
Why is Increasing Home Value Important?
Greater home value means greater home equity. As we get older, we face decisions about how to best leverage our hard-earned wealth and ensure it gets passed along to our family.
Tying up loose financial ends is part of the process; failure to do so can require additional time and many additional dollars to sort out.
Maintaining the physical health of our homes plays a significant roll in sustaining healthy home equity, however there are forces outside our control that can affect these values, including changing interest rates, home market trends and our own home loan structure.
Reverse mortgages are available for homeowners 62 and older who have built up substantial home equity. They are designed to help us support ourselves in retirement without selling the home we put so much care into.
And just like those home improvement projects, there are tools – such as a reverse mortgage calculator – to help us determine how much money we are eligible to receive.
That being said, considering the risks and requirements of reverse mortgages can be just as complicated as those ambitious home improvements we hang our home value on.
Fortunately, there are dedicated professionals in this field as well. And like the wise roofer, their success depends on how successfully they have served our needs. They prefer to be frank in presenting every available option, risk and alternative to us before we commit.
Wonderful! Another home value professional we can recommend to our neighbors!
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