Top 10 DIY Projects That'll Boost the Value of Your Home

Housing prices may have dropped in your neighborhood, but there are smart ways to invest in your home right now to help hold its value. Here's what veteran real estate professionals from around the country have to say about what home improvement projects pay off, whether you are selling now or in the future.--JB

MORE Brokers Tell All: 10 Ways to Boost House Value

1. Create Space
For the price of a few hundred dollars, you'll transform the feel of the house. "Right now buyers want a wide open floor plan, the living room right off the kitchen. They are into big spaces," says Kristin Wellins, Senior Manager of Program Development for ERA Real Estate.

Get It Done
•Knock Out Walls and Remove a Doorway
•Replace a Wall with a Breakfast Bar
• Tear Down a Pass-Through Wall








2. Clean Up the Yard
According to a 2007 survey of 2,000 brokers conducted by HomeGain, an online real estate marketing site, an investment of around $400 or $500 dollars in landscaping, can bring a return of four times that.

Get It Done
• Work with a Tree Removal Pro
• Prune Shrubs and Small Trees
• Clean Up Hedges










3. Add Natural Light
The number one item on the 2007 HomeGain survey, lighting-everything from a dimmer switch to the increasingly popular sun tubes-noticeably enhances a home's appeal. Flooding a space with natural light is appealing to buyers.

Get It Done
• Install Sun Tubes
• Put in a Skylight










4. Maintain Windows
A few other ways to light things up: Fix broken panes, make sure windows open. Energy-saving upgrades, like sealing up drafty windows, will also add value. (More on green upgrades later).

Get It Done
• Open a Painted-Shut Window
• Clean the Windows Like a Pro
• Airtight Windows in 9 Steps










3. Stop Procrastinating on Maintenance
Maintenance goes a long way toward value. Jessica Gopalakrishnan with HomeGain says, "Starting with a couple hundred dollars on a few things could increase the value of your house by a few thousand dollars. People are surprised by that. It's exciting. People think they have to put in a lot of money to see a big difference and they really don't."

Get It Done
• How to Fix Running Toilets and Dripping Faucets
• Repair Corroded Pipes
• 52 Fixes for Annoying Home Ailments







4. Take Care of the Attic and the Basement
Investing in things like insulating the attic and getting your furnace maintained is not only moneywise; it could also be crucial to a sale. Brokers and agents from across the country say the houses that get attention in this buyers market are in tip-top shape. John Veneris, the regional vice president of the National Association of Realtors in Downers Grove, Illinois, says, "What's important in this market, now more than ever, because there is so much inventory, the houses that sell are in pristine condition and are priced to the market."

Get It Done
• Insulate an Attic
• Drying a Wet Basement
• Inspect and Maintain a Furnace


5. Upgrade Your Flooring
Don't undervalue the materials you're standing on. Ninety-four percent of real estate pros recommend spending some money on floors. But it doesn't have to be a lot of money. For an estimated average investment of $600 to $900, brokers report that the return in value comes in at up to $2,000.

Get It Done
• Install a Floating Floor
• Repair a Broken Floor Tile
• Install a Cork Floor








6. Paint Neutral
If you're getting ready to put a house on this circumspect market, don't allow walls with chipped paint to go unmaintained. If you need to do more than a touch up, choose neutral colors.

Get It Done
• Paint a Room
• Paint Doors and Windows
• Pro Painter Secrets










7. Spruce Up the Bathroom
Brokers, one and all, say spiffing up the kitchen and bath is a sure bet for adding value to your home. Surveyed brokers say these kinds of improvements can get expensive. It may not be economical to do a major renovation if you are trying to spend as little as possible before putting a house up for sale. But some upgrades are cheap, easy, and fast...especially in the bathroom.

Get It Done
• Caulk Around the Tub
• Replace a Bathroom Faucet
• Install a Low-Flow Toilet







8. Go Green
If maintenance and repairs are in hand, Virginia broker Roger Voisinet says put the greenbacks into green efficiency. If your heating or air conditioning systems are old, "new ones are so much better, with savings of up to 30 to 40%." Another example he points to: for $7,000 for the unit and installation, with $2,100 back in green tax credits, a solar-powered water heater could save you as much as 80% on your water-heating bills.

Get It Done
• Install a Solar Hot Water Heater
• Get a Pellet Stove
• 10 More Ways to Shrink Your Energy Bills





9. Put Your Best Foot Forward With an Entrancing Entryway
ERA's Kristin Willens says, "Don't underestimate the power of a front door. People make up their minds in the first seven seconds of entering a house." Surveyed brokers like a working door bell, and Voisinet says don't forget an overhang, such as an awning or portico, above the front door. "If you don't have a way out of the rain, or shelter from the sun while you are fumbling for your keys, you are really missing out."

Get It Done
• Upgrade Your Front Entry
• Consider a Portico
• Replace Your Front Door




10. Add Character With Crown Molding and Other Details
Sometimes beautiful old house details are swapped out for trendy design, and newly-built homes can lack the character of trim and custom millwork altogether. If the architectural details of yesteryear are what you crave, get the look for less with some DIY.

Get It Done
• How to Beautify Your Home With Easy-Install Crown
• 12 DIY Projects to Add Old-House Charm
• Install Beautiful Lincrusta Wainscot