From an average home price of USD$270,000 in August 2020 to a whopping USD$326,000 in August 2021, it’s clear that the housing market continues to boom in Connecticut. After all, the city has countless amenities provided to residents, such as beautiful parks, social services, and good schools. That’s even more of a case for the past few years since there’s a national shortage of properties in the United States. Perhaps, that’s why they say Connecticut has a seller’s market.
However, that doesn’t mean all properties will reach the average value. It’s also important not to slack off with home improvements and staging, lest your property decreases in home value.
Unfortunately, most home improvements are pretty expensive, so choosing the right ones can be quite daunting. If that’s your current struggle, this article should come in quite handy as it tackles nine of the home improvements that are sure to appeal to Connecticut homebuyers.
Note: If your budget doesn’t allow for home improvement, remember that you always have the option to sell your property to professional homebuyers, like Ocean City Development CT.
1. Front/Back Porch
A porch is an additional space in a house that leads to one of the entrances of the building. It’s typically large enough to house several pieces of furniture, such as a table or chairs. Not every house has a porch, but it typically adds value to the property if it does.
- Why should you add a porch to your home?
A porch is one of the most common home improvements in any state, not just in Connecticut, and for two main reasons. Not only does it add utility to the house by increasing the available space in the building, but it also makes the property a lot more appealing. Therefore, it most certainly would appeal to homebuyers. - How much will it cost?
Porches come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. A porch may also consist of several components, such as roofing, flooring, stairs, or even columns. Installing a front/back porch on a property should cost around USD$15,000 to USD$30,000 on average. But ,one may also install a simple porch with a sheet metal roof of concrete steps for USD$5,000.
2. Patio
Most homeowners install patios to add to their property’s livable space, much like what porches do. A patio is treated as a space for entertainment or as an outdoor living room. There are different types of patios. Some are covered with walls and ceiling, while some have all their sides exposed, except for the top since it should at least protect you from rain.
- Why should you add a patio to your home?
A patio is an excellent home improvement for Connecticut properties for the same reason as a porch. It adds utility to the owner, as well as improves the property’s aesthetics. However, unlike porches, you can customize the patio to mimic the different rooms inside your home. You can make it look like a dining room, living room, lounge, or kitchen. - How much will it cost?
Surprisingly enough, despite covering a larger area, patio installation is much cheaper than porch installation, as the average price is only around USD$5,400. You can even install a small patio (six feet by 10 feet) for as cheap as USD$500 if you mainly use gravel.
3. Office Space
An office space is pretty much any room that can accommodate the needs of an employee. But, a good office space must provide a quiet and peaceful environment to the owner.
- Why should you add an office space?
As you may already know, most companies are now adopting a work-from-home model, which means an office space has become necessary in most households. If you intend to appeal to Connecticut homebuyers, an office space can significantly increase your chances of selling the house to someone with a stable income, therefore increasing your profits. - How much will it cost?
If you have a spare room, creating a home office should be easy and cheap. The average cost for this home improvement should be around USD$3,500. If you plan on making small changes, such as furnishing and lighting, the cost can be as low as USD$2,000.
4. Gaming Space
Much like office space, a gaming space is any room explicitly designed and furnished to cater to a gamer’s needs. It doesn’t look that different from a home office, but there are differences.
- Why should you add a gaming space?
The online gaming industry has become an enormous market over the past few years. If you’re to sell your house in Connecticut, there’s a good chance the buyer, or one of their housemates, plays games. That’s why a gaming space will surely be an appeal to these specific buyers. And, since they play video games as a hobby, they’re also likely to have the budget for relatively expensive property, further increasing your profits. - How much will it cost?
Since you’ll only be adding pieces of furniture and not the actual gaming setup, it shouldn’t be too heavy on the wallet. A gaming space should cost around USD$3,000 on average.
5. Garage Space
A garage space isn’t the first thought that comes to mind when talking about home improvements, but it might be the best investment if you’re selling in a busy state, like Connecticut.
- Why should you add a garage space?
You should know very well that Connecticut is an expensive state. The cost of living is high, and the city is relatively busy. That explains why most workers in this state have vehicles to save on transport costs. This is precisely why a garage space is an incredibly beneficial investment if you plan on selling a property in Connecticut. - How much will it cost?
The size of the garage space required would depend on the buyer’s vehicle. But, since you’re a seller, the most logical option is to get relatively ample space, although not too big, since garage installation is quite expensive. For your reference, a 12 by 20 feet garage should cost around USD$18,000 to install, and that includes sidings, flooring, and roofing.
Closing Thoughts
Home improvements can serve one of two purposes: (1) to improve your quality of life or (2) to increase home value and attract more homebuyers. Typically, if it’s the former, you have to consider mainly your preferences, but if it’s the latter, choosing the right one can be incredibly difficult. Not only should you consider the costs, but you must also ensure it can serve its purpose of attracting buyers. With this article, you should be able to, at least, narrow down your choices.