When people renovate their homes, many of them have resale in mind. Of course, during the property boom, a lot of us sold our homes for a profit. But when the property market crashed after the boom, people started worrying if they would make a sale at all. But now that property prices have more or less stabilized, more and more people are starting to look at their homes as a long term commitment. This is definitely a positive development.

When you look at your house as your own private retreat, the possibilities for personalization are limitless. And if you are not going to sell it in the next five or ten years, why not make it perfect for your lifestyle and needs? You can also add plenty of home value that will pay off whenever you do decide to sell.

Remove a bedroom

If you can add more space to your living room by removing a bedroom, don’t hesitate to do it. Your living room leaves a lasting impression on your visitors because that’s where you entertain them. So make it as beautiful as you can.

In many homes, you will find dinky little bedrooms on the first floor just because the owner wants an extra bedroom (or bedrooms) on paper. But if that extra bedroom doesn’t add value to your home, you should knock it down and enjoy the extra light and space.

Build a little park inside the home

Add a slide, firefighter pole, rock climbing wall, or loft to your home or garden. If you enjoyed them while you were a kid, you will probably enjoy them now as well. What’s more, this is an extra feature your children will absolutely love.

Make your home pet-friendly

If you have pets; build cat ramps, dog runs, and pet doors for your furry friends. These features will make life a whole lot more entertaining and easier for them and you.

Forget about safe choices

Don’t confine yourself to safe options like granite countertops, white cabinets, and beige paint. Of course these are all great choices, but you will find them in almost all homes. Make your home a little different by tapping into your creativity. What about apple-red cabinets or floral wallpaper? If you like them, you have no reason not to get them.

Think about your needs

While designing your landscape, think about your needs.  Just because you assume that the future owner of your home will like to have a big green lawn, you don’t have to create one. Think about your needs. Would you like to have a Zen garden in your backyard? Yes? Then build it.

Shift rooms

You may have a proper dining room, but if you never use it, you should change it into an office or library. Find creative new ways to use your available space.

Get rid of a specialty room

Specialty rooms like wine cellars or media rooms may look great on paper, but they hardly add any value. If you feel that they are totally unnecessary, get rid of them.

Redesign to fit your passions

While remodeling, your only concern should be making your home more livable so add features that fit your life and passions. Boosting the looks of your home is easy if you have the right creative skills and a little imagination!

The Home Loan Advisor is a tool that was built to provide homeowners with insight into opportunities available in the current market, without having to shuffle through all of the clutter on the Internet. Not only does the Home Loan Advisor analyze your property, current market conditions, local market comps, and other variables in our proprietary algorithm, but we match you with potential lenders who have products that may help you and provide you with a sense of stability. As an added feature of the Home Loan Advisor service, we provide you with a free home value report generated from Neighborhood IQ. All of these services are absolutely free!