Comments on: Can you increase your home’s value on the cheap? http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/ Practical Lifestyle Advice for Homemakers and Home Owners Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:30:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Eilish http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-669 Eilish Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:27:28 +0000 http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-669 One word of caution on landscaping to add to all the great advice here: if you have an established or overgrown yard, take stock before you rip anything out. Sometimes things are beyond salvaging, but often one day with a GOOD tree trimmer or landscaper can change the look of the yard and give you the beauty of an established yard that you can just spruce up. We had an ancient olive tree on our property that had been topped more than once. (I know, I've done all the screaming already. It's OK now.) I really thought we were going to have to cut it down because the branch structure had been compromised and it was really overgrown. Luckily, we have a great tree trimmer that was able to give it a make-over and it has become a beautiful feature in our yard. Tree trimmers can be expensive, but it is one of the investments you can make that makes a big and immediate impact. One word of caution on landscaping to add to all the great advice here: if you have an established or overgrown yard, take stock before you rip anything out. Sometimes things are beyond salvaging, but often one day with a GOOD tree trimmer or landscaper can change the look of the yard and give you the beauty of an established yard that you can just spruce up.

We had an ancient olive tree on our property that had been topped more than once. (I know, I’ve done all the screaming already. It’s OK now.) I really thought we were going to have to cut it down because the branch structure had been compromised and it was really overgrown. Luckily, we have a great tree trimmer that was able to give it a make-over and it has become a beautiful feature in our yard.

Tree trimmers can be expensive, but it is one of the investments you can make that makes a big and immediate impact.

]]> By: TovaGold http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-655 TovaGold Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:57:33 +0000 http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-655 This tip on that list was awesome... I'm installing new picture windows in my kitchen with the express interest in doing this: "17 - Hang crystals on fishing wire at the windows to catch the sunshine and send it dancing in rainbows round the room. Inexpensive, but so effective." This tip on that list was awesome… I’m installing new picture windows in my kitchen with the express interest in doing this:
“17 - Hang crystals on fishing wire at the windows to catch the sunshine and send it dancing in rainbows round the room. Inexpensive, but so effective.”

]]> By: Leah http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-653 Leah Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:34:11 +0000 http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-653 Great tips, NtB. I rent, but luckily I signed my lease "as is," which allows me to make cosmetic changes and not have to change them back. When I first moved in in 2004, we painted the whole apartment (12' walls in the living room and master bedroom screamed to not be painted landlord white). Now I've set my sights on the kitchen. I can't afford to reface the cabinets, nor replace the appliances. The rental company put in new flooring because the old flooring was scratched, but if it's not broken, they won't fix it. I've been thinking of painting the cabinets - I've seen some really pretty examples- and putting new hardware on. I'm gonna stick with the advice and look for interesting looking pieces, not "stock" hardware. If I spend a lot of money, then I'll just put the old crappy ones back on when I move out of the apartment. :-) Great tips, NtB. I rent, but luckily I signed my lease “as is,” which allows me to make cosmetic changes and not have to change them back. When I first moved in in 2004, we painted the whole apartment (12′ walls in the living room and master bedroom screamed to not be painted landlord white). Now I’ve set my sights on the kitchen.
I can’t afford to reface the cabinets, nor replace the appliances. The rental company put in new flooring because the old flooring was scratched, but if it’s not broken, they won’t fix it. I’ve been thinking of painting the cabinets - I’ve seen some really pretty examples- and putting new hardware on. I’m gonna stick with the advice and look for interesting looking pieces, not “stock” hardware. If I spend a lot of money, then I’ll just put the old crappy ones back on when I move out of the apartment. :-)

]]> By: Never teh Bride http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-649 Never teh Bride Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:42:37 +0000 http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-649 That's wonderful advice, Toby Wollin. I love pine trees, but you have to stay on top of them lest they become needly monsters obscuring everything in sight! My grandparents planted their Christmas trees every year and one grew up to be taller than their extremely tall house! Luckily, it was scaled well with that house and the large back yard, but they always said they never expected it to ever get that tall. That’s wonderful advice, Toby Wollin. I love pine trees, but you have to stay on top of them lest they become needly monsters obscuring everything in sight! My grandparents planted their Christmas trees every year and one grew up to be taller than their extremely tall house! Luckily, it was scaled well with that house and the large back yard, but they always said they never expected it to ever get that tall.

]]> By: Toby Wollin http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-648 Toby Wollin Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:11:08 +0000 http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-648 On the landscaping side - if you have one of those houses like I do, with neglected evergreens in the front and side (you know the ones - haven't been pruned in years..too tall..blocking the livingroom windows, etc. etc.), pull them out. Nothing makes a house look more neglected than that. If you don't want to pay a professional to pull them out, find a friend with a truck to help you - you'll need to dig down around the roots and loosen them up. Also, do not forget to call your local utility to make sure of where the pipes and wires come in, but really - pull those things out. You will probably find that behind them, the trim(maybe even the house too)will need to be powerwashed or even painted, but the results are amazing. Also, this goes double if you have overgrown pine trees in front of your house - what starts out as little four foot Christmas trees can turn very quickly into 25 foot behemoths which obscure the entire front of the house. We had neighbors down the road who had that problem and when they were done, amazingly enough, they had this really cute house with a wonderful front entry - but no one could ever see the entire front of the house because of the pine trees. On the landscaping side - if you have one of those houses like I do, with neglected evergreens in the front and side (you know the ones - haven’t been pruned in years..too tall..blocking the livingroom windows, etc. etc.), pull them out. Nothing makes a house look more neglected than that. If you don’t want to pay a professional to pull them out, find a friend with a truck to help you - you’ll need to dig down around the roots and loosen them up. Also, do not forget to call your local utility to make sure of where the pipes and wires come in, but really - pull those things out. You will probably find that behind them, the trim(maybe even the house too)will need to be powerwashed or even painted, but the results are amazing. Also, this goes double if you have overgrown pine trees in front of your house - what starts out as little four foot Christmas trees can turn very quickly into 25 foot behemoths which obscure the entire front of the house. We had neighbors down the road who had that problem and when they were done, amazingly enough, they had this really cute house with a wonderful front entry - but no one could ever see the entire front of the house because of the pine trees.

]]> By: Never teh Bride http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-642 Never teh Bride Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:28:25 +0000 http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-642 I'm learning all about the DIY landscaping right now, Eilish. We bought a mess of bulbs, and we have a bunch of garden areas that need definition. I’m learning all about the DIY landscaping right now, Eilish. We bought a mess of bulbs, and we have a bunch of garden areas that need definition.

]]> By: Eilish http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-639 Eilish Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:27:22 +0000 http://manolohome.com/2008/03/28/can-you-increase-your-homes-value-on-the-cheap/#comment-639 OK, my top three tips that are super cheap and easy to do if you are at all able to do it yourself. 1. Paint, and not in only neutral colors! Paint is one of the cheapest ways to make a room seem new again and color=custom. It doesn't have to be loud, but use some color in at least some of your rooms! 2. DIY landscaping (professional costs a fortune). If you don't know what to plant, you can go online or buy any one of the great landscaping books out there and just follow the plans in them. 3. Clean and de-clutter. The more stuff you have, the more likely that your house will look dated and fussy. Better a single great piece on a mantel or table than a bunch of little busy things. OK, my top three tips that are super cheap and easy to do if you are at all able to do it yourself.
1. Paint, and not in only neutral colors! Paint is one of the cheapest ways to make a room seem new again and color=custom. It doesn’t have to be loud, but use some color in at least some of your rooms!
2. DIY landscaping (professional costs a fortune). If you don’t know what to plant, you can go online or buy any one of the great landscaping books out there and just follow the plans in them.
3. Clean and de-clutter. The more stuff you have, the more likely that your house will look dated and fussy. Better a single great piece on a mantel or table than a bunch of little busy things.

]]>