7 Must-Do Home Improvements 2023

When it comes to home improvement projects, it can be tempting to put them off, especially if they don’t seem particularly urgent or required. Yet, there is a small list of upgrades you can and should consider implementing, even if you can tell yourself you can live without them.

Bruce Irving, a home-renovation expert, and real estate salesperson in Cambridge, Massachusetts, compares it to going to the gym: It is about looking beautiful, but it is also about preparing your body to jump rapidly if necessary. That is, nobody wants to be caught wishing they had previously made a certain change.

Not only would proactively addressing a home improvement punch list help your house’s selling worth, but it will also raise your pleasure in your home while you’re living there. The following is a list of projects that you should not put off any longer.

Improve your window coverings

Heidi Lachappelle, an interior designer based in Portland, Maine, suggests that window coverings should not be overlooked. “This is because they are often sized for and ordered at the conclusion of a remodeling or new construction project when their costs might be prohibitive,” she notes. Yet, they are a vital must for completing the look. They provide both aesthetic and usefulness to a property, especially if it has significant solar exposure. Curtains can protect your flooring and furnishings from deteriorating over time.

Install cooling equipment

This is essential, according to Irving. “From a real estate perspective, air conditioning is an expectation,” he explains. The benefit is that you will also like it. Additionally, there is no requirement for a significant central air installation: Irving, who just installed split-system heating and cooling systems in his own older house, describes the process as non-intrusive and not very challenging. “Sure, you must live with wall-mounted appliances, but for most people, this is a minor price to pay for convenience and cost-effectiveness,” he adds. “Split units don’t use fossil fuels and demand significantly less work from the boiler, so you’ll see a decrease in your gas bill. Depending on where you live, your local power provider may also give rebates to offset the cost of their purchase.”

Improve your water heating

While aesthetic alterations are more enjoyable to plan and implement, their worth is subjective, according to Ricardo Rodriguez, the principal of Ricardo Rodriguez & Associates at Coldwell Banker Realty in New England. “Sometimes we overlook the fundamental infrastructural pieces that will allow you to stay in your house longer and make it more marketable,” he explains. No one likes to replace their water heater, yet it will significantly increase the value of their home. In addition, it will avoid you the hassle of dealing with leaks, no hot water, and other issues that emerge when your water heater is beyond its prime.

Simply renovate your kitchen

Putting in a new kitchen may seem like a monumental task, but if yours is starting to feel worn out and you have at least a few more years to live in the home, you should simply do it. Irving asserts that a crisp, lively, and clean modern kitchen is quite valuable. Just keep it peaceful, neutral, and not too eccentric, and you won’t hurt your resale value. The supply chain and labor cost difficulties of the last several years are diminishing, so now is an excellent opportunity to act. However, a kitchen renovation need not be exhaustive. “A sliding scale might range from installing new sink and door hardware and painting cabinetry to installing new worktops or appliances and ultimately replacing everything,” explains Irving.

The transition from gas to induction

Architect Drew Lang of New York City recommends replacing your gas burner with an induction stovetop if you can only make one improvement in the kitchen. “It’s ecologically advanced, aesthetically pleasing, and a simple modification for homes that will become increasingly common, if not mandated,” adds Lang, who is presently planning his own apartment remodel, which will include switching from gas to induction cooking. Customers that switch from gas to induction are delighted with the cooking performance and environmental impact.

Cover the outside with paint

Maintaining your home’s exterior paint has various advantages. “You’ll love looking at your house, and if you need to sell fast, it’s ready to go,” says Irving, who adds that you should never let the outside paint to deteriorate to the point that it no longer adequately protects the property. In addition, having eyes and hands on the exterior might lead to the discovery and repair of decay and other concerns.

Maintain your roof in excellent condition.

Every prospective buyer will inquire about the age of your roof. “A decent roof serves two purposes: safeguarding your home and providing a prompt response to prospective buyers,” explains Irving. Roofing might be intimidating, but repairing or replacing a roof with fiberglass or shingles is not very expensive.