One of the best ways to increase the value of your investment property is to undertake some home improvements. But where to begin? The following are a few tried and tested tips on what to improve in order to raise the value of your house.

1. Improve the property’s exterior

Always start with the outside of the house because that’s the most important part of the property. It is what potential buyers see first and it is usually what makes them decide whether they want or are interested in the property or not.

2. Dab fresh paint or set up new sidings

Would you believe that a simple paint job can increase the value of your property significantly? Only a few weeks ago, an effective re-painting job pushed the value of one of my investment properties to rise by $25,000.

3. Landscaping

This is also related to upgrading exteriors. Some people simply find landscaped lawns magical, especially the woman of the house. There is really something about a nicely-manicured lawn that is adorned with esthetically arranged plants, rocks and ornaments that makes people stop and stare.

4. Parking areas always matter

Parking is so hard to come by these days in a lot of places that having a house with parking space automatically makes it worth more.

5. Interiors are what make the house a home

When thinking of upgrading the interiors, the most sought-after rooms are usually the bathroom, kitchen and master bedroom. Start on these first. Think of a new bathtub, shower stalls, tiles and the like. Put up a full-length mirror. Paint the interiors as well as the exteriors. Try to have lots of space in your kitchen that can fit in a table, lots of storage space, counter top, double sink, garbage disposal system and the usual appliances. Good carpeting and tiles are a must, and it would be ideal if they were new. Carpets that are good to the touch make a good impression. The kitchen and bathroom should have quality tiles or tasteful vinyl rugs. A hardwood floor can add a lot of value to the dining area.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including
Home Improvement, Shopping, and Home

Home Improvement companies which service our needs as handymen are under the gun these days due to all the rules and regulations, permits and fines at all levels of government. In fact one recent franchise company which is basically a; Handy Man Service, sells franchises where a Franchisee would have himself as an owner operator or a crew of employees which would be dispatched to customers homes who call in for service.

Sounds like a great service and a great franchise right? Sure it is much needed but also consider that a Franchise System will want only legitimate operators who follow the rules of City, Country, State and Federal Government. That means if a Handy Man comes to your house to build a railing on your deck or fix the fence you are probably okay, but if you ask them to look at your sink while he is there forget it; as he most likely would not be a certified plumber too? Or if you wanted him to connect your new gas BBQ well he would not be certified for that either. He might be able to connect your garage door opener, but not if you wanted it hard wired to your house you see?

Unfortunately you can see the problems here with potential lawsuits, fines from city, permits and licenses too. Of course you can always call an illegal alien Handy Man who does not follow the rules to do all these things for you, but not an official company run by an American Citizen? America, I certainly hope you can understand what is happening here and appreciate how over regulation and over lawyering is killing American Small Businesses in every industry. Think on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Whether you need heat in winter or air conditioning in summer, you run the risk of throwing away money on utilities. You need not do this by making painless home improvements.

Home Improvements - Get Your Envelope In Order

Your house is an enclosed structure designed to keep rain, cold, heat, wind, snow and so on out. In contrast, all of those things want in. If you are not careful, Mother Nature will rob you blind. Yes, I am talking about the thermal envelope of your home.

The thermal envelope refers to the protective pocket around your living space. Much like wearing gloves in the snow, you want the envelope to provide a complete insulation barrier between you and the elements. If there are gaps or weak areas, your hard earned money is flowing out of them. Upgrading or maintaining your envelope can save you a bundle.

Insulation can be a killer when it comes to your envelope. Most developers build homes to the minimum requirements because they are focused on profits. Insulation is noted by R values, a method of determining how resistant the insulation is to transferring heat. If you check the walls of your house, an R-11 value will most likely be present. This is bad. R-11 is the minimum required. Upgrade to R-20 or R-30 in the walls and R-70 in the ceiling and floor areas. The temperatures in the house will become more consistent because the heat transfer will stop. This means the house stays warmer for longer in the winter and cooler for longer in the summer. The change will be dramatic.

Windows can be a killer, accounting for as much as 25 percent of your energy loss. The answer is relatively simple. Install Energy Star approved windows and get those frames into shape.

Doors are another area that can kill you. The issue is not so much the door itself, but the framing around it. Make sure your doors are flush to the frames. Installing small seal pads along the inside of the doorstops can make a major difference because they cut off air flow. Of course, the downside is the door doesn’t make much noise when you slam it in anger, but you will just have to tough it out.

Upgrading your envelope can make a major difference in your utility bill. If you can save $100 a month, you will save $1,200 a year. If you live in the home for 10 years, that is an easy $12,000.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more solar power articles.