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5 Ways to Raise Money for Home Improvements

If you refinance with an FHA loan, you’ll need 15% equity in your home. VA loans, on the other hand, are unique in that you can refinance 100% of the home’s value. In other words, you don’t have to leave any equity in the home if you meet your lender’s credit score requirements. This is the hub of the house where families cook, eat, gather, and socialize.

• Buyers care about a home office more than they care about whether the home is move-in ready or is of a minimum square footage, our survey found.
• “Any changes you make on your house now should increase your home value later,” says Kermit Baker, project director for the Remodeling Futures program at Harvard University.
• If you can penetrate the wood without applying much pressure, it’s likely time to get your deck replaced.
• They can enhance both the internal character of a room and the exterior appearance of a building.
• Find out how you can design your new build garden, with these top tips on how to design a new build garden.

Find information about energy efficient modification loans or incentives in your state. “Whether it is granite or quartz, the potential home buyer will not see the kitchen as finished without them,” says Dominguez. Consider installing under-cabinet lighting to showcase the countertops. It doesnt matter if you are a homeowner or a contractor we dive into how to handle disputes in construction in this episode. Michael Showalter is the owner and President of Construction Dispute Resolution, Inc.. Mike was one of the early non-lawyers in this field and he continues to be a leader among those who have joined the industry.

Make a special folder to save all your receipts and records for any improvements you make to your home. Compare the adjusted cost basis with the sales price you get for the house. Your cost basisis the amount you’ll subtract from the sales price to determine the amount of your profit when you sell it. Amy Fontinelle is a mortgage and credit card authority and a contributor to Credible. Her work has appeared in Forbes Advisor, The Motley Fool, Investopedia, International Business Times, MassMutual, and more.

The best ROI home improvements – get the biggest return on your investment

You might spend several days — even weeks — waiting for the loan to close. Some lenders are faster than others, though, and you can help move the process along by responding to all their requests rapidly. Refinancing your mortgage may lower your loan-to-value House & Home Improvement ratio and allow you to eliminate PMI. If your home is worth enough to bring your LTV to 80%, you can apply to have your PMI canceled. You might be able to refinance your mortgage at a lower rate, which can lead to lower monthly payments.

Showing a home with stacks of books, papers, and odds and ends gives off the vibe that the house isn’t well-taken care of. You don’t want buyers wondering if you’ve been hands-off with maintenance and repairs issues, too. No matter where we live, access to green space makes a big difference to our happiness levels; we found we’re significantly unhappier without it. Even if we don’t have a garden or balcony, bringing some greenery into our homes will improve our overall well being. Our homes are happier when we invite people to share them with us. This increases our pride in our homes, as well as the emotional connection we feel with where we live.

Pay your debts on time and don’t carry a credit card balance of more than 30% of your credit limit — but 6% or less is even better. Refinancing could also lower your monthly payment by eliminating your private mortgage insurance or FHA mortgage insurance premiums. Again, you could put the monthly savings toward home repairs or upgrades.

Give doors and windows a total overhaul by framing them in farmhouse-inspired trim. Not only is this project much easier to DIY than you think, but it’s also surprisingly affordable, coming in at just $30 per door. Your shower curtain takes up the single largest piece of real estate in the bathroom. So needless to say, swapping it out makes a huge impact for very little money.