It’s easy to get distracted when you’re house hunting by the seller’s decor. One thing I have found over the years is that most buyers can’t look past seller’s personal choices, which could result in a deal for you! Even if you’re not a diy’er or don’t want to invest a lot into a new home purchase, there are 15 easy ways to update a house that can immediately increase the value.

Find your own hidden gem by looking for homes in neighborhoods you love that may be dated, but well-kept. Focus the things you can’t change {or are difficult to} like the floor plan, natural light and lot rather than wallpaper, paint color and light fixtures. Take a few snapshots so that you can play around with ideas before making an offer.

15 Easy Ways to Update a House

1. Update the outlets. In our lake house, the outlets and light switches were almond which made the home feel dated. Sometimes outlets yellow, get painted over or are mismatched. This is a relatively easy {and very inexpensive} way to make your home feel fresh and cohesive. Note: if you’re not experienced in doing this, hire a licensed electrician or find a great online video source and watch a few tutorials. It’s relatively simple, yet tedious work.

   

   

2. Add natural light. Remove blinds, trim back trees and bushes just outside the windows or remove screens to let the light shine in. Natural light automatically makes a room appear larger.  
3. Update light fixtures. We’ve updated lights for just $20-30 that transformed a room. You can make anything a light fixture with this little trick. 
4. It’s amazing what a little paint can do. Find a color you love and the house will start to feel like you. Choosing a sheen eggshell or above reflects light making the room appear brighter and larger. 
5. Carpet in an old home? Remove the vent cover to see if hardwoods lie beneath. If you’re lucky, you can remove the carpet to expose and refinish hardwoods! 
6. New hardware is another easy way to update a house and perhaps one of my favorites!  
7. Add molding. This previously undefined space was elevated with shadow box trim. It’s a very inexpensive project that makes a space feel rich in detail. 
8. New doors also make a huge impact, especially when replacing dated hollow core doors.
   
9. Remove carpet on stairs to expose treads and risers. There’s nothing more classic than wood stars, is there? You can even add a runner with this simple DIY project.  
10. Paint a concrete floor. This project is perfect for basements and laundry rooms and makes a previously undefined space feel finished. 
11. Finish a basement with vinyl peel and stick floors or a vinyl floating floor. It’s an instant transformation that takes less than a day and as little as a few hundred dollars! 
12. Add curb appeal with landscaping. The addition of a few colorful plants goes a long way. 
13. Define a space with curtain rods. We extended our living space by turning our screened in porch into an outdoor dining room by adding curtains. We also made an awkward dated inset style window in our dining room feel up-to-date by adding an inset curtain rod. These little tweaks update a house with very little effort. 
14. Replacing faucets makes a significant impact, especially in a small space, like powder rooms. They’re relatively easy to replace on your own and can overshadow a dated vanity. 
15. Organize! Nothing gives the illusion of more space than beautifully organized closets with the help of shelves or closet systems.  

We have used these tips over and over again to find a hidden gem. 

What are your favorite ways to update a house?