A little sweat, tears, and elbow grease can go a long way in boosting your homes value. Sweat equity is when the home owner invests time, effort, and a small amount of money into their home in order to boost the homes value. This is a great way to make sure that as a home owner you boost the value of your home and steer clear of depreciation.

Sweat equity is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most for your home when looking to resell. When thinking about at taking on a home improvement project you must first take a look at your home and decide the weakest areas. Sweat equity can be as simple as updating hardware in the kitchen. There are a lot of options when thinking about a home improvement project. It is always best to start small with inexpensive projects. Instead of installing a new floor, paint and change the lighting. Rather than expand the bathroom, add new fixtures and a brighter decor. Small efforts for less money can often produce big changes. Many low-cost energy efficient home improvements, for example, come with cash-back opportunities in the form of lower utility bills, rebates and tax breaks.

A little muscle can go along way and you do not have to be a professional! Think about the people you know, friends, family, and co workers. It is pretty likely that they may be skilled at some aspect of home improvement or just willing to help you out on a small weekend project like building a deck! Use your resources, do your research before starting a project and do not be afraid to ask for help. Before starting a large project it is smart to research local building and zoning codes, secure all necessary permits before you start and go to the local home improvement store for some strategic advice about performing the job. Be sure to know all the specific components involved in your project. Do not be afraid to consult a professional if unsure about the project you are looking to tackle yourself.

Sweat equity can be large projects that you as the home owner do not actually do any of the work or it can be as simple as general home maintenance. Regardless of the amount of work you are planning to put into your home, it is always important to use quality building materials in order to get the most out of the improvements in your home. Remember to be realistic, keep projects simple at first and make sure the job is done right. It is also important when considering sweat equity to realize that just because you put $10,000 worth of remodels into your home the resale value may not reflect that exact amount. The more work that you put into your existing home the easier it will be to sell.  Potential home buyers will see that they won’t have to do all the work and will be willing to pay more for your home!

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