Santa Cruz Real Estate News & Information

When you first bought your home, you may have fallen in love with its quirky details and design features that matched the current trend. 

But, with time, our homes age and our preferences change.

The shag carpets you used to find charming may now seem outdated. The large bedrooms that used to be practical may now be too big. 

Whether you’re wanting to love your home again or put in on the market, renovating it is a good idea. 

Oftentimes, renovating your Santa Cruz home can increase its value because of upgrades and modernization. If you put your home on the market with newly renovated rooms, you might be able to list it for a higher price.

Sometimes, though, your renovations won’t yield the returns you initially expected. If you’re not careful, you may end up putting more money into the renos than what you get back.

Before you begin construction, know these 5 tips to get the most out of your Santa Cruz home renovations:

1. Do Maintenance and Repairs on Your Home

As homes age, they begin to show wear and tear that can diminish their value and makes them less appealing to potential homebuyers. 

So, start your renovations with simple maintenance and repairs that can be done around your home. 

By fixing a leaky faucet and replacing old windows, you’ll make a world of difference. 

These simple, low-cost tasks are sure to get you the most out of your renovations.

2. Start With Small Projects

A world of possibilities opens up when you first start to imagine what renovations you could do to improve your home. 

Instead of doing a large, elaborate project, like adding a second story or building a larger master suite, start with what you already have.

Remodelling existing rooms can make your home feel brand new without a large price tag. Small improvements like re-tiling the bathroom backsplash or changing the hardware on kitchen cabinets can make a huge change.

3. Don't Renovate Beyond The Neighborhood Standard

To make the most out of your renovations, don’t renovate beyond the neighborhood standard.

Renovating your home to match the neighborhood normal is a great project that will add value to your home.

But, if you live in a modest community and add luxury features to your home, like a humidity-controlled wine cellar and a completely outfitted home library, potential homebuyers in your neighborhood’s price-range won’t be attracted to your home.

It’s always a good idea to upgrade your home, but to a reasonable extent. Before you start your renovations, check out other homes in your neighborhood to see what kinds of features and amenities they have.

4. Be Smart With Technology

Today, there are so many new smart home systems that load our homes with the latest technology. You can now install programs that control lighting, temperature, and alarms from your tablet!

The point of renovating your home is to modernize it, but be smart about what technology you add.

The tech industry is so fast paced, a new, fantastic piece of technology that comes out one day might be obsolete within a few months. 

So, when you’re considering turning your basement into a home theater, be smart with what technology you use. Don’t use programs that will go out of date quickly. 

Adding tech features to your home that can be easily updated is a smart decision for getting the most out of this improvement.

5. Hire a Professional

Even if you’re an experienced do-it-yourself-er, you’ll want to hire a professional when it comes to home renovations. 

If you’ve never laid tile or hung wallpaper before, hire a professional to do it for you. You don’t want to risk doing it wrong because you might end up having to spend more money hiring someone else to fix your mistakes.

You’ll want to have the highest quality work done on your home so that you can make a higher return on your renovation. 

If you’re interested in listing you Santa Cruz home, talk to one of our local agents today! We’re always happy to help you with all your real estate needs.