Your home is most likely your biggest asset, so you want to make sure that you are continuously making it better than it was before. Some factors that determine a home’s worth aren’t even in your control such as the home’s location or the popularity of the market. However, if you have been keeping up with repairs and making smart improvements on your home, you are pretty much guaranteed to increase its value.

Building up your home’s value will help you build equity or if you are in the process of moving, it will help you get top dollar when you sell. There can be some cost of selling a house, but there is a lot of incentive for you to invest money into your home especially when it comes to its curb appeal.

Your home should look good when someone passes it on the street. A good first impression is always worth the work. You should make sure your existing landscaping is maintained and even though you shouldn’t strive to keep up with the Joneses, you shouldn’t have a dull yard compared to your neighbors. Items such as colorful planters or hanging baskets full of color can make your yard stand out in the neighborhood.

Once you think you have a handle on keeping up the exterior, the two biggest rooms inside your house are the kitchen and the bathroom. These are rooms that potential buyers or appraisers look at to see if they are outdated, which can keep your home from reaching its highest value.

You don’t have to put in a marble tub and gold sink to update these rooms since minor kitchen and bathroom updates add more value to your home than full upscale remodels with custom pieces because everyone doesn’t always have opulent taste.

Also keep in mind that if you are selling your home, a lot of buyers want a house that isn’t going to cost them an arm and a leg to upkeep. Knowing a home will need consistent maintenance will drive people away from it, so replacing a water heater or roof before you are selling will drive up the value of your home. Another way to have a home be low maintenance is to look into hardwood floors instead of carpet that is expensive to clean and needs to be replaced more often than not.

If you are able, adding square footage to your home is a sure way to increase its value. Price per square footage is a way that buyers compare homes that are similar in style and upgrades. Usually a larger home demands a higher value and will grab more people’s attention. You can add a room or finish a basement or a deck to add those extra feet onto your home.

All of this can sound overwhelming, so don’t be afraid to start slow and little. If you just moved in and want to upgrade, get to know your home a bit. Make a list of what you want to change and update and start there. If you are selling, make sure you are talking to a realtor on what to prioritize. It will all get done. Just be organized and patient.