Posts

6 Trends That Increase The Value of Your Home

/in , , /by

Contributed by Susan Mackey

Let’s start with the good news: The real estate market in Connecticut is heating up. Home values bottomed out in 2012 and 2013, but they’ve been climbing since. If you’re looking to increase the value of your home, and if you make a few improvements, you’re more likely to see some return on the investment. Here are six trends that increase the value of your Connecticut home.

Shut the Front Door

Your front door is what makes the first impression on a potential buyer, whether they show up at an open house or they are just driving by. You likely still have the front door that was on the house when you moved in, so a new front door is a cost-efficient update that will increase the value. You can spend anywhere from $150 to thousands of dollars on a new door. Before you spend the cash, make sure the door complements the rest of the house and that it’s similar to doors on homes in your price range. You may also consider painting your existing door. If so, black is trending right now and can increase the price of your home by as much as $6,000.

 

Don’t Let Your Window Panes Hurt

Old, drafty windows will decrease your home’s value right away. To a buyer, all they see is work that needs to be done or high energy bills. Don’t give prospective buyers a good reason to lowball you. If your windows are original to the house, you should consider replacement windows. New windows — although they can get pricey — can match that new front door for a completely updated look.

The Envy of the Neighborhood

Even if you don’t win “Lawn of the Month” prizes, the time to keep your yard in tip-top shape is when your home is on the market. Take a hard look at your lawn. Is it brown? Untrimmed? Full of weeds? Or is the grass struggling to grow? Don’t put off hiring mowing, weeding and fertilizing. You can hire a professional, or pick up some weed and feed at a local gardening store. Make sure you prune the trees and shrubs. You won’t regret it at closing.

Light It Up

Combine wellness trends with home improvement trends and you’ve got circadian rhythm lighting. The idea is to limit the impact of artificial lighting on the people who live in the home. It combines warmer lights (no more ghastly white LED bulbs!) with home automation to more closely match the lighting found in nature. If that sounds like too much of a project, consider changing all your interior light bulbs to a warmer, natural light color. Brighter light makes people feel more positive, so improving the light inside your home can help leave buyers with a good impression.

Clean Up the Kitchen

Your bathrooms and your kitchen can make or break an offer on your home. You don’t have to go crazy updating your kitchen to bring in a sale. You can spend just a few hundred dollars repainting the walls to a more buyer-friendly color. Update the hardware on the kitchen cabinets to give the space an updated feel. Or you can spend thousands on quartz or marble countertops and new stainless steel appliances.

Smart Technology

Buyers want to see high tech upgrades, such as remote control thermostats and doorbell video cameras. You probably won’t get a big return on investment if you go overboard by installing an expensive audio-visual system for the house. But high tech upgrades that save money or time, or those that increase security, add interest to your home. A Ring or Nest doorbell camera costs just a few hundred dollars. A programmable thermostat you can control from your phone isn’t expensive either.

You don’t have to go overboard to increase your home’s value in the current upward trend in real estate in Connecticut. Bigger improvements are always a selling point, but they’re not always going to bring in bigger offers. Think about what would make you fall in love with a home, and what would make you increase your offer. Let common sense — and your bank account — be your guide.

Susan Mackey is an interior designer and home stager as well as a freelance writer who focuses on the latest home fashion trends. She loves taking older homes and turning them into the envy of the neighborhood.

Designing Your Home To Save You Money

/in , , , , , /by

Whether you need siding, insulation, or residential roofing Hartford, CT – Peter L. Brown is your go-to company for all exterior home services. Peter L. Brown began their aluminum, siding and window business since the 1960’s. In 1986, they became a full-service exterior home improvement company, providing you with the best in home improvements at a reasonable price. They have since been dedicated to providing their customers with quality materials and excellent craftsmanship.

Change Your Siding With Unique, Fade-Proof Colors

Since siding is one of the aspects to homes that people see first, it is important to get a durable material that will last. Traditional siding often overlaps, showing unwanted lines and seams. If you want to make a dramatic change to the exterior of your home, then our seamless vinyl siding Hartford, CT is the way to go. The siding pops into place, making installation easy while creating a professional look. You will have a smooth exterior surface, that resists damage, dents and does not have to be repainted. This low-maintenance material will give your home the curb appeal it needs.

Install Insulation For Better Ventilation and Cheaper Energy Bills

It is important to have a completely sealed application of insulation. Some insulation materials do not get in every crack of the wall, and the heat will end up leaking out of the cracks. This will, in turn, raise your energy bill. At Peter L. Brown, we have insulation that will fill in every crevice, to properly ventilate the attic and prevent moisture. In an improperly ventilated area like an attic, condensation will form and lead to raised energy costs, roof and wall damage, water leaking from the attic and even mold and mildew growth. The importance of good insulation is often overlooked, but you will see the savings in energy costs once you change your insulation type. With our AttiCat blown-in insulation, the setup is simple with no mess! Fiberglass insulation is blown into your attic or small space, covering the area in its entirety. You will have more control over your heat, with this safe and reliable material.

Design Your Ideal Roof with a Lifetime Warranty and Curb Appeal

Is your roof living up to its expectation? Many roofs start fading after a few years. Maybe your shingles are falling off and your roof is just not holding up like it used to. With Atlas Roof Shingles featuring Scotchgard protector, you do not have to worry about color fade or algae growth. It is a strong material, that comes with a lifetime limited warranty. So don’t ignore your roof,  as it is easy to overlook. Because the roof is your first line of protection against weather, it needs to be strong. A good roof will protect your home and increase your home’s value greatly.

If you want to upgrade your home, but you don’t know what to work on – choose one of these projects above! They will give you the biggest return on your investment and will save you money in the long run. So contact Peter L. Brown today for a free estimate to start remodeling your dream home today!

 

 

Why Purchase Vinyl Siding?

/in , , /by

Being widely known for its high performance, vinyl siding is the top choice for homeowners and contractors throughout the U.S. In comparison to other siding products, vinyl siding beats them in price, quality, texture and attractive colors.

Ease of Installation

Vinyl siding is an easy material to install and does not have to be intimidating. Vinyl siding is watertight, so when it is installed it has an appealing look. One of the benefits to vinyl siding is that you can remove a piece of siding anywhere. The long pieces of siding can be locked into place, making installation easy and low maintenance.

Appearancebrandy

Vinyl Siding comes in many different styles, textures and colors. Some of the vinyl is made to mimic the natural rough texture of wood – like Shake Vinyl Siding – saving you money from purchasing real wood siding. Other vinyl gives off the impression of having real shingles, with a cedar grain texture and random gaps. Mimic your favorite siding material by keeping the same quality while skipping the high price!


Different Panels

There are many different panels that vinyl siding comes in. Some of the panels are vertical, triple, double, double dutch lap and single panels. With different textures and shapes, these panels add interest to the exterior of your home.

Quality

Many colors from other siding choices tend to fade in sunlight. Dark colors, although a popular siding choice, fade in direct sunlight with other siding choices. Our vinyl siding has a mastic solar defense technology than will keep your siding looking brand new. Another great aspect to vinyl siding is that is does not require a single coating of paint. Most other siding materials need some kind of paint or heavy duty maintenance every few years, but vinyl siding is unlike any other. The color will never fade or peel, and maintenance only requires mild soap and water occasionally.

So if you want a siding with an attractive look at a fair price – contact us today. The low maintenance siding lasts without stains or painting, and with tons of colors the possibilities are endless. When is comes to siding, it’s hard to combine style with quality. From quality workmanship to custom styles. Our siding has quality workmanship that requires low maintenance, hence our motto “Do it right the first time and you wont have to do it again.” To add the perfect touch to your roof, look no further than vinyl siding as an option for your home.

The Benefits of Sliding Doors

/in , /by

The versatility of sliding doors is what makes them a hot item for many homeowners. They are a great feature for any home, and add simply beauty. Here are the top three reasons they are such a requested item:

 

Lighting

 

The problem with many doors is that they are not a good source of natural light. Many doors do not even have a window, or if they do, it is a very small window. A sliding door is made of glass and provides enough natural light to a room to not require a traditional fluorescent light. You can replace an old solid door with a sliding door, and you will see a drastic change in the amount of light you receive in your home.

 

Better Outdoor Views

 

The beauty of sliding doors is that they can give you a really great view of your yard. A solid door prohibits the wide view that you will only get from a sliding door. This will create both a beautiful interior and exterior space. You can enjoy the outdoor views from glistening snow to sunny weather, without having to step foot outside.

 

Space Management

 

Because this is a visual feature, this aspect of sliding doors is often overlooked. Sliding doors do not need room to open, which is a huge plus when trying to save space. Swinging doors will require space and also caution to not place objects behind the door. With sliding doors, you have space for decorative objects, furniture and plants without having to worry. When dealing with tight spaces, sliding doors are always the best option.

Getting new doors for your home is an investment, but it is important to make that investment count. By adding doors that not only provide beauty but also add light and save space, you are looking at a door that will stay beautiful for decades to come. Contact us today to get to see a list of doors we offer to make your home investment count!

How to Profit from Home Renovations

/in /by

What Gets the Best Return on Renovations to Your Home?

Surprise! Renovating the exterior will get you a bigger return on your investment when it comes to home improvement project. Sure, it may not be as satisfying as remodeling the spare room, or redesigning the kitchen, but people take notice from the outside.

SignetWhat Type of Return Can I Expect?

For siding repairs, according to Remodeling Magazine, vinyl siding jobs on average cost about $12,528, and come with an 80 percent return rate. That’s a high percentage rate, and something not to pass up! But since investing on the exterior is one of the best investments for your money, you are probably wondering what is the worst investment?

What is the Worst Home Improvement Investment?

An investment with the least rate of return would be home remodeling. The worst way to spend your money would be to remodel a home office. From Remodeling Magazine, the average cost of this job would be $28,094, with only a small return rate of about 54.6 percent.

It’s probably more visually satisfying to have a shiny new office, or a newly furnished living room, since you can get everyday pleasure from these improvements. A new furnace, roofing or siding project may cost more money, but the good news is that these more expensive improvements do not go unnoticed and have a great resale!