Do Your Own Home Staging. Tina Parker

needs, follow the “Home Improvement Checklists” (available in Appendix II) to make sure you’ve covered all the bases for your property.

      Ten Recession-Proof Home Improvements

      A 2008 poll of registered voters by The American Institute of Architects (AIA) revealed that 90 percent of respondents would be willing to pay $5,000 more for a house that would use less energy and protect the Earth. According to the AIA survey, the following home improvement products have increased in demand (even in hard times).

      ENERGY STAR windows

      Paying more for Energy Star certified windows will save you money in the long run. There are also many purchasing incentives and rebates available. Although most houses will benefit from energy-efficient windows, the further north you reside the more you will enjoy the annual savings in heating costs. See www.energystar.gov.

      To find out more, visit the US Environmental Protection Agency website (www.epa.gov), if you are in the US, or the Office of Energy Efficiency website (www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca) if you are in Canada.

      Water-saving toilets

      Water conservation is important in today’s eco-conscious world, and water-saving toilets can play a large role in trimming down a home’s water use. While most standard toilets use 3.43 gallons or 13 liters of water per flush, water-saving toilets usually use less than 1.32 gallons or 5 liters!

      Water heater

      Traditional water heaters will heat water constantly, but there are various models available that only heat water as needed. Since these work on demand, you’ll never run out of hot water! And, in most cases, a more energy-efficient system will pay for itself in just one year.

      Radiant heat

      Radiant heat is a technology whereby radiant energy is emitted from an element such as the floor or wall. The US Department of Energy estimates that radiant heating is 20 percent more efficient than conventional heating systems and can save you 20 percent per year in heating costs.

      Landscaping

      A landscaped yard with a garden not only provides great curb appeal and health benefits, it also gives buyers their first impression of a home. If your front yard discourages people before they even view the house, you are in trouble.

      Doorless showers

      The doorless shower is the best alternative to the traditional model, and is a design trend that builders and architects mention again and again as something consumers want. Also called walk-in showers, the enclosure is popular among aging Baby Boomers. Since baths require more water, there are increased numbers of buyers looking for more eco-friendly bathing options.

      Cork floors

      As an alternative to tile and wood-plank flooring (which is pricier), low-density cork flooring is an effective insulator, does not rot when exposed to water, and does not absorb dust. Premium cork flooring can run at about $6.75 per square foot, assuming that you are looking to cover 600 or more square feet.

      Bamboo countertops

      Bamboo grows twice as quickly as the fastest growing tree, which makes it a very eco-friendly material. It is significantly harder and denser than other woods (such as maple) when compressed to the thickness required for a countertop, and it is sold in different swatches depending on how much space you need to cover.

      Energy efficient lighting

      Compact fluorescent lightbulbs

      As stated on the Energy Star website, qualified Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFL) use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to ten times longer. They also save approximately $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime and produce about 75 percent less heat. This makes them safer to operate, and they can reduce energy costs associated with home cooling. Any home improvement store should carry various sizes and shapes to fit in almost any fixture, for indoor and outdoor use.

      LED lighting

      Short for light-emitting diode, LED lighting systems use less energy than standard bulbs, which translates into a lower electric bill. LED lights are more expensive than conventional lightbulbs, but can pay for themselves over time.

      Garage doors

      Nothing dramatically changes tired curb appeal like a new garage door, especially if the garage is a primary focus of your home’s design. It is best to have one that is a little different from the “contractor’s special” found on every house in the neighborhood.

      Return on Investment in Home Improvements

      The following “Return on Investment in Home Improvements” chart is a summary of the results of HomeGain’s national survey in 2007, based on the ten areas of home improvement identified by real estate agents in HomeGain’s original survey in 2003.

      HomeGain surveyed more than 2,000 real estate agents in each of the US regions. All agents might not necessarily agree on the same presale strategy. (See “% of Agents Recommending” column below.) Differences of opinions may vary based on the climate of the market, region of the country, or condition of the home in question. The percentage of agents that agree on the positive impact of a particular presale activity is summarized here.

      According to a May 2007 survey of 4,000 real estate agents, 75 percent think that the kitchen is the most important place to make home improvements when selling a home. The Royal LePage House Staging Poll was also conducted by Maritz Research between January 26th and January 31st, 2006, and came up with the following percentages of buyers that would pay a premium for certain features:

      Renovated kitchen : 79%

      Renovated bathroom: 73%

      New windows: 70%

      New flooring: 62%

      Updated decor: 36%

      In addition, while 47 percent of buyers said that the need for major renovations would most negatively influence their buying decision, another significant proportion of buyers (11 percent) thought that decor requiring major changes had the most impact on their decision. Only 6 percent of buyers said that the need for minor renovations would most negatively influence their buying decision.