5 Home Improvement Tips to Boost Your Maitland Home’s ROI

Maitland is a suburb of Orlando, FL where nearly 20,000 residents live in an area of about 6.5 square miles. The region was incorporated as the town of Lake Maitland in 1885 – named after the nearby body of water – and was officially incorporated as a city in 1959. The city’s historical corridor showcases vibrant examples of Mayan Revival architecture – similar to Art Deco but with intricately patterned embellishments found in the Mayan culture – and Fantasy architecture – another Mayan-influenced but more futuristic style. 

The annual Florida Film Festival occurs at Maitland’s very own Enzian Theater – a nationally recognized, full-time independent movie theater. Far from being a small-town event, the festival has welcomed past Hollywood luminaries, including directors Oliver Stone and Barry Levinson, actresses Susan Sarandon, Emma Stone, and Cloris Leachman, and actors Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, and Steve Buscemi, to name a few.

At any rate, it’s essential to take every step you can to make your property perform as competitively as possible on the market to attract higher offers. With this in mind, let’s look at a few key ways you can boost your home’s ROI when it comes time to sell.

Consider your curb appeal

The outside of your home is the first thing potential buyers see when they visit your home, so it’s essential to make a fantastic first impression. Don’t skimp on lawn care, hardware upgrades, and even driveway maintenance — there are several easy ways to make your home the most welcoming and intriguing property on the block!

Before you get started, assess your home’s outdoor appeal: what’s working and what needs a refresh? Consider adding new shrubbery, succulents, or potted plants on the front porch. Flowers enhance Florida’s tropical appeal and make your home look more inviting. Landscaping is a great way to make your property stand out, and if you don’t have a green thumb, you can always hire a professional.

Minor upgrades like swapping out old house numbers or hardware goes a long way. Light fixtures, a new front door, and clean pavers leading up to your home will offer potential buyers a welcome “first look” into your home.

Consider installing a backyard deck

If you live in Florida, you’d be selling yourself short if you don’t have a deck from which to enjoy the sunshine and balmy weather. Wooden decks are standard, but composite decks are now a popular choice amongst homeowners who are drawn to sustainability. Composite decks come in all colors and finishes and are indistinguishable from natural wood. Their advantage is that they need less maintenance than traditional wooden decks while simultaneously eliminating the need for materials from the destructive timber industry. Once installed, you could outfit your deck with comfy padded chairs and a focal point of a cozy fire pit for evening gatherings.

Consider upgrading the driveway

Concrete and asphalt are traditional driveway finishes, but they don’t always hold up well in humid climates such as where Maitland, FL homes for sale are located. This hot and wet weather causes the expansion and contraction of asphalt and concrete, and after a while, you could be looking at a cracked driveway needing patching or replacement.

To address this problem while also boosting your home’s ROI, replace the driveway with paving or concrete stepping stones that dot a plot of carpet grass. Paving stones – also called “pavers” – are shaped like chunky dumbbells which interlock like puzzle pieces. Since they’re not mortared or otherwise adhered to each other, they expand and contract with the weather and pose fewer instances of breakage or the need for replacement. In the less likely event they do need replacing, you can simply remove the broken paver and drop in a new one.

Consider replacing the roof

In coastal states which are exposed to tropical storms, roof damage is inevitable. If this critical piece of your home is worn or exhibits damage in any form, it could affect a buyer’s chances of securing a loan to buy Maitland, FL homes for sale due to that liability. A damaged roof could also affect your asking price and any offers you receive. Insurance companies require a policy for new roofs — you’ll increase your buyer pool if you have an updated roof with a new policy already in place.

However, if you choose to leave the roof as-is and let the buyer have to deal with the renovation, that buyer might offer you $25,000 less than the asking price. Why? Even if the replacement cost is $17,000, they’ll use the inconvenience and cost as leverage to negotiate a lower offer. In a seller’s market, this might not matter too much, but in a buyer’s market, a seller could end up losing money.

Consider maximizing storage space

For some, deep cleaning and decluttering might just be what your house needs to free up additional storage space. However, if your home lacks adequate storage, it’s possible to create more space without investing in expensive built-ins. You just have to be creative.

Some creative solutions include outfitting your garage shelving with waterproof, lidded plastic containers to house dry goods, seasonal clothing, and sports equipment. You can add a new shelf above the one above the hanging rack in most closets to allow for compartmentalized storage. Another way to maximize storage space is to follow the in-and-out rule – for every new clothing or collectible item – or anything new, basically – you bring into your home, discard, donate, or sell a similar item.

Listing Maitland homes for sale: If you want to learn more about home improvement tips to boost your property’s ROI or about Maitland, FL real estate, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the trusted agents at the Tate Advisory Group for expert guidance.