This blog is courtesy of Natalie Jones of Homeowner Bliss
Today’s homebuyers want more than a place to hang their coat at the end of the day. They want a refuge — a place where they can escape from all the chaos and stress of everyday life and where their family’s health and happiness come first.
For these buyers, a house needs to be more than clean and well-decorated to feel like home. It needs to consider its occupants’ health and well-being at every turn. If you’re a homeowner wondering how to add value and livability to your home or a seller wondering how to better market your home, these ideas will help you make your home a place that puts wellness first.
1. Remove the Carpet
Carpet has enjoyed long-standing popularity, but as consumers learn how carpeting affects indoor air quality, more homeowners are ripping theirs up and replacing it with hard flooring. Luxury vinyl is a popular choice, but it may have indoor air pollution problems of its own. The Environmental Working group recommends hardwood, cork, engineered hardwood, linoleum, or natural tile instead when choosing flooring for your home.
2. Maximize Natural Light
Natural light has been proven to improve moods and sleep, so it’s no wonder that homebuyers want lots of it in their living spaces. Installing new windows and skylights is the best way to dramatically increase natural light in a home, but as it’s a major undertaking, it’s best for homeowners who plan to live in their house for several years. However, there are simpler ways to make a home look lighter and brighter, such as painting in light shades, choosing glossier paint finishes, and installing doors with glass panels to let light in.
3. Emphasize Outdoor Spaces
Natural light is a great mood booster, but it’s no replacement for time spent outdoors. Spending time outside is linked to lower stress, better sleep, and improved alertness and concentration.
That’s why buyers are increasingly looking for outdoor living spaces in their next homes. Before you can worry about flagstone patios, outdoor kitchens, and raised bed gardens, you need to make sure the backyard is secure. Buyers with children and pets overwhelmingly prefer fenced yards; however, they won’t necessarily pay more for an unattractive fence. Avoid chain link and instead opt for wood, which is classic, sustainable, and affordable. Wooden fencing costs an average of $7 to $15 per foot with an extra $10 to $30 for labor, with the average homeowner paying $2,750 to fence a yard.
4. Go Green
Health-conscious homeowners aren’t only worried about their personal health. They’re also concerned about how their choices affect the planet. Show buyers your home aligns with their values by investing in eco-friendly features such as:
Energy Star certified appliances
Smart thermostats
Low or zero-VOC paints
Natural building materials
Native and pollinator-friendly landscape plants
5. Stage it Right
These home improvements not only make your home a healthier, greener place to live, but they can also help sell your home! However, if you want to market your home to health-conscious buyers, don’t stop at these projects. The way you stage your home also has a big impact on how it’s perceived. Create a space that puts family wellness at the forefront with these green staging strategies:
Decorate with houseplants
Keep fresh flowers in the entryway and/or kitchen
Hang an all-natural wreath on the front door
Stage bathrooms and kitchens with eco-friendly products
Choose linens in neutral and muted natural colors
It’s always smart to consider health and sustainability when remodeling a home. However, many homeowners continue to shy away from green home projects due to worries over cost. However, as these projects prove, creating a healthier, more livable home doesn’t have to cost a fortune — in fact, it could help your home sell for more!