When it comes to the time for a tax refund, you may have a lot of big plans for the extra money that you’ll receive back from Uncle Sam. Your mind may swirl with possibilities as to what you might do with the money. One of the best uses for the money is to reinvest it in your home. It can only increase the value of your property, giving you more equity to play with whether you plan to refinance or sell in the future. The money you get back may be enough to do things like buy new appliances or put in a new floor. Below, you’ll find some of the best ideas for how to spend your tax refund money on home improvements.
Paint
Adding some new paint to your home can do wonders for both the interior or the exterior. See what needs to be done the most and do some cost estimates. You may even be able to hire a professional painter who can get a painting job done fairly quickly without making the huge mess that you might if left to painting on your own.
Add Some Rugs
Adding just a few rugs to the hardwood surfaces around your home may make your home a lot cozier. For one, the surfaces that you walk on with bare feet will be much softer and warmer to the touch. Rugs also add a certain style element to a room that not many other accents can. Be sure that the rug you choose blends well with the color scheme that you desire for your rooms.
Work On The Outdoors
With your tax refund money, you’ll be able to make some significant improvements to the outdoor spaces of your home. It can never hurt to add a bit of curb appeal to your property by adding bushes, new grass, outdoor lighting, and the like. Even painting your front door can be a simple task that makes a huge difference to the outside of your home.
Upgrade Your Appliances
Upgrading your appliances can be one of the biggest things that you do to add value to your home. You can start small with items like your range and dishwasher. If you have a bit more money to play with, you may end up servicing and replacing larger items like your hot water heater, HVAC systems, or even adding solar panels. The money that you’ll save on energy efficiency will pay for the appliances over time. Also, if you’re getting ready to sell your home, these upgrades will make a huge difference in the return value that you can get for your home.
About the Author
Judy Szablak
With over 30 years in the industry, Realtor Judy Szablak has been on national television for her real estate expertise on the HGTV Network, featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio "Morning Living” , NPR radio as an expert real estate panelist, It’s Relevant News channel, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal for her in depth knowledge of Fairfield County Connecticut real estate.
She was also on the local NPR radio station (WSHU) as a Fairfield County CT real estate expert. Judy has provided multiple online respected news sources with her real estate expertise including The Daily Easton, The Daily Weston, The Daily Fairfield, The Daily Stamford and The Daily Greenwich, as well as in print in the New York Post. She is a weekly Real Estate Columnist for WestportNow.com, another real estate column "Real Estate With Judy” is syndicated through Hearst CT Media Online and seen in The Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Time, The Hour, Fairfield Citizen, Westport News, Darien News, New Canaan News and the Wilton Villager.
Judy is also the author of the book, The Art of Buying or Selling a Home, available at all major book retailers. Additionally, Judy has been nationally recognized in a number of national real estate trade magazines, some with distribution to over 1 million members. She was featured in Real Estate Today as early as 1994 for her commitment to, and implementation of technology in real estate. Judy appeared in the Certified Residential Specialist Magazine, as she provided advice on marketing strategies and ethics in the article titled "Marketing Makeovers.”
Judy was also featured in REALTOR® Magazine, regarding image enhancement for Realtors. She was again featured in REALTOR® Magazine, in an article on "Achieving Flow” and operating at optimal peak performance. In another article in the same publication, Judy offered guidance to fellow real estate professionals as she explored the topic of implementing and maintaining personal websites. She has appeared in The Council of Residential Specialists Magazine, which featured her ideas regarding technology. Additionally, Judy authored an article on marketing and technology for the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Online Magazine. On two occasions, in 2015 and 2017, she appeared as a featured agent in Top Agent Magazine. I have a few other websites- www.TheCtrealtyBlog.com www.CtHomesAndRealEstate.com www.BestWestportHomes.com www.ThePetitePowerhouse.com www,SzablakConsulting.com
