The most valuable asset that most people will ever own is their home. Over time, homes generally appreciate even when only essential maintenance is done. By investing just a little time and money to update and replace worn out fixtures and furnishings you can greatly increase your home's value, often recovering more than the initial home improvement investment cost when you decide to sell your home.

If you can only do one project, update your kitchen. It's corny but true that the kitchen is the heart of a home, drawing people in with its warmth and aromas. If you still have those 1970's cabinets, consider replacing or re-facing them with one of the wide variety of cabinet styles available today. If your cabinets are in decent shape, consider painting them a bright white and replacing the hardware to make them look new again. Replacing your old counter tops with new granite countertops, a solid surface material or even Formica is a relatively simple project that can make a major difference. If your kitchen has room you might consider increasing your countertop space with an island. If your kitchen lacks room, perhaps you could remove a wall and open it up to an adjoining room. Now these may not be projects that just anyone would want to tackle on their own, but hiring an experience handyman would still be a very cost effective way to make improvements. A handyman's expert advice and craftsmanship can save you time and money in the long run.

A close second to a kitchen remodel are bathroom updates or additions. Your house will not appeal to many buyers with only a single bathroom and people particularly value a master bath. Look critically at your bathrooms. Is there old wallpaper that needs to come down or do they need painting? A new modern vanity and sink are inexpensive, again can make a big impact and can be installed by a handyman service in just a few hours. Perhaps your tub and toilet need to be replaced because they are old or don't match. Updated ceramic tiles and hard flooring are attractive to new buyers who don't want to go through the process of updating the bathrooms themselves.

Another valuable change you can make is to take down walls to enlarge small spaces and create a more modern and open floor plan, particularly if the area connects to the kitchen. Ceilings can be vaulted to give the appearance of more space and sometimes make rooms seem brighter. You may choose to add on a room or bump out a wall and the increased square footage will always add value to your home.

We suggest that you inventory your house and update items that are worn out or clearly from another era such as gold or turquoise carpeting, hardware such as door handles, lighting fixtures and old heavy draperies. Painting rooms and removing clutter can also help increase your home's value should you wish to sell or just need to get it appraised. You can also replace old flooring with wood, laminate or tile and add new windows which will appeal to buyers and can increase the energy efficiency of your home. Replacing your windows is also a project that can be done a few windows at a time as the budget allows.

All of these home improvements will add value to your home, not just when you sell but value in as far as quality of life as well.